Dana Bourgeois
Dana Bourgeois is a luthier, writer, lecturer and is considered one of the top acoustic guitar makers in the United States. His innovations in design and voicing techniques have earned him worldwide acclaim for his acoustic guitars from professional players, hobbyists, and collectors alike. Some notable musicians playing Bourgeois guitars include Luke Bryan, Ricky Skaggs, Bryan Smith, Ry Cooder, Scott Fore, Bryan Sutton, Vince Gill, Lee Roy Parnell, James Taylor, and Guy Clark.
Dana is being presented by Bourgeois Guitars.
Darrell Jennings
American Music Furniture Company was founded in 2013 by Darrell Jennings and partners Roger Horneff and John Farrell. All the owners are multi-instrumentalists and have backgrounds in technology, furniture and insurance. AMF focuses on humidity control for guitar collections, with a strong commitment to quality and reliability. AMF is the only manufacturer offering active humidification and dehumidification in their cabinets. The AMF team is a dedicated group of artists in wood, metal, leather and electronics working together to preserve and protect all wooden instruments including guitars, mandolin family instruments, violins, cellos, and woodwinds.
The Artisan Guitar Show welcomes Darrell Jennings and American Music Furniture to its Master Class schedule.
americanmusicfurniture.com
Dick Boak
Illustrator, recording artist, luthier, woodworker, author and lecturer Dick Boak has had the distinct honor of managing the Museum and Historic Archives for The Martin Guitar Company, where he has enjoyed working ever since 1976. Dick also founded Martin’s Advertising Department and initiated the Limited Edition guitar program that produced signature models for more than one hundred legendary artists including Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Mark Knopfler, Tom Petty, Steve Miller, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Sting and Crosby, Stills & Nash. After 41 years, Boak announced his retirement in January of 2018 and is immersing himself in art, music, writing, travel and speaking engagements.
David Gilmore
David Gilmore has performed and recorded with many of today’s most influential artists including Wayne Shorter, Steve Coleman, Christian McBride, Dave Douglas, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Randy Brecker, Lenny White, Stanley Clarke, Sam Rivers, and many others. His latest release, From Here to Here (2020 Criss Cross Records) is his sixth album as a leader, and has appeared on over 80 recordings as a leader or co-leader. Gilmore’s playing has been compared to guitarists as diverse as George Benson and Jimi Hendrix. He has been the recipient of numerous grants, including two Chamber Music of America – New Jazz Works Composer Grants, and was nominated for the prestigious Doris Duke Artist Award. Committed to an improvisational approach that reflects a global awareness, he conducts master classes around the world, and is a Professor at the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston.
David Gilmore is being presented by Phifer Guitars.
Paul Heumiller
The world of high-end guitars can be confusing. The owner of Dream Guitars, Paul Heumiller has learned a few things about buying and selling fine instruments. This Master class will be driven by audience participation. Topics may include the marketplace, the instruments and the humans in today’s custom guitar world. Builders, players, everyone is welcome.
Frank Sole & Henry Nerenberg
“Frank and Hank”
The Artisan Guitar Show Concert Series is pleased to welcome the guitar duo of Frank Sole and Henry Nerenberg”. Known as “Frank and Hank”, these guitarists have explored the breadth and depth of American and world music. If the duet is the most intimate form of artistic collaborations, these two share it, in its most precious form, a musical conversation between two longtime friends who have mastered their craft and passion for their music. Frank and Hank’s arrangements are interesting and intricate, their song selections eclectic, their shows entertaining and their manner engaging and warm.
Frank and Hank are being presented by Jay Rosenblatt of Jay Rosenblatt Guitars.
