The J Geils-Gerry Beaudoin Quartet

The J Geils-Gerry Beaudoin Quartet 

 The Jay Geils –Gerry Beaudoin Quartet is an exciting trip through the history of jazz, blues and swing guitar. It is interesting to note that Jay Geils, who made his mark on the music world playing rock and roll with the award winning J.GEILS BAND is such a consummate jazz and blues guitarist. From the opening strains of the Count Basie classic Broadway to Gerry’s vocal rendition of the T-Bone Walker standard Stormy Monday, the quintet evokes the classic guitar sounds of a by-gone era with an original twist. Backed by double bassist John Turner and drummer Les Harris Jr  , they have received rave reviews.  To quote the Washington Post, “ Seminal jazz sounds with out sounding the least bit dated.”  And to quote another Washington Post review, “ Each player continued to set and exceed standards with each turn at bat.” The Boston Globe called them “ Swing masters.” and the Boston Phoenix observed at the live taping of the PBS Television special CD Highway,   “ A live wire celebration of the warm, distortion free vocabulary  of jazz guitar.”

            After a chance meeting at a guitar show in 1994, Gerry and Jay have performed together in a multitude of settings culminating in the concert attraction  the NEW GUITAR SUMMIT, which features the two alongside blues icon Duke Robillard or jazz guitarist extraordinaire Howard Alden . Gerry and Jay have performed across the country from Las Vegas to New York City’s famous Birdland Jazz Club. They were one of the first jazz guitar acts to be broadcast live on the Internet and since that first time have done dozens of broadcasts to an audience of tens of thousands. Proponents of the jazz guitar tradition Gerry and Jay have had as their special guests in concert Howard Alden, John and Bucky Pizzarelli, and Frank Vignola.  Gerry Beaudoin and Jay Geils  headlined  the 2003 Ottawa International Jazz Festival. In 2007 Jay and Gerry were honored to be chosen to represent the Statesman Of Jazz in concerts in VA and New England.

GERRY BEAUDOIN BIOGRAPHY

            Jazz guitarist Gerry Beaudoin has carved out a career as a leader, arranger and guitarist. First with the Boston Jazz Ensemble, then through his two award winning Gerry Beaudoin Trio recordings with mandolin titan, David Grisman and now with the New Guitar Summit. The award winning guitarist, ( 1992 NAIRD AWARD FOR BEST JAZZ RECORDING , 1993 and 1995 CADENCE EDITORS CHOICE AWARD,  1998 “submission for consideration for a Grammy nomination” ) has  continued to seek out more challenging musical situations. A disciple of 7-String jazz guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, Gerry has mastered this instrument first pioneered by George Van Eps in the late 1930’s.  The 7-string guitar imparts a greater range and harmonic richness to the guitars already colorful tonal palette. Gerry puts the 7-string to good use in this quartet performing duet sections with Jay before the rest of the band comes in.

            A graduate of the prestigious Berklee College Of Music in Boston , Gerry is an adjunct  professor of music at Quincy Community College in Quincy , MA.  As an in demand clinician and educator , Gerry has done clinics at many schools and colleges . In 2002 Gerry and Jay  were chosen  as the clinicians’  for the award winning New Jersey All Star High School Jazz Band.

            With over forty recordings to his credit, Gerry has recorded and performed with a who’s who of the jazz and blues world including Howard Alden, Scott Hamilton, Eddie “ Cleanhead” Vinson, John and Bucky Pizzarelli, Ronnie Earl,  Jay McShann, , Fred Lipsius, Dick Johnson, Dave McKenna, Jimmy Vivino, Alan Dawson, The Woody Herman Orchestra and harmonica virtuoso from the Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton Bands Jerry Portnoy.

JAY GEILS BIOGRAPHY

            Jay Geils needs no introduction to the legion of music fans that made the J. GEILS BAND one of the leading acts in the history of rock and roll. After a twenty five year career with over 10 million records sold, a Grammy nomination,  five gold records, one double platinum record, multiple television and movie appearances, and tours with the Allman Brothers and the Rolling Stones, the band decided to quit at the top of their game with the number one single and number one album on the charts.

            Free to pursue his first musical loves, classic jazz and blues and take the period out of his name, Jay teamed with J. GEILS band mate, Magic Dick, for two successful blues recordings as the band BLUESTIME.  Tours of Europe, Japan and the United States followed as well as tours with Jays longtime idol and friend B.B KING. In 1999 the J. GEILS BAND re-union tour was the hottest ticket of summer season, performing once again sold out shows in stadiums across the United States.  In 2002 their hit single “ Give It To Me” was chosen by the Heineken Beer Company for their television ad campaign in Europe and America. In 2004 and 2005 the J.Geils Band was nominated for the  Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

            A fan of jazz since he was a child growing up in New Jersey and Manhattan, Jay’s father took him to see many of the greatest jazz musicians alive including Louis Armstrong, , Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Steeped in this tradition Jay teamed with jazz guitarist Gerry Beaudoin in 1994 and has come full circle, performing the music he loved as a child. To quote Jay, “ I started as a trumpet player but got side tracked by the guitar and the blues and folk revolution sweeping the world in the 1960’s. I was fortunate  to play and record with many great blues and rock  musicians including Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Bonnie Rait, John Lee Hooker, Peter Frampton, Duane Allman and of course The J.GEILS BAND.  It was an exciting time in my life but I look forward to the future performing the music I first loved  with my good friend and fellow guitarist Gerry Beaudoin .

            2005 saw  the release of Jays first solo recording as a leader with  “ Jay Geils Plays Jazz !”  on the Stony Plain label based in Edmonton Alberta , Canada