This is a unique opportunity to experincee the soulful one man show the Red Guitar.. a jazz libretto written and performed by one of the top guitarists Bruce Forman in the intimate Hoson House.
With simultaneous playing and narrative, the project is an exploration of the psychology and spirituality of music. The Red Guitar accompanies us into the motivations for playing and explores the sacrifices and humanity of jazz and the creative process.
The Red Guitar: Do you play it or does it play you?
“Imagine an evening with John Coltrane, Sigmund Freud and Faust, and you're invited to the party. Sound like a devilish "'Trane-wreck"? It's all that and more in Bruce Forman's 'The Red Guitar', a musical and narrative journey into the influences and temptations that shape an artist's soul. It's a melting pot of jazz virtuosity and dazzling word play that swings with humor, hardship, insight and hope.” -Peter Coyote
“Bruce Forman is one of the great lights of our age.” Barney Kessel, Jazz Times
“Bruce Forman is a wonderful guitarist; extremely versatile and very musical…a first-rate accompanist and soloist.” Kenny Burrell
A hectic touring schedule; seventeen recordings as a leader; countless sideman recording dates—including a featured role on one of jazz great Ray Brown’s last albums; soundtrack performances on three of Clint Eastwood’s distinguished films—including Academy Award winning Million Dollar Baby; producer, arranger, and acclaimed educator; in residence at USC’s Studio/Jazz Guitar Dept.—when does Bruce Forman rest?
Forman is a seasoned jazz player with top-level skills as a leader, entertainer and sideman. He creates soulful, lyrical melodies, inventive harmonies, and solid accompaniment. Though he can shred bebop at blistering tempos with the best of ‘em, he is no urban snob. Cow Bop, Forman’s unique “western bebop” band, hit four separate charts with its CDs, Swingin’ Out West, Route 66, Too Hick for the Room and Cowlifornia Swing. Having won the Route 66 Challenge three times with Cow Bop, he created a linear music festival in 2013, establishing a new paradigm for touring and the use of social media, which included in a mentoring model for young musicians that is both innovative and collaborative.
Forman also has long-standing experience as a distinguished music educator and in-kind philanthropist. His national music-mentoring program, JazzMasters Workshop, provided over 2,500 sessions for young students. Always free of charge, JazzMasters’ sessions occurred during after-school hours, and the program enriched lives and helped develop numerous musicians who have gone on to promising careers.
A new composition, The Red Guitar, has received wide acclaim. It may be the only jazz libretto where the narrator and the featured instrumentalist are the same performer. The Red Guitar requires great virtuosity, but it is much deeper than a simple showcase for Forman’s abilities. It is serious one-man theater, exploring the obsessive demands that music places on its truest followers.
Bruce’s life and musical journey provide an American saga that is still in full swing. His Texas origins, his early career in San Francisco and New York, and his years on the road, all contribute to the unique and highly personal vision that he demonstrates today. Deep immersion in American culture inspires him to contribute to the traditions that he drew from. Formanism (his current trio project); Cow Bop and the “road challenges” down historic byways like Route 66; original works like The Red Guitar; JazzMasters Workshop; these are only the latest answers to the endless question that underlies Bruce Forman’s creativity. His music and life reflect every step of his journey, and demonstrate the awareness of an artist who’s very much at home in the world, and at the top of his form.
http://www.bruceforman.com/