The Chesapeake Guitar Quartet, three renowned guitarists and a versatile bassist bring their broad mix of blues, jazz standards and Brazilian sounds to The Mainstay in Rock Hall, Maryland on Thursday November 3 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $20. For information and reservations call 410-639-9133. Information is also available at the Mainstay’s website https://www.mainstayrockhall.org.
The Chesapeake Guitar Quartet is a new group that features long-time collaborators Steve Abshire, Steve Herberman and Vince Lewis on guitars with Amy Shook on bass.
While they play together frequently in different combinations in live performance and on their own and others’ recording projects, it is rare to have all four together on the same stage.
Steve Abshire says “This will be a performance in the musical tradition of the Great Guitars. The Quartet’s repertoire includes Jazz standards, Jazz waltzes, blues and some Brazilian favorites, all with arrangements that highlight the three distinct styles of these guitarists. This will be an evening of deep musical conversations between good friends.”
Steve Abshire is a jazz guitarist, teacher, and clinician in his native Washington D.C./ Baltimore area. Before he retired from the Navy, he was the guitarist and featured soloist for the U.S. Navy Band’s premiere jazz ensemble, the Commodores.
His mainstream style comes from years of study with jazz guitar legends Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, Joe Pass and rhythm guitarist Steve Jordan. He has appeared in concert with such notable jazz greats, Mundell Lowe, Charlie Byrd, Milt Hinton, Tal Farlow, Keter Betts, Howard Alden, Herb Ellis, Gene Bertoncini, and Marian McPartland.
Steve Herberman is a seven string guitarist who has performed at venues such as Birdland in NYC, Spazio in Los Angeles, Blues Alley, the Smithsonian Jazz Cafe, and the Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts with renowned musicians such as Keter Betts, Buster Williams, Chuck Redd and many more.
He is a graduate of Berklee College Of Music and later adopted the seven-string guitar. He has recorded three CDs as a leader and a live duo album with Steve Abshire. His recordings have received wide critical acclaim in JazzTimes, Downbeat, Jazz Improv and many others. Herberman taught jazz guitar on the faculty of Towson University, is presently teaching guitar at Sidwell Friends School in DC and has written instructional material for Downbeat magazine, Mel Bay’s Guitar Sessions, Just Jazz Guitar, the National Guitar Workshop newsletter and columns for Modern Guitars webzine.
Vince Lewis is a veteran jazz performer, composer and recording artist. He has been a headliner on Jazz Festivals with Dave Brubeck, B.B King, Ellis Marsalis, John Pizzarelli and Melissa Manchester. He is also an educator featured frequently in Just Jazz Guitar Magazine. He has recorded 20 CD’s as a leader and sideman including a duo album with Steve Abshire.
Amy Shook is one of the most in-demand acoustic bassists in the mid-Atlantic, coveted for her huge sound and infectious, driving groove. She co-leads the Shook/Russo 5tet, and performs regularly with the Fred Hughes Trio, as well the 3Divas. She has also performed Maurice Hines, Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra and Felicia Carter at venues such as the Kennedy Center, Blues Alley, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, and the Cape May Jazz Festival, and performed at the White House twice by special invitation.
In addition to being a premier performing and recording artist, she is an accomplished composer and music educator.
The Mainstay (Home of Musical Magic) is the friendly informal storefront performing arts center on Rock Hall’s old time Main Street. It is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit dedicated to the arts, serving Rock Hall, MD and the surrounding region. It is committed to presenting local, regional and national level talent, at a reasonable price, in an almost perfect acoustic setting. Wine, beer, sodas and snacks are available at the bar.
The Mainstay is supported by ticket sales, fundraising including donations from friends and audience members and an operating grant from the Maryland State Arts Council.
For information and reservations call the Mainstay at 410-639-9133. More information is also available at the Mainstay’s website https://www.mainstayrockhall.org.
Upcoming Mainstay performances include:
Nov. 7 Mainstay Monday with guest Scott Silbert, sax
Nov. 10 Jane Bunnett and Maqueque
Nov. 12 Karen Somerville with The Bratcher Project
Nov. 14 Mainstay Monday with guest David Sacks, trombone
Nov. 21 Mainstay Monday with guest Sue Matthews, vocals
Nov. 26 The Fred Hughes Trio – “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
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