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B.D. Lenz

Mix the sophistication of jazz, the grit of blues, and the grooves of funk and soul, and you have the recipe for contempo-jazz guitarist B.D. Lenz. The New Jersey native has played guitar since his early teens, is a graduate of Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, and has studied with such masters as Mike Stern, Vic Juris, and Charlie Banacos along the way. Lenz has released 13 highly-acclaimed recordings as a leader featuring greats such as Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Will Lee, Joel Rosenblatt, & Mark Egan and his music has been featured in hundreds of TV shows globally including "Breaking Bad" (AMC), "Catfish" (MTV), and "Young Sheldon" (CBS) to name a few. This Godin-endorsed guitarist has performed thousands of shows internationally, is a staff composer for Gramoscope Music, and a columnist for AllAboutJazz.com.

Noteworthy Appearances:

Jazz at Lincoln Center (NYC), Iridium (NYC), Birmingham Jazz Festival (UK), Hull Jazz Festival (UK), Nantwich Jazz Festival (UK), Cape May Jazz Festival (NJ), Porthcawl Jazz Festival (Wales UK), Oswego Harborfest (NY), JazzImprov Live! Convention (NYC), Musikfest (Pa.), Deer Head Inn (Pa.), 55 Bar (NYC), Museum of Modern Art (NYC), Branford Jazz on the Green (Ct.) Seven Arts (Leeds UK) The Verdict (Brighton UK), 27b Flat (Brugges Belgium), Mampf (Frankfurt Germany), Matt & Phreds (Manchester UK), Paxton Centre (London), BBC Radio (Cambridge UK)

Accomplishments:

  • Music has been featured on hundreds of TV shows internationally
  • Band has performed over 1000 gigs internationally
  • Has released 13 recordings as a leader
  • Composer for Gramoscope Music
  • Columnist for AllAboutJazz.com
  • Four time top N. American jazz group on the largest online booking site TheBash.com.
  • Endorsed by Godin Guitars 

Awards

"2008, 2009,  2011, & 2020 Rising Star Award: Best Jazz Band" GigMasters

Gear

Endorsed by Godin Guitars


Tags

5
Album Review

The Pat Petrillo Big Rhythm Band: The Power Station Sessions

Read "The Power Station Sessions" reviewed by Jim Worsley


To say that a record is all over the place is generally considered to be negative. However, that is not the case with this fun outing from drummer Pat Petrillo. His Big Rhythm Band pulsates through a wide variety of tunes. Not knowing what is coming next can come off as disjointed. But, again, not here. The surprising change of directions keeps it lively and entertaining. When it comes to Petrillo, entertaining is the right word to describe him and ...

15
Mind Your Business

Part 12, Just be nice!

Read "Part 12, Just be nice!" reviewed by B.D. Lenz


I've truly had a great time writing these “Mind Your Business" articles and want to thank you if you've been following along. I genuinely hope that people have gotten some useful information and inspiration from them. This will be my final installment in this series as I feel like I've covered everything I wanted to say on these topics. Throughout my columns I hope I've given you the tools to push your career even just a little further. I hope ...

13
Mind Your Business

Part 11, Be Prepared

Read "Part 11, Be Prepared" reviewed by B.D. Lenz


When I was younger I was a Boy Scout. I really enjoyed the experience and learned a lot from doing it. Probably one of the most important lessons I learned from scouting is one the simplest. The Boy Scout “motto" is be prepared and following that has helped in many situations I've faced as a bandleader. It's obviously expected that you'll bring your instrument and musical knowledge to a gig. But I'm going to suggest some other items to bring ...

13
Mind Your Business

Pt. 10, Video and the Evolution of the Press Kit

Read "Pt. 10, Video and the Evolution of the Press Kit" reviewed by B.D. Lenz


I first started booking gigs for my band during the days of mailing tapes: manually copying cassettes and their inserts, then delivering an armload of clunky packages to the post office. If someone had the ability to burn CDs on their own computer and mail something digital, that was a big deal! Then came the rise of the online press kit and the ability to bypass cranky postal workers. The electronic press kit (EPK) is still relevant and saves a ...

16
Mind Your Business

Part 9, The Boring (Must Do) Stuff

Read "Part 9, The Boring (Must Do) Stuff" reviewed by B.D. Lenz


When most people think of leading their own band, they imagine the freedom of playing their own music, the adulation of fans, and the exhilaration of touring the world. What they don't often imagine is sitting in an office writing up contracts, requesting deposits, and filling out insurance applications. These dull tasks aren't why musicians started playing in the first place. Yet this columns is about the logistics of running a music business, and sometimes boring paperwork is just as ...

