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CD/Download Release News Posted: 2007-12-07
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Who:Gary Wolfe
What:CD Release Sun Up
When:Thursday, December 13
Where:Ironwood Stage
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
Calgary, Canada: Jazz guitarist Gary Wolfe celebrates the official release of his debut CD, Sun Up, on Thursday, December 13 at the Ironwood Stage in Calgary. Marking the evenings celebrations will be a live performance by Gary and a quartet of players who also appear on the album, Derek Stoll (piano), Jeremy Coates (bass), Andy Ericson (drums), and Robin Tufts (percussion).
The independently released Smooth Jazz Sun Up, may be the Calgary guitarists first recording as leader, but music veteran Gary Wolfe is an accomplished performer and educator, and has been an integral part of the Calgary scene for nearly fourty years. Gary is an in-demand player in a variety of styles and formats, and boasts a long list of bandleader and performance credits. Gary has also owned and operated Wolfe Guitar Studios for the past two decades, nurturing and guiding innumerable students along the guitar path, many of them going on to become successful musicians themselves.
Sun Up features a collection of Wolfes originals and standards by such jazz greats as Stanley Turrentine and Billy Taylor and blues legends Pinetop Perkins. Wolfe's innovative and unique voice brings a fresh face to this hip, west-coast sound, which echoes one of Wolfes greatest influences, guitarist Wes Montgomery. Wolfe chose some of Alberta's finest jazz musicians to round out the ensemble, with Stoll, Coates, Ericson and Tufts, as well as featured guest performers Ralf Buschmeyer (guitar), and the late, great Bob Day, flugelhorn.
Or Contact:
Cindy McLeod
E-mail: cindy@jazzelements.com
Address: 6932 - 32 Ave NW
Calgary, AB
ZIP T3B0K5
Phone 403-270-7556 - allaboutjazz.com
Seven of western Canada’s finest guitarists come together in concert on Sunday, February 19th in Calgary for “Guitarmania VII”. The event showcases the guitar masters in individual sets backed by a top-notch ensemble featuring Andrew Glover (keyboards), Dave Chobot(bass), and Steve Hoy (drums).
Kaos Bluesand the Calgary Blues Music Association, producers of the Kaos Blues Festival held annually in June, are presenting the show as part of their ongoing concert season.
Featured guitarists for ‘Guitarmania Vll’ include:
Bill Johnson
“Victoria’s guitar flame-thrower”
Amos Garrett
“nobody can make sweeter smoke come out of a telecaster”
Jack Semple
“ a guitar player’s guitar player”
Johnny V
“vibratin’, pulsatin’, oscillatin’, agitatin’, circulatin’, gyratin’, palpitatin’, leg breakin’, hip-shakin’, back bacon boogie “
Lester Quitzau
“scorching guitar, impassioned vocals, massive grooves”
Gary Wolfe
“an unsung Canadian guitar hero!”
Dave Hamilton
“stole the show from Katy Moffatt and John Hiatt”
Guitarmania Vll
Sunday, February 19th
Calgary
For more information visit www.calgarybluesfest.com
- Jazz Elements
Gary Wolfe
CD Release Sun Up
Thursday, December 13
Ironwood Stage, Calgary
Smooth Jazz Album the First for Veteran Jazz Musician
Jazz guitarist Gary Wolfe celebrates the official release of his debut CD, Sun Up, on Thursday, December 13 at the Ironwood Stage in Calgary. Marking the evenings celebrations will be a live performance by Gary and a quartet of players who also appear on the album, Derek Stoll (piano), Jeremy Coates (bass), Andy Ericson (drums), and Robin Tufts (percussion).
The independently released Smooth Jazz Sun Up, may be the Calgary guitarist’s first recording as leader, but music veteran Gary Wolfe is an accomplished performer and educator, and has been an integral part of the Calgary scene for nearly fourty years. Gary is an in-demand player in a variety of styles and formats, and boasts a long list of bandleader and performance credits. Gary has also owned and operated Wolfe Guitar Studios for the past two decades, nurturing and guiding innumerable students along the guitar path, many of them going on to become successful musicians themselves.
Sun Up features a collection of Wolfe’s originals and standards by such jazz greats as Stanley Turrentine and Billy Taylor and blues legends Pinetop Perkins. Wolfe’s innovative and unique voice brings a fresh face to this hip, west-coast sound, which echoes one of Wolfe’s greatest influences, guitarist Wes Montgomery. Wolfe chose some of Alberta’s finest jazz musicians to round out the ensemble, with Stoll, Coates, Ericson and Tufts, as well as featured guest performers Ralf Buschmeyer (guitar), and the late, great Bob Day, flugelhorn.
for more information visit www.garywolfe.ca - Jazz Elements
Discography
Sun Up (2007) Independent
Photos
Bio
Calgary, Canada guitarist Gary Wolfe has been gracing local music circles for over 40 years. An unsung hero on the Canadian music scene, his may not be a household name (yet) but that doesn't take the fact away that he's an absolute powerhouse artist or that those who've heard him play never forget the experience. With his style adept and broad, Gary plays jazz, blues, or rock with equal parts finesse, fluency and the intensity of a lion.
Introduced to jazz as a youth, Gary credits the music of Wes Montgomery, John McLaughlin, Miles Davis and Jimmy Page among his greatest early influences. Over time several more music legends were added to that list, including Lenny Breau, Ted Green, Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, Ringo Starr, Brian Setzer (Stray Cats), Joe Diorio (Guitar Institute of Los Angeles), Johnny Oliver (recording artist & top L.A. music contractor) and Mitch Holder (accomplished L.A. studio musician), all of whom Gary has studied and/or collaborated with.
After leading his own groups for over two decades and polishing his distinct sound, Gary moved to L.A. during the mid-80's, spending the next four years working in a vintage guitar shop in Hollywood, teaching privately and playing club gigs, sharing the stage with such greats as John Fogerty, Duane Eddy, and James Burton.
Returning to Canada in the late 80's, Gary has since performed in an astoundingly diverse range of settings, including as an orchestra member for Alberta Theatre Project's 'A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline', five years running in the pit band for the Calgary Stampede Board's Youth Talent Show and as a featured performer for Calgary Blues Music Association's legendary Guitarmania showcase, where he wowed the crowd of over one thousand cheering fans.
Gary is also a highly regarded guitar teacher, having influenced an entire generation of young players (many of whom have gone on to create successful music careers of their own) at his Wolfe Guitar Studio, which he's owned and operated for the past twenty-plus years.
In December 2007, Gary released his long-awaited debut CD, 'Sun Up', the instrumental quintet album a west-coast flavoured mix of Gary's original compositions and selections by jazz composers such as Stanley Turrentine, Dr. Billy Taylor and Wes Montgomery, whose influence can be heard in the heartbeat of the music.
'Sun Up' showcases Gary's masterful technique and tasteful approach, his passionate and fiery electric guitar explosions melting into sweet and tender acoustic gems. He's assembled a quintet of some of the province's finest jazz musicians for the project, with Derek Stoll (keyboards), Jeremy Coates (acoustic, electric, fretless basses), Andy Ericson (drums), and Robin Tufts (percussion) rounding out the group. Guitarist Ralf Buschmeyer and the late Canadian jazz master Bob Day (flugelhorn) make guest appearances.
'Sun Up' has been aired numerous times at CKUA Radio and received national airplay on CBC radio.
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