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Scott Detweiler

Scott Detweiler is an award winning American artist and actor, born and raised in New Orleans.  Over the course of his 30 (thirty) year career, his catalog of music has chronicled his evolution into a highly unique composer/performer, blending the styles of blues, funk, jazz, gospel & soul, but always rooted in the blues. 

His lyrics tell imaginatively woven stories that follow in the grand tradition of southern writers and classic lyricists.  He is a true son of the rich musical climate and one-of-a-kind culture that is the Crescent City. It is these influences that are in the soul of his creations and evident in his live performances, whether solo or backed by his band.

He's a charismatic entertainer with a unique ability to touch his audience, whether it be in the intimate setting of a small jazz club, through the lens of a camera or on the concert stage of an arena.  And he touches them not only with his sounds but also with the power of his stories built upon candid observations about life. 

The strong influences of N.O. horn players, piano players and drummers are the essence of his unique style of guitar playing, from the horn/piano like phrasing of his solos to his syncopated rhythm guitar work.  He attributes much of his solid sense of rhythm to watching marching bands in the dozens of parades, every Mardi Gras season for over 20 (twenty) years (about the first half of his life).  This fusion of drum rhythm with rhythm guitar is the integral part of his style. "When I first started playing, I could not play well enough to integrate everything I was hearing in my head into my hands.....but I found that as my playing developed it allowed my vocal ability to grow along with it, enabling me to sing over more sophisticated grooves", explains Detweiler.

As for his singing, he is influenced by the multitude artists such as Aaron Neville, Irma Thomas, Frogman Henry, Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, Allan Toussaint, Ernie K. Doe, and many others, whose live performances he would experience live, in the informal environment of the weekly TGIF quad parties at Tulane University (behind Detweiler House).  "When we would get home from school, we could hear the music coming from the quad, so we'd ride our bikes around the corner to watch whoever was playing and throw Frisbees with the Tulane students and their dogs", he recalls.   In the clubs, throughout high school and college, he would find other influences, most notably,  guitarists Jimmy Robinson (Woodenhead) and Leslie Martin (The Shieks).  

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COMMUNITY AND PRESS ALL EVENTS "He is one of the most unique American artists in that his sound is a fusion of funk, jazz, blues, gospel and soul". BURBANK LEADER “It’s a great piece (“The Sun Will Rise”)…it’s mostly a blues piece. The string quartet provides a blues base that encourages the saxophone to improvise. It’s programmatic to the Katrina tragedy, respectful and hopeful”. INDIE PULSE MUSIC MAGAZINE "Scott Detweiler, a fantastic guitarist and artist..." LOS ANGELES TIMES "Scott Detweiler will be performing and if good music is what you're after, then you won't be disappointed" PASADENA WEEKLY “He was the first blues artist to premiere an original blues chamber composition, “The Sun Will Rise,” and follow with a performance by his jazz quartet, in Los Angeles

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Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

Los Angeles

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Credentials/Background

Call for interview. If I can help you I will. If not I will refer you to someone who won't waste your time and money. My hourly rate is $50 per hour. I am in the Los Angeles area and I will come to you.

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Mardi Gras Mystery

Detweiler Records
2020

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Mardi Gras Mystery

From: Mardi Gras Mystery
By Scott Detweiler

Videos

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