John Basile
John Basile was born in the Boston area and began playing in local show bands and organ groups at an early age. He attended Berklee College of Music and graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music.
Moving to NYC John has performed and recorded in a wide variety of formats both as a leader and a sideman. As an accompanist he has worked with Peggy Lee, Sylvia Syms, Rosemary Clooney, Mark Murphy, and Tony Bennett as well as live performances with contemporary instrumentalists George Mraz , Tom Harrell, John Abercrombie, and Red Mitchell to name just a few.
Musically John's guitar style utilizes a finger-style technique that approaches the guitar like a piano. For John the challenge of comping chord fragments and playing melodies simultaneously provides a backdrop for a more open style of playing and improvising. When asked about his most important influences, the first two names he mentions are not other guitar players; Frank Sinatra heads the list and then Bill Evans. Perhaps this explains why John Basile is one of a select group of jazz instrumentalists who doesn’t sound like everyone else. Basile is also one of those rare players who still treasures songs. Not just the tunes, but the songs; musical and lyrical ideas combined in a way that creates a vibrant structure that invites interpretation.
Basile’s ability to ‘sing’ on the guitar is the result of a unique approach to the instrument. He uses a finger-style technique in which he plays the melody and at the same time accompanies himself with fragments of the harmony. The big five and six note chords that are normally strummed are replaced with choice two or three note percussive voicings.
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Album Review
- Time Will Reveal by Jeff Winbush
- Animations by Franz A. Matzner
- It Was a Very Good Year by C. Michael Bailey
- The Desmond Project by Bob Patterson
August 09, 2011
Guitarist John Basile Releases "Amplitudes" on Stringtime Jazz
May 27, 2010
Announcing the Winners of the "John Basile - No Apologies" Contest
April 19, 2010
Enter the StringTime Jazz "John Basile - No Apologies" Giveaway"
February 05, 2010
John Basile New CD Release "No Apologies" on Stringtime Jazz
July 31, 2009
3rd Anual Peekskill Jazz and Blues Festival
October 10, 2007
John Basile Releases "Time Will Reveal" on Underhill Jazz
May 07, 2003
Guitarist John Basile Releases "It Was A Very Good Year" on Underhill...
Primary Instrument
Guitar
Location
New York City
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Photos
Albums
Perugia
From: No ApologiesBy John Basile