A native of
Southern California, Jeff Linsky began playing the guitar
at the age of ten. His passion for music and for the
guitar, in particular, was immediately apparent. He played
everything he heard, from the popular music on the radio to
his own interpretations of symphonies. He played along with
records, he played along with the television - he even had
his guitar with him at the dinner table. This passion, and
the resultant ear training and dexterity he gained from it,
did not go unnoticed. Local music store owner and respected
guitarist and author, Gene Leis, took an interest in Jeff's
playing and introduced the enthusiastic young guitarist to
many of Los Angeles' top studio guitar players, including
Laurindo Almeida, Johnny deRose, Ron Anthony, Jimmy
Stewart, Vicente Gomez and Joe Pass. Spending time with
these accomplished musicians proved to be highly
educational. Although primarily a self-taught musician,
Jeff took time to study privately with both Spanish guitar
virtuoso Vicente Gomez and jazz great Joe Pass.
At 17, Jeff
was already touring professionally as a sideman, sharing
the stage with pop groups like the Grass Roots and The
Standells. By 19, he had decided to focus more on combining
his classical guitar technique with his interest in
improvisation and jazz, and began his world travels as a
solo guitar player. Always anxious to experience different
cultures and musical influences, he met and performed with
a variety of artists - from the popular Gypsie violinist
Markus Reinhardt (Django's nephew) in Germany to the master
of the ukulele, Ohta-San, in Hawaii. Although Jeff became
well known for his polyphonic solo guitar improvising, he
also enjoyed performing in duet with other respected
guitarists, including jazz legend Jim Hall in Europe and
the Brazilian maestro Carlos Barbosa-Lima.
Jeff "paid his dues" as a solo artist in such remote outposts as Hawaii, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, and the Mediterranean, never once complaining about having to endure another summer in the South of France. Eventually he signed with Concord Records in 1988, releasing the classic CD "Up Late" that year. Of that popular recording, Jazzscene Magazine raved: "If, for some unfathomable reason, Latin Jazz has not yet gotten into your blood or touched your soul, then this is the album that will make you a believer!"
Jeff continued to compose in a Latin jazz style on his next project, "Simpatico" (GSPJAZ), which features former Weather Report members Alex Acuna on drums and Alphonso Johnson on bass. "Simpatico" was highly acclaimed as well, garnering a nomination for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year from NAIRD. Although Jeff's next several CD's varied in style, from the more jazzy, improvised CD Solo (GSPJAZ), recognized as a Top Ten CD in Downbeat Magazine's Critics' Poll and included in The 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time, to the contemporary jazz/pop project, Passport to the Heart (Concord), Jeff is still perhaps best known as a Latin Jazz artist. He was even given the title of "Honorary Hispanic" by Latin Beat Magazine. The Mel Bay Folio and DVD, Jeff Linsky/Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar Solos, significantly reinforces that perception, as it features Jeff's original music in performance with the noted percussionist Michael Spiro.
Over the
past three decades, Jeff Linsky has performed in concert
around the world and recorded several critically acclaimed
CD's. His guitar is featured on many recordings for other
musicians and composers, as well, and on several
compilation albums for Concord Jazz. Also an award-winning
composer, Jeff has written for film and television in the
US and abroad. For several years, his composition
"Monterey" served as the broadcast theme for the Monterey
Jazz Festival. Jeff has presented Master Classes on Solo
Guitar Improvisation at music schools and conservatories in
Europe, Asia, North and South America. Current projects
include new recordings for the Arona Music Group and a
documentary style DVD about Jeff's unique playing style.
