David Widelock

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Born: March 2, 1948 Primary Instrument: Guitar

A versatile guitarist who is at home with jazz, latin, free improvisation, funk and rhythm and blues styles, David has been performing in the Bay Area since the early 70's.. He studied jazz guitar with Warren Black in Portland, Oregon, and improvisation with pianist Art Lande in Berkeley, California. He has performed with Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, Woody Shaw, Art Lande, Mark Isham, pianist Jon Jang, and the Bay Area Jazz Composers Orchestra. Famed Brazilian guitarist Luis Bonfa called David “a giant of the 12-string...one of my favorite guitarists”.

As a composer David is the author of over fifty jazz tunes for small ensembles. He has also written three pieces for large ensembles. “Sun Song” was premiered at the first performance of the Bay Area Jazz Composers Orchestra in January 1988. “Echoes” was premiered by B.A.J.C.O. in spring 1989. “The Jolly Blue Giant” premiered in July 1990 and was partially funded by a grant from the American Music Center.

David and cellist Matt Brubeck recorded 3 duo albums: “Really!” (Jazzpoint,1991), “Giraffes In a Hurry” (B+W, 1994), and “Monk/Not Monk” (Beegum, 2000). David’s first solo album, “The Trouble With Fribbles” was released in 2004.

David has toured Europe numerous times. In 1979 he appeared at the Essen, Germany, City Festival with the trio Lejimda, and his 1985 tour included an appearance at the Fribourg Music Festival. Also in 1985 his first album, “Too Many Vitamins”, was released on Beegum Records. A trio recording, the LP featured David's compositions. In 1988 he was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Music Fellowship, resulting in a quartet collaboration with pianist Jon Jang. The first duo record with Matt Brubeck triggered a 1991 European tour, followed by a 1992 European tour with the Brubeck Family Project.

Last Updated: September 10, 2007

INTERVIEW WITH LUIS BONFA

GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 1997 (BRAZILIAN EDITION)

Question: which guitarists are your favorites today?

Answer: ...There are some high caliber lesser known people in America that are underrated. This is the case of David Widelock, a giant of the 12-string guitar.

”...the fusion oriented pieces of David Widelock...were gripping in their rhythms and rich in harmonic and melodic ideas and brought modern jazz to a heightened level of quality.”

Too Many Vitamins, Beegum, 1985, David Widelock Trio Really!, Jazzpoint 1991, Brubeck and Widelock Duo Giraffes in a Hurry, B+W 1995, Brubeck and Widelock Duo Monk/Not Monk, Beegum,2001, Brubeck and Widelock Duo The Trouble With Fribbles, Beegum, 2004, solo Memories of a Surprise, 2007, solo

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