BELLOWS FALLS — Stage 33 Live will feature jazz guitarists John Stowell and Draa Hobbs performing as a duo at 7 p.m. this Sunday, April 27.
Stowell’s original take on harmony, chords, and improvisation sets him apart — a jazz guitarist influenced as much by pianists and horn players as he is by guitarists, according to a news release.
Based on the West Coast, Stowell’s footprint is global. He’s been artist-in-residence at centers in Germany, Indonesia, Argentina, the United States, and Canada. In 1983 he was a member of the first American jazz group to be invited to tour Russia in over 40 years. He’s recorded and performed with Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Art Farmer, Herb Ellis, Bill Watrous, and more. He’s been featured on soundtracks nominated for Academy Awards, had an album chosen as one of the “Ten Best Jazz Albums of the Decade,” had several appearances on BET Jazz Discovery and Guitar Series television shows. He’s been a contributing columnist for Downbeat, Guitar Player, Canadian Musician, Soundcheck (Germany), Guitar Club (Italy), and more.
Hobbs grew up in Chicago and has made his home in Southern Vermont since 1980, teaching and performing. He studied music with the legendary Jimmy Raney, Attila Zoller, Gene Bertoncini, and Peter Lietch. Attila invited Hobbs to perform in clubs, concerts and radio with him and his high-profile peers, including pianists Roland Hanna, Don Friedman, and Larry Willis; bassists George Mraz, Ron McClure, and Michael Formanek; and saxophonists Lee Konitz and Nick Brignola. Hobbs and pianist Eugene Uman recorded a duet for the German label ENJA’s CD Message To Attila alongside tracks by Pat Metheny, Jim Hall, John Abercrombie, Peter Bernstein, and others. He regularly performs with many of the region’s best players, and has enjoyed more than a decade of collaboration with Stowell.
“Draa hobbs plays in the tradition of classic jazz guitar, but he has found his own voice. He’s a player in the moment, creating melodies and avoiding cliches. he has a warm dark sound and swings with the best of them. I love playing with him,” Stowell said in the release.
“It’s rare to find someone so passionate about music that it serves as both their spiritual nourishment and their unfettered gift to others… one of the most respected guitarists and teachers in New England,” said Eugene Uman, director of the Vermont Jazz Center, in a statement.
Stage 33 Live is located at 33 Bridge St. Tickets are $15 in advance through stage33live.com or $20 at the door as available. Advance tickets guarantee entry. Only 40 tickets will be sold. The performances will be recorded and filmed.
Institutional support for this season at Stage 33 Live comes from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, Guilford Sound, WOOL-FM, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and Chroma Technologies. For more information visit stage33live.com