- Alex de Grassi
Alex de Grassi is an American
Grammy Award -nominatedfingerstyle guitarist.Early life and influences
Though born in
Yokosuka ,Japan , de Grassi grew up inSan Francisco ,California , where his grandfather playedviolin for theSan Francisco Symphony and his father was a classicalpianist . At age thirteen he learned to play thetrumpet but soon taught himself theguitar , the instrument for which he is now famous. De Grassi has since learned jazz piano withMark Levine and also studied music underW. A. Mathieu andBill Thrasher .Recording career
After earning a degree in Economic Geography from the
University of California, Berkeley , de Grassi performed as a street musician inLondon before learning thecarpentry trade from his cousinWill Ackerman who later founded the innovative instrumental record labelWindham Hill . De Grassi's first album, "Turning: Turning Back", was released by Windham Hill Records in 1978. De Grassi also recorded under RCA/Novus, EarthBeat!, and 33rd Street recordings. In addition, De Grassi started his own label, Tropo Records, which he now records under. He performs solo concerts worldwide, holds various guitar workshops and master classes throughout the year, and performs with theDeMania Trio , alongside bassistMichael Manring and percussionistChristopher Garcia . Fellow guitar players consider de Grassi to be among the most virtuosic living guitarists. Tom Wheeler wrote in Guitar Player Magazine that his technique is "the kind that shoves fellow pickers to the cliff of decision: should I practice like a madman or chuck it altogether?"Guitars
Alex uses various guitars. Currently his primary touring/recording guitars are a custom Lowden F35c maple with a European spruce top and a custom Traugott R model Brazilian Rosewood with German Spruce top. Other favorites are a custom Carlson sympitar (twelve sympathetic strings) maple with spruce top and a custom McCollum baritone (28" scale) paduk with Italian spruce top. [http://degrassi.com/faq.html]
Discography
"Turning: Turning Back"; Windham Hill, 1978
"Slow Circle"; Windham Hill, 1979
"Clockwork"; Windham Hill, 1981
"Southern Exposure"; Windham Hill, 1984
"Altiplano"; RCA/Novus, 1987
"Deep at Night"; Windham Hill, 1991
"A Windham Hill Retrospective"; Windham Hill, 1992
"The World's Getting Loud"; Windham Hill, 1993
"Beyond the Night Sky: Lullabies for Guitar"; EarthBeat!, 1996
"Alex de Grassi's Interpretation of Simon & Garfunkel"; NorthSound, 1997
"Alex de Grassi's Interpretation of James Taylor"; NorthSound, 1998
"The Water Garden"; Tropo Records, 1998
"Bolivian Blues Bar"; Narada, 1999
"Tatamonk" (with Quique Cruz); Tropo Records, 2000
"Shortwave Postcard" (with g.e. stinson); Auditorium, 2001
"Now & Then: Folk Songs for the 21st Century"; 33rd Street, 2003
"Pure Alex de Grassi"; Windham Hill, 2006External links
* [http://degrassi.com/ The Alex De Grassi Official Web Site] .
*MusicBrainz artist|id=f940c4dd-f687-4c6a-872b-1cce3f78dc0a|name=Alex de Grassi
*http://www.liraproductions.com/dmg/index.htm - the official DEMANIA siteources
*Kohanov, Linda ``Biography: Alex de Grassi,´´ "
Allmusic "
*``About,´´ "Official Alex De Grassi Website" [http://degrassi.com/]
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