This week we feature Canadian Guitarist Roy Patterson.

Roy Patterson hails from Canada (where I grew up). Canada has spawned a number of guitar greats over the years, such as the legendary guitarist Lenny Breau, (who I was fortunate enough to meet here in LA before his tragic death in the mid eighties). Here is yet another guitar great from Canada.

Roy Patterson has a number of CDs out under his name, 'On a cloud' being the latest. Besides his recording and touring career, Roy is also is affiliated as a contributor with Just Jazz Guitar Magazine, the 'must have' magazine for the jazz guitarist (both amateur and pro).

From Roy's online bio:

"Patterson...a perfectionist with a big, round and dominating sound that turns every tune into a stimulating experience.." - The Toronto Star

"Every note that he plays seems to have a purpose and a place, and both purpose and place usually have something to do with melody." -The Globe and Mail

For guitarist Roy Patterson, growing up in rural Nova Scotia provided a strong sense of individuality rooted in the history of the land that would play a large part in his music. But early musical influences of rock, blues, and R&B are what fostered Roy's interest and passion for the guitar. He performed with local groups touring Atlantic Canada, meanwhile exploring the mysteries of jazz, listening intensely to the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and other masters from the jazz tradition.

In 1978, the 24 year old made the move to Toronto, and brought along an intense practice routine and a burning desire to play jazz. Since then Roy has performed with many of Canada's jazz elite, including Don Thompson, The Doug Riley/Phil Dwyer Quartet, The Barry Elmes Quintet, The Bob Mover Quartet, Mike Murley, and many other highly accomplished artists. His style has drawn comparisons with some of the most respected guitarists in North America, and performances in Finland and Istanbul point to the beginnings of an international career.

Since the release of his first recording in 1989, Roy has built a body of original work which demonstrates a personal, evocative style drawn from early musical influences and eastern meditative practices. His fourth CD, Inland Passages, was released in 1997 and came about as a result of the Roy Patterson Quartet winning the coveted Prix de Jazz at Montreal's Festival International de Jazz, the first Toronto-based band ever to win this competition. The award brought exposure through national radio, television, and a tour that concluded at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C.. Inland Passages is a testament to Roy's own earthbound and spiritual journeys and his pursuit of adventure. The current release of his fifth CD entitled On a Cloud features Roy's guitar work in quintet, quartet, trio and duo settings on this set of six originals and three standards. His most recent credits include the Jazz Report magazine award for Guitarist of the Year for 2000, and the formation of the Toronto Jazz Composers Collective, a non-profit group dedicated to the performance and dissemination of Canadian jazz compositions.

Along the way to establishing his credentials as a performer, Roy obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University, and a Master of Music from McGill University. He now endeavors to pass along his knowledge and experience at the University of Toronto where he teaches part time in the jazz program, and through his regular column in the US magazine, Just Jazz Guitar. When he isn't practicing, writing, performing, or teaching music, Roy can be found on a trout stream or at the Toronto Yan Xin Qigong Cultural Centre where he practices traditional Chinese qigong.

Sound clips can be found at JazzPromo

Additional sound clips can be found at MP3.com

Roy's homepage is at Roy Patterson -- Jazz Guitar

Take a Lesson with Roy, as published in Just Jazz Guitar Magazine.

Sidenotes:
I played another guitar duo gig this week at Kyffin's here in LA with guitar phenom Sid Jacobs. It is always a blast to play with Sid, as he speaks so eloquently with his instrument. Sometimes I just sit back and watch, amazed.

Sid also played a few of his solo Bill Evan's arrangements on the gig. Sid has transcribed a number of Bill Evan's solo piano pieces for the guitar (published by Hal Leonard), and watching and listening to him play them is always a treat. When we feature Sid in an upcoming column we'll present these arrangements in more detail.

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 in Jazz Guitar' columns, audio clips of Doc's playing, and many additional features. Doc plays Heritage guitars and endorses the new Pignose Valve Tube Amps -- great for jazz (and anything else!)