Jake Hertzog

Guitar Player Magazine is calling him “…the blazing wunderkind.” The Boston Phoenix has declared him “...the WOW! factor.” Award-winning jazz guitarist and composer, Jake Hertzog, is making it big in New York City. Jake’s third studio album, Evolution [Buckyball Records], just released this August 2011 has been quickly gaining international regard.

Guitar Player Magazine is calling him “…the blazing wunderkind.” The Boston Phoenix has declared him “...the WOW! factor.” Award-winning jazz guitarist and composer, Jake Hertzog, is making it big in New York City. Jake’s third studio album, Evolution [Buckyball Records], just released this August 2011 has been quickly gaining international regard.

Jake's second studio album, Patterns [Buckyball Records] and Jake’s debut album, Chromatosphere (2009), brought him critical acclaim, including a five page interview in Guitar Player Magazine (June 2009) highlighting his unique technique and approach to modern jazz guitar. Both albums are recorded and produced by Grammy Award-winner, Joshua Paul Thompson.

Under the alias Hey Jazz Guy, Jake is a monthly contributor to Guitar Player Magazine’s ‘Lessons’ section. He has been coined as the Jazz ambassador to the non-jazz world.

For three years, Jake stood as musical director, lead guitarist and mentor for Nickelodeon's The Naked Brothers Band stars, Nat and Alex Wolff. They concluded two national tours and have performed on national television shows including Good Morning America, The View, Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, The Today Show and many others.

Past achievements include winning the Grand Prize in 2006 for the Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition in Switzerland. Jake holds title at 20 years old as the youngest ever prize winner in the competitions history. He was invited back in 2007 to showcase his original music in the Montreux Jazz Festival. Jake is an alum of the prestigious Berklee College of Music and recipient of several performance scholarships.

Jake’s contributions to the rock world including the successful New York band Wakey Wakey, the pop world with Nat and Alex Wollf and his vast expertise in Jazz put him in the forefront of the fusion world.

Awards

2006 Montreux Jazz Festival Gibson Jazz Guitar Competition (International) - Grand Prize Citation for Outstanding Musicianship IAJE 2007 Numerous Berklee College of Music guitar department awards; see www.jakehertzog.com

Gear

Artinger Guitars, GHS Strings, Fender Amplification