Born: July 9, 1953 Primary Instrument: Guitar
Doug is a critically acclaimed New York jazz guitarist. Since 1987 he has released eleven albums as a leader and has appeared on over 50 recordings as a sideman, producer, and arranger working with a diverse array of artists including Dr. John, Michael Brecker, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Doug has over 75 original published compositions and over 300 recorded arrangements by the finest players on the scene today. His current CD Big Boss Bossa Nova 2.0 has garnered rave reviews from critics, fans, and musicians. Doug continues to actively perform with close to 100 live dates per year.
In the recording field Doug has received two Grammy nominations and two NAIRD awards. Amazon.com picked Boogaloo to Beck , on which Doug performed, arranged, and co-produced, as one of its Top Ten Jazz CD’s of 2003. Doug also did orchestration work on the Oscar winning documentary When We Were Kings.
Doug has written three books on jazz improvisation for Warner Brothers Publications, including one entitled, From Swing to Bebop, that won the Music and Sound Retailers instructional book of the year award in 2000. He has just his first book with Alfred Music entitled The Total Latin Guitarist.
As an educator Doug created and was Director of the Jazz Studies Program at The Conservatory of Music at Purchase College from 1993-2002. He continues to teach there as Director Emeritus. This esteemed jazz program boasts a faculty that includes John Abercrombie, Todd Coolman, Jon Faddis, Eric Alexander, John Riley and many other top jazz performers.
Awards:
two Grammy nominations and two NAIRD awards for work with the Skatilites Amazon.com picked Boogaloo to Beck , on which Doug performed, arranged, and co-produced, as one of its Top Ten Jazz CD’s of 2003. Doug also did orchestration work on the Oscar winning documentary When We Were Kings.“Doug Munro... well he can flat out play!” --Dr. Lonnie Smith
”Doug Munro is a tremendously talented guitarist and composer who deserves the ears of a larger audience” --Steve Khan
“Doug Munro is one of the finest Guitarist I've heard perform. His music is great to listen to, very entertaining, funky, danceable, not to mention his straight ahead groove. Doug is just GREAT!!!” --Melvin Sparks
”Doug Munro plays in the tradition, but he has his own voice, combining elements of mainstream jazz guitar, Brazilian bossa nova and classical music. He has a great sound and swings with authority. I always enjoy playing with him.” --John Stowell
”In sum, Munro displays a hip musicality where discipline, audacity and an ebullient sense of joie de vivre co-mingle with devilish glee. Great Stuff!” --Chuck Berg, Jazz Times
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Primary Instrument:
Guitar
Location:
Brewster, NY
Willing to teach:
Advanced students only.
Credentials/Background:
As an educator Doug created and was Director of the Jazz
Studies Program at The Conservatory of Music at Purchase
College from 1993-2002. He continues to teach there as
Director Emeritus. This esteemed jazz program boasts a
faculty that includes John Abercrombie, Todd Coolman, Jon
Faddis, Eric Alexander, John Riley and many other top jazz
performers.
Clinic/Workshop Information:
Here are two clinics/seminars I have done in the US and
Europe.
Title: Pentatonics : the Bridge between Jazz and Blues
This Seminar would show the history, power and immediate
connection pentatonic scales have with all of popular music
whether it is jazz, blues, funk, Latin or rock. It would be
taught directly from the book Organ Trio Blues that I
originally wrote for Warner Brothers Publishing, which is
now part of the Alfred Music Catalogue.
Topics Covered:
1. Minor Pentatonic and Blues Scales
A. Minor Pentatonic scale in all 5 positions
B. Minor Pentatonic Scale Tone Chords
C. Arpeggios in the Minor Pentatonic scale
D. Blues Scale
2. Major Pentatonic Scale
A. Major Pentatonic scale in all 5 positions
B. Major Pentatonic Scale Tone Chords
C. Arpeggios in the Major Pentatonic scale
3. Combining Major and Minor Pentatonic Scales
A. Major and Minor Pentatonic scales over a major blues
progression
B. Major and Minor Pentatonic scales over a minor blues
progression
C. Major and Minor Pentatonic scales and the Blues
scale over individual Chords
D. Major and Minor Pentatonic scales and the Blues
scale over a major blues
progression
E. Major and Minor Pentatonic scales and the Blues
scale over a minor blues
progression
F. Major and Minor Pentatonic arpeggios and the Blues
scale over a major blues
progression
G. Major and Minor Pentatonic arpeggios and the Blues
scale over a minor blues
Progression
4. Dominant 7 Pentatonic Scale
A. Dominant 7 Pentatonic scale in all 5 positions
B. Dominant 7 Pentatonic Scale Tone Chords
C. Arpeggios in the Dominant 7 Pentatonic scale
5. Minor Pentatonic Scale Superimposition
A. Minor Pentatonic scales that work over major chords
B. Minor Pentatonic scales that work over minor chords
C. Minor Pentatonic scales that work over dominant 7
chords
D. Playing superimposed Pentatonic scales over chord
changes
6. Sequential Groups taken from Pentatonic scales
A. 1-2-3-5 sequential group
B. 1-2-4-5 sequential group
C. 1-b3-4-5 sequential group
D. 1-b3-4-b6 sequential group
7. Library of Major and Minor 12 bar Blues Progressions
: THE TOTAL LATIN GUITARIST
This seminar is built around anew book I have just
completed for Workshop Arts/Alfred Music called “The Total
Latin Guitarist”.
The book looks at 23 different Latin styles for guitar from 6
different countries. The book, to say the least, was a
daunting task. I am anxious to share what I learned, during
the research and writing of the book, with other guitarists.
The book should be out in the first quarter of 2010 so it will
be available for the students who might take the seminar.
The seminar itself would be a hands-on walk through of the
book’s content with the added advantage of having the
author of the book (me) as the facilitator of the seminar.
Here is what would be covered in the seminar.
CLAVE
Son Clave
Rumba Clave
Bossa Clave
Brazilian Clave
MONTUNO/GUAJEO
AFRO-CUBAN
Salsa
Rumba
Guaguanco
Cha-cha
Mambo
Songo
Mozambique
BRAZIL
Choro
Samba
Batucada
Partido Alto
Bossa Nova
Baiao
Frevo
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Merengue
TRINIDAD
Calypso
Soca
Bachata
ARGENTINA
Tango
MEXICO
Ranchera
Mariachi
Norteno/Conjunto
Tejano
