by Doc Dosco
http://www.docdosco.com

This week we are featuring the fine cross-over jazz/blues guitarist
Jeff Golub.

Online Bio

After three acclaimed and popular Bluemoon/Atlantic albums with his
band, Avenue Blue, guitarist Jeff Golub has decided to fly solo. “OUT OF
THE BLUE” finds Golub stepping out front with an all-new collection of
progressive blues-inflected instrumentals, fit to burst with funky
Latin-tinged rhythms, soulful melodies and dramatic arrangements. Tracks
such as the smokin’ “Lucky Strike” and the sleek and sultry single, “The
Velvet Touch,” display Golub’s ever-growing musical maturity and offer
ample proof that he is one of today’s most inventive and graceful
guitarists.

“I wanted to take a lot more chances,” says Golub, “so I decided to do
it under my name to show that this is a different approach to the music.
I didn’t want to have any categorical limitations to where the music
went.”

Golub’s stinging, swinging guitarwork is complemented by a stellar
lineup of musicians that includes bass/Chapman Stick master Tony Levin
(John Lennon, Peter Gabriel, King Crimson), drummer Steve Ferrone (Tom
Petty, Average White Band, Eric Clapton), Hammond B3 organist Ricky
Peterson (David Sanborn, Robben Ford), and percussionist Richie Flores
(Gato Barbieri, Eddie Palmieri, Hilton Ruiz). “OUT OF THE BLUE” also
sees guest appearances from the saxman Kirk Whalum (on “Lucky Strike”),
guitarist Marc Antoine (contributing nylon string guitar to “Paradise
Lost”), and Golub’s longtime friend and collaborator Rick Braun, who
lets fly with some sizzling solo trumpet work on the cover of Dizzy
Gillespie’s classic “Manteca.”

“I put together my favorite band,” Golub beams. “They’re just the ideal
bunch of players for this music, and this is definitely player’s music.”

Golub co-produced “OUT OF THE BLUE” with keyboardist/producer Philippe
Saisse (David Sanborn, Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross), who also co-wrote a
number of the album’s tracks. Golub first connected with Saisse on a
1998 package tour with Whalum, where the keyboardist immediately sensed
that Golub had yet to incorporate a crucial portion of his sound into
his recorded output.

“When I play live, my rock and blues roots emerge,” Golub says. “It’s a
more dynamic approach to the guitar. Philippe saw this other side to my
music that hadn’t made it to my records, and he wanted to work with me
on trying to bring that out.”

“Manteca,” like the reggae-tinted “Latitude 19,” finds Golub adding a
Caribbean-spiced flavor to his already diverse instrumental pallette.
The rhythmic sound reflects the impact such artists as Carlos Santana
have had on the guitarist’s music.

“Style is formed out of influence and inspiration,” Golub explains, “and
I wanted to bring in some of my other influences. That’s one of the
reasons I wanted that Latin sound, with lots of percussion and groove.”

“OUT OF THE BLUE” was recorded largely at New York City’s Avitar
Studios. In order to best capture the energetic sound he wanted, Golub
cut the majority of the album’s tracks live in the studio with just the
core rhythm section of Levin, Ferrone, and Saisse.

“You can feel how we were communicating with each other,” the guitatist
says. “There was this incredible interplay between the musicians, which
is the true essence of what jazz is supposed to be. Now, this is by no
means traditional jazz, but I did want to keep that spirit.”

“OUT OF THE BLUE” undoubtedly captures Golub and his compatriots’ joy in
making instrumental music with no visible boundaries. For Jeff Golub,
the goal is always to move forward, to take his special brand of guitar
music to the next unexplored level.

“It’s really important as an artist to keep evolving,” Golub says. “Too
many artists play it safe, especially after they’ve had some success. I
never want to recreate what I’ve already done. I always want to take my
music to a new place, with no limits as to where it can go.”

* * * * * The New York City-based Golub’s kinetic blend of blues, soul,
rock, and jazz has made him one of contemporary jazz/blues’ hottest
artists. Born in Akron, Ohio, Golub attended Boston’s prestigious
Berklee School of Music, where he honed his considerable skill as a
guitarist. In 1980, shortly after his arrival in the Big Apple, Golub
was invited to join Billy Squier’s band, a stint which saw the guitarist
performing on several albums and three world tours. He soon became a
highly-valued session player and sideman, working with artists such as
Peter Wolf, John Waite, Tina Turner, Vanessa Williams, Ashford &
Simpson, and Rod Stewart, with whom Golub worked for eight years. In
addition to his session work, Golub found time in 1988 to cut his debut
solo album, “UNSPOKEN WORDS,” which was hailed by Guitar World as
“smooth, versatile… full of taste and soul.”

Golub left Stewart’s band in 1994 to pursue his other musical interests,
specifically the formation of his own contemporary jazz group, which he
dubbed Avenue Blue. Their self-titled Bluemoon debut was an immediate
success, both critically (“An elegant excursion into atmospheric,
R&B-touched jazz,” raved Jazz Times) and commercially, reaching the #2
spot on both R&R and The Gavin Report’s contemporary jazz charts.

In 1995, Golub was hired by pianist Bob James for a week’s engagement at
New York’s Blue Note, a gig which resulted in his being asked to tour
and perform with James and saxman Kirk Whalum on their Grammy-nominated
“JOINED AT THE HIP.” The following year saw the release of the sophomore
Avenue Blue album, “NAKED CITY,” which featured appearances from James,
vocalist Phoebe Snow, and a host of New York’s finest musicians. In
addition to ten Golub-penned originals, the album included surprising
covers of such pop staples as “Spooky” and “Baby I’m Yours.”

1997 saw the third Avenue Blue release — “NIGHTLIFE” — hit #1 on R&R’s
NAC/Smooth Jazz Albums chart, while the album’s title track also topped
the R&R NAC/Smooth Jazz tracks chart. Golub has also frequently
collaborated with his Stewart bandmate, trumpeter Rick Braun. The two
have co-produced all three Avenue Blue collections (which, of course,
feature Braun’s trademark hornwork), while Golub contributed licks and
leads to Braun’s 1995 “BEAT STREET,” 1997’s “BODY AND SOUL,” and 1998’s
“FULL STRIDE” (all on Bluemoon).

(Bio courtesy Mesa/Bluemoon. Re-written with permission.)

Jeff Golub’s website:
http://jeffgolub.com/

Doc Dosco is a jazz guitarist, composer and audio consultant living in
Los Angeles, CA. His website is located at http://www.docdosco.com ,
where you can find more information on the ‘What’s Hot with Jazz Guitar’
columns, audio clips of Doc’s playing, and many additional features. Doc
endorses Heritage Guitars and is a featured artist on their website. He also endorses the new Pignose Valve Tube Amps — great for jazz (and anything else!