John Thomas
John is a fingerstyle guitar player who has been playing solo, acoustic music for more than 40 years. His live performances and recordings feature music that ranges from the compositions of classic blues guitarists like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Rev. Gary Davis to the classic ragtime tunes of Scott Joplin to the Nashville playing of Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed. John’s original compositions echo those influences. He is a professor of law at Quinnipiac University School of Law. In addition to law-related publications, he has written a number of articles on guitars, lutherie, and music as well as his recent book “Kalamazoo Gals: A Story of Extraordinary Women and Gibson’s ‘Banner’ Guitars of WWII.”
johnthomasguitar.com
Dustin Furlow and Matt Thomas
Dustin Furlow is an award-winning songwriter/guitarist whose songs reflect a marriage of modern techniques found in progressive-fingerstyle playing with the familiar warmth of traditional thumb-picking. He is widely considered an ambassador of dynamic and control on stage and in 2019 he played over 200 shows, many with Harp-guitarist and International Fingerstyle-Guitar Champion Matt Thomas. His album “Woodscapes” recently caught the attention of CandyRat Records and his tune “The Elder Tree” was featured by them. Dustin is now at work with Kim Person (Tommy Emmanuel, Stephen Bennett) on his fourth album “Shelter”.
The Artisan Guitar Show Concert Series is pleased to welcome Multi-award-winning guitar champion Matt Thomas. With over a decade of multiple 1st place championship wins, Matt finds a way of blending some of the most technical guitar techniques into beautiful melodic compositions. With a very diverse fingerstyle background, Matt has also been a large advocate for the Harp Guitar Community. “I know the harp guitar’s future is in good hands when I hear Matt play and write with the sensitivity and passion that he has. He’s got terrific chops on a regular six string too!” – Stephen Bennett.
Matt and Dustin are being presented by Michael O’Brien of MKO guitars.
dustinfurlow.com | themattthomas.com | mkoguitars.com
Kevin Neidig
The guitar work of Kevin Neidig is recognized for its unexpected complexity combined with graceful agility. These elements are captivating compelling a listener to listen into the wee hours. Kevin possesses an otherworldly ear and literal sleight of hand. Watching his nimble fingers execute a fretboard is like bearing witness to a spider weaving geometry into form. He manages to project a kind of tenderness clad in power exuding mystery, exuberance, and wit. He has been described as a singer-songwriter and maestro of guitar, banjo, mandolin – he loves anything with strings.
Kevin is being presented by McKnight Guitars.
Kinloch Nelson
Kinloch Nelson’s 50-year career has run the gamut from Classical guitar recitals and Folk concerts to club, festival, and recording dates playing Country, Jazz, Rock, Rockabilly, R&B, Blues and New Age. His catalogue of original compositions is extensive. He has contributed to Acoustic Guitar Magazine, been reviewed in Rolling Stone, Mojo Magazine, and Just Jazz Guitar Magazine, interviewed by Fretboard Journal, featured in concert on PBS TV and Radio, and performed around the US and the UK.
Kinloch is being presented by Bernie Lehmann of Lehmann Strings.
Michael Chapdelaine
Michael Chapdelaine is the only guitarist ever to win First Prize in the world’s top competitions in both the Classical and Fingerstyle genres; the Guitar Foundation of America International Classical Guitar Competition and the National Fingerstyle Championship at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival at Winfield. From New York’s Lincoln Center to the Cactus Cafe in Austin, from Milano to Bangkok, Chapdelaine continues to enchant and dazzle audiences and critics alike, as he redefines the modern acoustic guitar with his amazing technique, “soulful” expressiveness, and versatility as a performer, composer, and arranger/producer. His teachers included Andres Segovia, Oscar Ghiglia and Eliot Fisk, but Bruce Holzman, at FSU, taught him how to play classical guitar.
Michael is being presented by Ken Parker Archtops.
Ricardo Grilli
Guitarist and composer Ricardo Grilli is one of the most prominent voices of modern guitar, having received critical acclaim from renowned vehicles such as the New York Times, Downbeat, Jazz Times, All About Jazz, Jazz Podium (Germany), Jazz Life (Japan) and may others. He has performed with international musicians such as Chris Potter, Mark Turner, Chris Cheek, Eric Harland, Peter Bernstein, Kendrick Scott, Kevin Hays, Aaron Parks and Joe Martin among others. Ricardo also headlined at some of the most renowned jazz clubs in the world such as: The Blue Note, Iridium, Smalls, The 55 Bar, Scullers (Boston), Sidedoor (Connecticut), The Rex (Toronto), The A-Trane (Berlin), JazzB (Sao Paulo) among others.
