Brian Nova

Vivify® Music Recording Artist and Benedetto Guitar Artist Brian Nova is considered one of the top Jazz Guitarists/Vocalists in the nation, according to a recent poll in Jazz Improv Magazine. Joe Pass said of Nova: ‘I feel Brian is one of the finest Jazz Guitarists on the scene!’ He has the distinction of being the only guitarist who was mentored by, and toured with the two titans of Jazz guitar: Herb Ellis and Joe Pass. Rock Icon Steve Miller says: ‘I’ve met and known a lot of guitarists in my career, and ‘B’ is the best guitarist I’ve ever met.’ Nova performs, and records, as a solo artist, with his Trio, Quartet, and his 18-piece Big Band. Brian is on Arturo Sandoval’s Grammy® Award winning CD ‘Dear Diz’, which garnered a Grammy® and 3 Latin Grammys® in 2013 on Concord Records. Brian was also just featured at the Iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem for Ella Fitzgerald’s 100th Birthday Celebration along with Liz Wright, Monica Mancini, Patti Austin, Andra Day, Cassandra Wilson and many others.

Nova has toured and performed with many of the Jazz elite including: Saxophonists - Eddie Harris, Illinois Jaquet, Danny Turner, Frank Foster, Tom Scott, Houston Person, Scott Hamilton, Dave Koz, Kenny G, Bobby Watson, Stanley Turrentine, Bud Shank, Pete Christleib, John Handy, Med Flory, Hadley Calman, Don Lamphere, Floyd Standifer, Bill Ramsey; Trumpeters - Arturo Sandoval, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Dizzy Gillespie, Terell Stafford, Clark Terry, James Morrison, Steve Madaio, Fred Radke, Mike Vax; Pianists - Oscar Peterson, Gerald Wiggins, Buddy Greco, Shelly Berg, Laurence Hobgood, Kenny Drew, Jessica Williams, Joe Fos, Roger Kellaway, Marc Seals, Larry Fuller and Benny Green; Bassists - Ray Brown, Red Mitchell, Neils Henning Orsted-Pederson, Jim Hughart, Jim DeJulio, Luther Hughes, Dave Carpenter, Terry Miller, Stu Hamm, Chuck Berghoffer, Marshall Hawkins, Andy Simpkins, Leroy Vinneger, Mads Vinding, Buddy Catlett, John Heard; Drummers - Gregg Field, Jeff Hamilton, Colin Bailey, Gary Novak, Mel Brown, Eddie Henderson, Dick Berk, Butch Miles, Bobby Durham, Paul Kreibich; Organists - Jimmy Smith & Brother Jack McDuff; Guitarists - Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, Charlie Byrd, Larry Coryell, Barney Kessel, Mundell Lowe, John Pisano, John Stowell, Henry Johnson and Taj Mahal; Trombonists - James Morrison, Julian Priester, Fred Wesley (James Brown); Vibraphonists - Lionel Hampton, Christian Tambur, Louis Hjulmand, Kiyoko Ami and Ricky Kelly; Vocalists - Kurt Elling, Patti Austin, Ledisi, Diane Schuur, Joe Williams, Buddy Greco, Ernestine Anderson, Freddie Cole, Liz Wright, Dee Daniels, Jay Clayton, Greta Matassa, Mark Murphy; and Blues and Rock Legends Charlie Musselwhite, Al Jardine (Beach Boys), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Eric Burdon (Animals & War), Dave Mason, Joe Satriani, Mark O’Connor, Clint Black and Rock and Roll icon Steve Miller.

Nova performs throughout North America with extended bookings in major cities and as a Jazz Festival artist. His annual European Tour includes engagements in Sicily, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain and Italy. His Pan-Pacific Tour includes China, Taiwan, and a sold out tour in Japan every December. In addition to performing, Nova also encourages young Jazz musicians to further their own musical education and stage presence. From 1990 to 1996, he was the Director of Jazz and Guitar Studies for the Music Program at Seattle University. He continues to mentor the next- generation of professional musicians through his master classes and the clinics he conducts around the world.

Brian has released latest CD ‘The Brian Nova Collective’ with Laurence Hobgood, Shelly Berg, Tom Scott and many others. Brian Nova has released seven recordings of his own and is on many others including Ella 100 Live At The Apollo and Arturo Sandoval’s latest CD ‘Dear Diz’. His other releases include “I Could Have Told You”; “The Shadow of Your Smile” released in 2005 to rave reviews; “Blue and Bossa Nova”; “Brian Nova- Alone”; “Live at Belltown Billiards”; and “Jazz Inflections”.

Awards

Grammy® Award winner.

Gear

Benedetto Archtop Guitars, Acoustic Image, SeQuel Amps, Raezers Edge Speaker Cabinets, AAD Amps, Phil Jones Amps, Bose L1 Systems