Jerry is a guitarist…
living in Saint Paul, MN. His musical journey began over 35 years ago and continues to flourish, with the release of his new album Avian Night Sky. In stark contrast to his previous four albums for solo guitar, Avian Night Sky showcases Jerry back to his roots of progressive rock, performing in the context of a band. Blending disparate genres with ease, Jerry’s new music and playing display his mastery of many styles of music. Avian Night Sky is a collaborative project with visual artists Marybeth Garrigan and Petra Johnita Lommen. Using MB and Petra’s paintings as inspiration, Jerry composed 13 new songs that express the observation of birds and a fascination with astronomy. In this new recording, Jerry’s music and playing continue to grow, displaying a dedication to his craft and a willingness to push himself technically and sonically. Not content to reside within a single style, Jerry’s playing and composing is restless, moving from classical to roots and blues to modern progressive. His new music echoes the rhythmic drumming, grooving bass lines, and thoughtfully disjointed melodies of his solo guitar music, now arranged for various ensembles and recorded at his studio. His passion of listening, studying, and performing continues to produce “a great reflection of many different styles” according to Kevin Barnes of KBEM Jazz 88.
As a performer, Jerry is equally comfortable with an acoustic, nylon string, electric, or resonator in his hands. In addition to his performing as an acoustic guitar soloist, his projects have included Are You Experienced? (Jimi Hendrix Tribute), The String Trio (string band and early blues), as well as his current trio, Blues Contraption.
Having received a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance and a Master of Music in Musicology/Guitar Performance, Jerry is also right at home teaching guitar or music history at the college/university level. From 2007 through 2010, Jerry served as Head of the Guitar Department at McNally Smith College of Music.
What sets Jerry apart is his versatility. Because he regularly performs, composes, and teaches in all styles – roots and blues, rock, classical, and jazz – he has developed the authentic musical vocabulary of each. Dedication to and study of the wider continuum of music has enabled him to develop his own unique voice as a player and composer.
Jerry was the first 2-time winner of the Zeitgeist Eric Stokes Award. He is a recipient of a 2019, 2021, and 2022 MN State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant, and he has been awarded a Jerome Foundation Grant. Keeping an active performance schedule of 80+ gigs a year has led to four CDs of original music for solo guitar; Many Dances, Sounds Like This, Yossarian’s Dream, and New Possibilities. In addition, Jerry collaborated with internationally renowned DJ/Producer Freddy Fresh on his CD Play The Music.
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