Ricardo is hosted by D’Ambrosio Guitars
Sean McGowan
Sean McGowan is a fingerstyle jazz guitarist who combines many diverse musical influences with unconventional techniques to create a broad palette of textures within his compositions and arrangements for solo guitar. Sean is an avid arts educator and teaches at the University of Colorado. He is also a strong advocate for injury prevention and health education for musicians, teaching a holistic approach to the instrument in workshops throughout the country. Sean is the author of several method books, as well as jazz guitar courses on TrueFire.com.
Sean is hosted by Peter Henriksen of Henriksen Amplifiers
Steve Herberman
Steve Herberman is a graduate of Berklee College of Music majoring in Jazz guitar performance. He began playing a seven-string guitar in 1993. Steve has recorded numerous CD’s as both leader and sideman and is a respected jazz educator. Steve Herberman’s original composition “What We Do” won first place in the jazz category of the 2018 USA Songwriting Competition. Steve has over 50 video lessons published on Mike’s Masterclasses and has toured across the US and Europe playing and teaching. He is featured in the book The Great Jazz Guitarists by Scott Yanow.
Steve is presented by Bill Comins of Comins Guitars.
Steve Poltz
Steve Poltz is Folksinger, Songwriter, Musician, Comedian and more! Some people start life with a plan. Not Steve. He opens himself up to the universe in a way most of us will never be loose enough to achieve, and the universe responds with a wink, a seemingly bottomless well of inspiration, and the talent to truly connect with an audience.
Steve is presented by The Artisan Guitar Show as a featured performance.
Tim Farrell
Tim Farrell has the unique ability to inspire listeners to experience music on a multitude of levels. His mastery of the intricacies and melodic grace of fingerstyle guitar creates a sound that evokes emotion, a sound that is to be felt as well as heard. Tim is a rare kind of musician, with the ability to both entertain an audience and inspire future generations of players.
Tim is being presented by Patrick Morrissey of Morrissey Guitars.
Tom Lagana
Tom Lagana has consistently garnered respect for his creativity, musical integrity, and devotion to his craft. His performances have ranged from jazz concerts with Joel Frahm, George Garzone, Red Rodney, and many others to formal appearances with the National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and Wolf Trap Orchestras. Tom has also won strong praise for his recordings from both Jazz Times and Downbeat magazines.
Tom is being presented by Tim Bram of Tim Bram Guitars.
Trevor Gordon Hall
Trevor is a world-touring instrumentalist whose style ranges from edgy driving rhythms to delicate melodic themes. Exploring the guitar’s full creative potential, his blending of sounds weave together textures into grand yet intimate and lyrical compositions leaving no physical aspect of the guitar untouched. Trevor navigates audiences through an igniting experience of music that isn’t just heard but felt, hailing praise from artists as diverse as John Mayer, Steve Miller, Pat Martino, Graham Nash, Will Ackerman and more.
Trevor is being presented by Bourgeois Guitars.
Walt Bibinger
The International Association of Jazz Record Collectors describes jazz guitarist Walt Bibinger’s playing as ” … rooted in the traditions of Tal Farlow, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Johnny Smith, and Joe Pass, but with a sound and style all his own … ” He began playing the guitar at age 4, performing professionally at age 12 and began his teaching career at age 16. Walt’s primary musical influence and mentor was the late Grammy Award winning guitarist Harry Leahey. Walt studied intensely with Leahey from 1975 until the guitarist’s passing in 1990, and attended The Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. In addition to performing solo, duo, and leading his own trio, Walt is in demand as a sideman and has appeared live with Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Bob Dorough, Jimmy McGriff, and Phil Woods, among many others. Walt is also busy with freelance studio/session work, having performed on numerous CD’s by artists of all musical genres.
Walt is being presented by Tyler and Dale Unger of American Archtop Guitars.
musicians.allaboutjazz.com/waltbibinger | americanarchtop.com