This week we feature guitarist Wayne Krantz. Although not really a straight ahead player, he has interesting style none the less - a bit like Frank Zappa meets jazz. I have several of his CDs and they are well worth a listen.

Wayne Krantz online bio

ex / sideman with Steely Dan, Michael Brecker, Billy Cobham and others, has made six albums under his own name since 1991; three on the Enja label ("Signals", "Long to Be Loose" and "2 Drink Minimum"), one on the Alchemy label ("Separate Cages") and, most recently, the self-produced CDs "Greenwich Mean" and "Your Basic Live".

His two recording bands during that time, a trio with Zach Danziger and Lincoln Goines from '92-'95 and a trio with Tim Lefebvre and Keith Carlock from '97-'03, have toured occasionally in Europe and the US, though they have always been most easily found at NYCs 55 Bar on Thursday nights.

Without the excess of promotional hype, the music has found a devoted, underground, international audience who, with their growing support, keep the music moving forward.

Wayne Krantz is in the process - besides running his website, waynekrantz.com, where all of his CDs are perpetually available, working on a sort of hybrid "method book" of improvisation with accompanying software, organizing touring activity for 2004 and developing his site's unique membership service - of creating a new project that will, no doubt, continue to undermine Establishment complacency at every turn. The shape, color and personality of that project is, at present, shrouded in secrecy.

Previous Employers (abridged): Steely Dan, Victor Bailey, Jay Anderson, Mike Brecker, Dave Samuels, Randy Brecker, Carla Bley, Tania Maria, Michael Formanek, Jasper Van't Hof, Jukkis Uotila, Billy Cobham, Adam Holtzman, Dave Mann, D. Sharpe, Leni Stern, Harvie Swartz, Ellis Hall, Mike Gibbs, Bluth, Mike Mainieri, David Binney

Wayne's website: http://waynekrantz.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!)