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Mike Brannon

Mike Brannon is guitarist/writer for the Synergy Group in San Antonio, Texas and was born in Atlanta, Ga and first picked up the guitar In high school in Greensboro, NC. Synergy's latest release is Later, with special guests, 2-time grammy winner, tenor saxist Bill Evans, 7-time Grammy winner, drummer Paul Wertico and bassist Harvie S was released in Spring 2006 on the Nextep label.

Their previous release, Barcodes with 3-time Grammy winner Jeff Coffin of Bela Fleck and the Flexktones and the Dave Matthews band, and Trey Gunn of King Crimson.

Currently they are about to release Off the Map with special guest percussionist, Don Alias. Mike also has an improvisational collective called NoNet (as in without a net) and a new guitar based recording project series, Guitarchitecture, due out in 2015.

Awards

"Five Stars - Jazzreview "Five Stars" - The Current "Four Stars" - Jazzsteps "Four Stars" - AllMusicGuide "Later" is also the ... 15th Top 100 Downloads of all time - Allaboutjazz.com / US 2nd Top 100 Downloads of all time - Allaboutjazz.com / Italy Viva Italia! "Best Jazz Group" (twice) - Current

Gear

Current endorsements include Elixir Strings, Onyx Forge Guitars and Carlos Juan acoustic pickups (DE).


Tags

26
Take Five With...

Take Five With Mike Brannon

Read "Take Five With Mike Brannon" reviewed by Mike Brannon


Meet Mike Brannon: Having been born in jny: Atlanta and then lived in North Carolina growing up, those Southern roots were likely to blame when I started playing blues/rock guitar. But I soon discovered Wes Montgomery, Hank Garland, Joe Pass, Tal Farlow and finally Pat Martino. After attending Jackie King's Guitar Conservatory of the Southwest, where i got to play with traditionalists like Herb Ellis, I went to Berklee for Guitar performance/composition and then studied with Charlie Banacos for ...

203
Album Review

Synergy: Later

Read "Later" reviewed by John Kelman


Synergy may be a collective in name, but it's really the brainchild of guitarist Mike Brannon. With keyboardist Andy Langham the only carryover from 2000's Barcodes, Brannon handles all compositional/arrangement duties on Later, barring the title track, co-arranged by Brannon and drummer Gerry Gibbs. Like Barcodes there are a number of high profile guests on this set--this time bassist Harvie S, saxophonist Bill Evans, and drummer Paul Wertico--making Brannon's fluid guitar the only constant throughout the twelve-song, 44-minute set.

Brannon's ...

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"Sly, technically breathtaking work of the quartet Synergy. The bands sound often keys on the fine guitar work of guitarist Mike Brannon" - Hilary Grey / Jazztimes
"Mike Brannon's guitar has an impressive architectural sense and emotional warmth even at high velocity. The keynote being the sacrifice of bravado on the alter of an integrated group and album identity. Synergy is a quartet from Texas that is slowly & surely climbing the visibility tree. Works for me!" - Brian Glasser / Jazzwise (UK)
"Brannon's crystalline sound is closest to Metheny on this shimmering, gorgeous tale." - Todd Jenkins / Allaboutjazz.com
"Smart, savvy, atmospheric yet powerful, and takes the fusion, jazz or rock listener on a great ride they'll want to revisit again and again

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Primary Instrument

Guitar

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

28+ years guitar performance 25+ years teaching experience 5 years dual major/Berklee College of Music - perf/composition 5 years studies w/ Charlie Banacos

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Later

Nextep Records
2006

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