15
Mind Your Business

Pt. 8, PR for Dummies

Read "Pt. 8, PR for Dummies" reviewed by B.D. Lenz


I've often thought to myself: “Miles Davis never had to deal with things like mailing lists, and websites, and posters... and press releases!" While this is no doubt true, we live in a different world than Miles Davis did and we're not Miles Davis. Throughout this column I've tried to stress how, in this modern age, you can manage the entirety of your career all by yourself. An important aspect of any artist's career is Public Relations. PR ...

11
Mind Your Business

Pt. 7, Touring Logistics

Read "Pt. 7, Touring Logistics" reviewed by B.D. Lenz


In my last column, I covered the first step of booking a tour: getting the gigs. And while it's easily the most important part, it's really just the beginning of the road. There are matters including transportation, lodging, gear and PR, amongst others, to still contend with. Logistics isn't the most exciting of topics, especially to an artist. These details might make your eyes glaze over like playing “Giant Steps" in all twelve keys, but if you're managing everything yourself ...

Read more articles
3

Recording

Contempo-Jazz Guitarist B.D. Lenz 'It's Just A Dream' Releases On November 1st With Mike Stern & Randy Brecker!

Contempo-Jazz Guitarist B.D. Lenz 'It's Just A Dream' Releases On November 1st With Mike Stern & Randy Brecker!

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations

Contempo jazz guitarist B.D. Lenz returns with It's Just A Dream, his 13th recording as a leader and features one of his long-time heroes, Mike Stern, on guitar along with the legendary Randy Brecker on trumpet. It’s Just a Dream began as a small writing project during COVID and blossomed into a full release with ten original compositions of Lenz’s signature blend of jazz, funk, and rock. The New Jersey native says, “I never intended to write a whole record ...

8

Performance / Tour

Jazz "Guitar Hero" B.D. Lenz Celebrates 20 Years With "Manifesto" CD Release Party

Jazz "Guitar Hero" B.D. Lenz Celebrates 20 Years With "Manifesto" CD Release Party

Source: DeBlaze & Associates

B.D. Lenz 's Manifesto CD Release Party Set for Friday, March 25, 2016 from 9pm-1am at the The Stanhope House in Stanhope, NJ $10 in advance or $15 at the door (18 or older to enter and 21 to drink). $5 CD sale for this special evening. With thousands of live gigs performed internationally, 8 highly-acclaimed albums and hundreds of his songs featured in TV shows globally over the past 20 years, B.D. Lenz is celebrating his 20th anniversary with ...

1

Recording

Ready Or Not, Jazz Guitarist B.D. Lenz Is Coming

Ready Or Not, Jazz Guitarist B.D. Lenz Is Coming

Source: DeBlaze & Associates

“Deer Head Inn to Host CD Release" Hackettstown, NJ: - Award-winning, jazz guitarist and critically acclaimed composer B.D. Lenz will release “Ready or Not" — his eighth album and first straight-ahead jazz project — on Friday, November 1, 2013 from 7-11 pm. The cost is $7 per person and it takes place at the Deer Head Inn located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania near Northwest New Jersey. A prolific writer and seemingly ubiquitous musician with songs licensed for use ...

70

Recording

Fans Inspire Jazz Guitarist B.D. Lenz's New CD Five and Live

Fans Inspire Jazz Guitarist B.D. Lenz's New CD Five and Live

Source: DeBlaze & Associates

“Featuring a Scorching Live Set and Brand New Song" Hackettstown, NJ—USA —Contemporary jazz guitarist and composer, B.D. Lenz delivers a scorching live set on his new CD, Five and Live—answering his fans' appeals to capture and record the raw passion he delivers during his live performances. B.D. Lenz released his seventh CD today featuring recordings made during east coast gigs. Taking a different approach, Lenz for the first time recorded all performances in a live setting instead of in the ...

