Author: Peter Henriksen

  • Pat Kelley

    Pat Kelley was born in Tulsa Oklahoma and began playing the guitar at the age of five. Moving to California in the seventies, he worked many years as a Los Angeles studio guitarist, while also recording eleven albums as leader and touring the world with artists such as George Benson, Natalie Cole, Hubert Laws, Ronnie…

  • Paul Ricci and Mafalda Minnozzi

    An exceptionally tasteful, rhythmically adept guitarist, composer, and producer, Paul Ricci has spent decades weaving a sophisticated, multicultural sonic world. A graduate of the New England Conservatory under the influence of legends like Jaki Byard and Pat Martino, Ricci has performed globally alongside a “who’s who” of jazz icons, including saxophonist David Liebman, trumpeter Randy…

  • Lisa Liu

    Lisa Liu is a guitarist based in Brooklyn, NY. She plays gypsy jazz, folk, rock, and solo guitar. Liu is an Artist Ambassador for Santa Cruz Guitar Company, Sadowsky Guitars, and Krivo Pickups. Liu has been published in Acoustic Guitar Magazine and has performed and taught alongside Mimi Fox, Martin Taylor and John Knowles CGP. She is a Teaching Artist at TrueFire and Django and June, and has also been an Artist…

  • David Blake

    Canadian born, Brooklyn based guitarist David Blake recently released “Fun House” on CellarLive. The quintet album features 8 originals and 1 standard, performed by Brad Turner, Thad Bailey-Mai, Conrad Good and Bernie Arai. David is currently working a trio album featuring bassist Drew Gress and drummer Ari Hoenig, to be released in 2023. David is…

  • Shawn Purcell

    Shawn Purcell is a DC based jazz guitarist known for his distinctive blend of traditional and contemporary styles. His playing is marked by virtuosic technique and a deep understanding of jazz language. Purcell has collaborated with a wide range of musicians, showcasing his ability to adapt and innovate within the jazz genre. With his “take…

  • Ricardo Grilli

    Since arriving in 2012, guitarist Ricardo Grilli has been rising through the ranks and making quite an impression in New York’s Jazz scene. He has played with world renowned artists such as Chris Potter, Chris Cheek, Mark Turner, Aaron Parks, Joe Martin, Eric Harland, Kendrick Scott, Kevin Hays, Taylor Eigsti among others. He’s also headlined…

  • Alicyn Yaffee

    Alicyn Yaffee is a New York City-based guitarist and vocalist, by way of Kelseyville, California. An artist of wide range and depth, she earned her BM in Jazz Studies, with a Double Major of Guitar and Vocals, at Cal State University in Sacramento an her Masters degree in Jazz performance under the instruction of Dave…

  • Beth Marlis

    Beth is a music industry leader, veteran world touring performer, champion of music education and trailblazer who has carved out an important path in the guitar world. As an educator, she has risen from GIT faculty member to serving as Guitar Department Chair, on to Assistant Dean, and now to Vice President at Musicians Institute….

  • Greg Ruby

    A prominent voice in the American acoustic jazz scene, Seattle-based guitarist, composer, and music historian Greg Ruby is celebrated for his deep immersion in vintage swing and the Hot Club tradition. Ruby first captured national attention during his multi-year tenure with the pioneering gypsy jazz ensemble Pearl Django, touring across the US and Europe and…

  • Perry Smith

    Guitarist Perry Smith combines the tradition of Jazz with broad influences from contemporary music to create his signature style. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Smith is now based in Brooklyn where he performs as a bandleader and as a sideman for local and touring artists. Smith’s extensive performance resume includes notable stages such…