Biography
Based in Los Angeles, New West, featuring Perry Smith, John Storie, and Brady
Cohan, has gained recognition as one of today's premier guitar ensembles. Their
original music combines the foundation of jazz with elements of blues, rock, and folk.
Originally a quartet, New West established themselves as a notable jazz group when
they were all students at the University of Southern California. As music majors,
New West collaborated with USC to become the first group to receive the coveted
Thornton Protégé Grant. It was during this time that the Los Angeles Sister Cities
Committee established the group as the city's musical ambassador. This honor gave
them the chance to perform at the 2005 World Exposition in Nagoya, Japan and the
2007 German-American Volksfest in Berlin, Germany. The group has continued to
perform in major venues throughout Canada, Japan, Europe, and the United States.
In August 2009 New West performed at the Britt Festival in Southern Oregon as the
opening act for Diana Krall.
In 2009, New West collaborated with renowned jazz vocalist Gretchen Parlato and
world-class luthier Jeff Traugott to produce their third album, "Sleeping Lady." This
recording marks New West's transition from a quartet to a trio. Over the years, New
West has developed music to combine the sounds of acoustic and electric guitars.
By utilizing these different timbres, New West creates a new medium of chamber
music. Their performances and recordings have received critical acclaim, and while
the members are still only in their early twenties, New West looks forward to a
bright future.
-QUOTES-
"New West is comprised of three of the brightest stars among a new generation of guitarists...I have a feeling that they are just at the beginning of a long and wonderful journey that will bring much joy to the global music community."
Larry Koonse
Jazz Guitarist
California Institute of the Arts Faculty
"...one of the premier guitar ensembles in the country."
Anthony Wilson
Guitarist for Diana Krall
-HIGHLIGHTED PERFORMANES-
2009- Britt Festival with Diana Krall (Jacksonville, OR)
2009- Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Ashland, OR)
2009- Yoshi's Jazz Club (Oakland, CA)
2008- Jazz Radio Berlin Concert (Berlin, Germany)
2008- Montreal Jazz Festival (Montreal, PQ)
2007- Hoffest (Berlin, Germany)
2007- German-American Volksfest (Berlin, Germany)
2007- Guitar Society of Las Vegas Concert Series (Las Vegas, NV)
2007- Jazz Bakery (Los Angeles, CA)
2007- Kuumbwa Jazz Center (Santa Cruz, CA)
2007– Jimmy Maks (Portland, OR)
2006- Montreal Jazz Festival (Montreal, PQ)
2005- Satake Memorial Hall (Hiroshima, Japan)
2005- World Expo (Aichi, Japan)
2005- Sister Cities Festival (Nagoya, Japan)
-AWARDS-
2007- USC's Alumni of the Month
2005- USC’s Thornton Protégé Grant Recipient
2004- USC’s Thornton Protégé Grant Recipient
2004- North Texas Jazz Festival, 1st Place Collegiate Combo Division
-RADIO APPEARANCES-
2009- KCSM 91.1 FM (San Mateo, CA)
2008- Jazz Radio Berlin (Berlin, Germany)
2007- KPFK Global Village (Los Angeles, CA)
2007- Homegrown Live on KMHD 89.1 FM (Portland, OR)
2007- KUSP Live at Lunch Series (Santa Cruz, CA)
2006- KUSC Spotlight on the Arts (Los Angeles)
-GUEST ARTIST/CLINICIAN-
2009- Cazadero Performing Arts Camp
2008- University of Southern California Jazz Forum
2007- Las Vegas Academy
2007- Redwood High School
2007- AYSO Clinicians
2007- Marin High School for the Arts
2006- Pendleton Arts Center
2006- Clinician Jazz Bakery
2005- Monterey Jazz Festival Summer Camp
2005- Centrum’s Port Townsend Jazz Workshop
Instrumentation
Perry Smith:
Finalist in the 2007 International Songwriting Competition, recipient of the 2006 ASCAP Young Jazz Composers, and the USC’s Studio/Jazz Guitar Outstanding Leader Award. Guitarist for the California-All-State High School Jazz Band and SF All-Star High School Jazz Band. Bachelors of Music from USC (2005).
John Storie:
Semi-finalist in the 2005 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Guitar Competition and a three-time Down Beat Student Music Award Winner and four-time Oregon High School State Champion of Classical Guitar. Bachelors of Music from USC (2006)
Brady Cohan :
Guitarist for the Grammy High School Jazz Band, Monterey All-Star Jazz Band, and the SF All-Star High School Jazz Band. Guitarist/composer/engineer on TV/Film projects such as "The Tudors" (Showtime), "The Incredible Hulk" (Universal Pictures), "Aliens In The Attic" (20th Century Fox), "The Loop" (20th Century Fox), and "Barnyard" (Nickelodeon). Bachelors of Music from USC (2007).
Discography
"Sleeping Lady" (Traugott Productions)- May, 2009
DVD Concert - "Live @ Rosalie and Alvas" (Mel Bay Records)- Sept. 2008
"WIDE AWAKE" (Artsong Music)- June, 2007
'INTRODUCING: NEW WEST GUITAR QUARTET" (Flora Records)- May, 2005
"A THORNTON RETROSPECTIVE" (Flora Records)- 2005
'Movin' On - featured selection"
"THORNTON OMNIBUS' (Flora Records)- 2004
'Movin' On - featured selection"
Links
| http://www.newwestguitar.com |