California Vintage Guitar and Amp was honored to have the legendary Jimmy Wyble hold a seminar in his first appearance in 22 years. The attendees represented 60 years of some of the world's greatest and most recorded guitarists.

Kneeling left to right:  Mitch Holder, Tom Rotella, Dave Koonse, John Pisano, Phil Upchurch, Tim May, Dennis Budimer Standing left to right:  Bob Bain, David Oaks, Larry Koonse, Barry Zwieg, Sid Jacobs, Jimmy Wyble, Ron Berman, Ron Anthony, Frank Potenza

Upcoming February and March Workshops will include Dennis Budimir and Howard Alden.

Keep checking back for dates and times.

 

Guitarist Dennis Budimir has been a busy session, studio and recording artist since the mid-'50s. He began playing guitar in the late '40s after studying piano. He began working in Los Angeles during the early '50s, playing with bands led by Ken Hanna, Keith Williams and Harry James. He joined Chico Hamilton's group in 1959, then played with Bud Shank and accompanied Peggy Lee during the early '60s. Budimir spent 1961 to 1963 in the army, then became a prolific studio player back in Los Angeles. He worked with Julie London and toured Japan with Bobby Troup, while performing around Los Angeles with Shank and Emil Richards. During the '70s, Budimir played with Quincy Jones, Lalo Schifrin, Don Ellis and Marty Paich, while recording often with Milt Jackson.

 

Howard Alden is to the guitar what Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Dan Barrett, and Ken Peplowski are to the tenor, trumpet, trombone, and clarinet. Part of a youthful swing movement that gained momentum in the 1980s, Alden plays the earlier pre-bop styles quite effectively but also has the ability to perform the music of Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans, and he is equally talented on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and his rarely played banjo. Alden began playing guitar at age ten and he counts his early influences as guitarists Barney Kessel, Charlie Christian, and George Van Eps in addition to Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, and Count Basie. He began gigging professionally in Los Angeles as a teenager and became good friends with trombonist Dan Barrett. In 1979 Alden played with vibraphonist Red Norvo and, in 1982, followed Barrett to New York where he quickly became established as a major guitarist. He performed and recorded with the who's who of mainstream jazz (including Joe Bushkin, Ruby Braff, Joe Williams, Woody Herman, Benny Carter, Flip Phillips, Bud Freeman, Clark Terry, and Dizzy Gillespie) and by the mid-'80s was one of the most popular artists on the Concord label. A very consistent and inventive musician, Alden has since been in great demand for recording sessions, jazz parties, and festivals.

 

 As always, the Sunday Jazz Workshop, from 2pm-4pm, is brought to you by John Pisano and California Vintage Guitar and Amp.  We look forward to seeing you here.