I’m going to be traveling on business in Europe next week, so before I disappear, I thought I’d present one of my favorite jazz guitarists for your consideration. Steven Laury first caught my attention as the lead guitarist in the jazz group Fatburger. What really hooked me was his tone and style. You’ll hear a lot of Wes Montgomery in his flawless octave work.
Laury was born and raised in Vineland, NJ and began to seriously study the guitar and a career in music at the age of 16. His early influences were B.B. King, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, Herbie Handcock, and Chic Corea. But he was also heavily influenced by Brazillian musicians such as Oscar Castro-Neves and Carlos Jobim.
He moved to first to Los Angeles then to San Diego where he became a founding member in Fatburger. After five successful years with the group, he left to pursue a solo career where he’s found equal acclaim as one of the premier guitarists on the West Coast jazz scene today. He is truly a guitarist’s guitarist.
Somewhere the sun shines: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsosR1C1DFU
Steppin in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2ELUDCWSJA
Walk your talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK5nnVbDaro
Tears in the rain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViVMPIqOlRc&feature=related
One summer night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLwW2oSxwdw&feature=related
All because of you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAUL8naoJPI&feature=related
Streets of gold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9AnjM6HSaQ&feature=related
Catch the wind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSHtuwOO6vA&feature=related
I’ve got a tremendous wine to pair with Steven, namely the 2009 Teira Sonoma County Zinfandel. It’s not your typical Zin, rather it’s more like a rich Pinot Noir. The color is garnet red with a light bouquet of red fruit and spices, but it’s the palate that sent me over the edge. It’s full of strawberry-cherry goodness, rather than the brambly black raspberry, plums, and mocha that one most often tastes in a California Zin, and the red berry palate persists for a long time. This would be a great summer red and at $19.00 a bottle and the music of Steven Laury, you can’t go wrong.
Cheers!
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