Sunday, August 20, 2 - 4 pm (online)

We’ll examine numerous jazz lines from master musicians Bill Evans, Joe Pass, Pat Martino, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Sonny Stitt and talk about the characteristics that identify each player. In addition to analyzing the examples, we’ll discuss ways to extract ideas and concepts to form your own great lines! Prerequisites: The ability to read standard music notation and some basic theory knowledge will be helpful. This workshop is meant primarily for guitarists and will cover guitar-specific technical issues, but all are welcome.

Guitarist Jeff Massanari embarked on his musical journey at a young age. Introduced to the vibrant music scene of Washington, Jeff picked up the guitar at 13 and delved into jazz and blues, performing and teaching in the area by the time he was 17. Fueling his passion for jazz, Jeff pursued studies in performance and composition at Boston’s Berklee School of Music. Following his education, he made his mark in the San Francisco Bay Area as one of our most sought-after guitarists. Jeff has collaborated with esteemed artists, including notable vocalists Paula West, Brenda Boykin, Denise Perrier, Nicolas Bearde, Kenny Washington, and Pamela Rose. He has also shared the stage with instrumentalists such as Wally Schnalle, Jeff Pittson, Charles McNeil, Vince Lateano, Noel Jewkes, Charlie McCarthy, and Jeff Chambers. Beyond his own projects, Jeff is a regular member of ensembles like The Johnny Nocturne Band, The Murasaki Ensemble, Swing Fever, and collaborates with numerous musicians in jazz, blues, and world music genres. Jeff’s passion for sharing his knowledge and expertise extends to teaching engagements at esteemed institutions such as U.C. Berkeley, The Jazzschool, Jazz Camp West, Bruce Forman’s Jazzmaster series, and Blue Bear Music School.