99

Recording

Fans Inspire Jazz Guitarist B.D. Lenz New CD "Five & Live"

Fans Inspire Jazz Guitarist B.D. Lenz New CD "Five & Live"

Source: DeBlaze & Associates

“Featuring Scorching Live Set and Brand New Song"

Hackettstown, NJ— Contemporary jazz guitarist and composer, B.D. Lenz delivers a scorching live set on his new CD, Five and Live—answering his fans' appeals to capture and record the raw passion he delivers during his live performances. B.D. Lenz released his seventh CD today featuring recordings made during east coast gigs. Taking a different approach, Lenz for the first time recorded all performances in a live setting instead of in the controlled ...

139

Interview

Guitarist B.D. Lenz Interviewed at AAJ

Guitarist B.D. Lenz Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz

B.D. Lenz began his musical journey at 14, when he was first inspired to learn to play the guitar. Since then, he has gone on to study with such jazz luminaries as guitarists Mike Stern and Vic Juris and recently deceased pianist/educator Charlie Banacos. After graduating from the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, California, Lenz finished his formal musical education at the College of New Jersey, where he graduated with honors. Though he finished his scholarly studies years ago, Lenz has ...

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116

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: B.D. Lenz

Jazz Musician of the Day: B.D. Lenz

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating B.D. Lenz's birthday today!

JAZZ MUSICIAN OF THE DAY B.D. Lenz

A mixture of the styles from Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, and Stevie Ray Vaughn, B.D. Lenz is one of the hottest new contempo jazz guitarists on the scene today. Listen for Lenz’s signature funky jazz in an album showcase packed with firsts... more

Website | Videos | Articles

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358

Contest

Enter the "B.D. Lenz - Hit It and Quit" Giveaway Contest

Enter the "B.D. Lenz  -  Hit It and Quit" Giveaway Contest

Source: All About Jazz

All About Jazz members are invited to enter the “B.D. Lenz - Hit It and Quit“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on August 14th. Click here to enter the contest

(Following B.D. Lenz at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.)

Good luck! Your Friends at All About Jazz

About B.D. Lenz: Rising Star A mixture of the styles from Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, and Stevie Ray ...

301

Event

Iridium Jazz Club Announces Schedule Change: June 10

Iridium Jazz Club Announces Schedule Change:  June 10

Source: DeBlaze & Associates

“Featuring Rising Star B.D. Lenz, Late Show's Will Lee and More"

“2008 Rising Star Award: Best Jazz Band (B.D. Lenz)" - GigMasters

New York, NY - May 14, 2009 - Due to changes in their programming for CD release shows on Wednesday nights, the Iridium Jazz Club will now feature funky jazz guitarist B.D. Lenz in one set at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2009.

Listen for Lenz's signature funky jazz in an album packed with firsts (June 2009). ...

"...Part of the reason for his accessibility is that he not only fuses jazz and rock, he complements it with warm chords of funk, soul, and rhythm and blues..." New York Times

"Bottom Line: Lenz is a real embodiment of a guitar hero...But just like jaguars are born to run, Lenz is born to play...leaving the listener breathless in their musical journey with him. He is a big sound, a big talent...powerfully impressive taken all in all Jazz Inside

"While doing a live album, with such a diverse repertoire, poses risk, Lenz rises to the occasion, releasing an entertaining and engaging album that is sure to be included on this year’s 'Best of' lists for jazz guitar" Guitar International

"Contemporary jazz guitarist B.D

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Primary Instrument

Guitar

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Tuck Andress
guitar, electric
Mike Stern
band / ensemble / orchestra
Michael Brecker
saxophone, tenor
Miles Davis
trumpet
Robben Ford
guitar
Lyle Mays
keyboards
Pat Metheny
guitar

Photos

Concerts

Mar 29 Fri
Apr 5 Fri
Apr 6 Sat
Apr 7 Sun

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Power Station...

Autumn Hill Records
2022

buy

It's Just a Dream

Self Produced
2022

buy

Live in the UK!

Jade Buddha
2022

buy

Sole Searching

Jade Buddha
2020

buy

Manifesto

Self Produced
2016

buy

Five & Live

Self Produced
2013

buy

Our Darker Angels (feat. Mike Stern)

From: It's Just a Dream
By B.D. Lenz

Karmalectro

From: Manifesto
By B.D. Lenz

Friday Night at the Cadillac Club (Live!)

From: Five & Live
By B.D. Lenz

Hit It and Quit

From: Hit It and Quit
By B.D. Lenz

Uh-huh

From: Straight Up
By B.D. Lenz

Juxtaposition

From: Simple Life
By B.D. Lenz

Damage Control

From: Tomorrow's Too Late
By B.D. Lenz

Videos

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