Welcome. I am very excited about the new release of Parts Unknown, my debut album, and the simultaneous posting of stevejacobsonjazz.com, a website dedicated not only to my music and career as a jazz guitarist, but to the preservation and promotion of jazz and creative music across the board. Parts Unknown is now available for download at DigStation or iTunes, or you may buy the CD directly from me or through CD Baby. Please let me know your thoughts about the music and the site via email or telephone.

Parts Unknown, recorded a few years ago, sounds mighty fresh thanks to inspired performances by saxophonists Matana Roberts and Rudresh Mahanthappa, trombonist Craig Sunken, pianist Matt Kanelos, bassists Matt Thompson and Tim Fox, and drummers Joe Adamik and Jeff Fortin. Each of these musicians are powerful and positive forces in jazz today… streaming samples are on the Music page.

Happy New Year 2009! A good year for jazz it will be. A New Years week trip to New Orleans was inspiring for me. It is good to see the city getting back on its feet, although you can tell there is still alot of work to be done. Musically: street performances including clarinetist Doreen Ketchens (wow!)… also, two nights in a row at Snug Harbor hearing the wonderful singer Germaine Bazzle with Hernin Riley(!) on drums and then Ellis Marsalis‘ trio/quartet… what a nice club, and the food is great.

Many thanks to Eugene Vinyard (tenor sax), Valerie Nicholson (piano), Rob Calhoon (bass), Phil Crews (drums), and Anthony Salazar (guitar) for sharing their musical gifts at my Joliet Junior College faculty recital on September 14, 2008.

In the works: a new recording project with my old friend Jay Mabin, a harmonica player’s harmonica player… Jay lives way out west in Tacoma, Washington (my home town as well). The session in Washington was a success… we have five tracks with Joe Doria on Hammond organ, and Mike Slivka on drums (recorded by Gary Crooks). Jay was in Chicago during Jazz Festival week and we recorded several more tunes, a few duo, and a few trio with bassist Matt Thompson (who also engineered)… listen to the rough mixes on the Music page. We hope to have this recording available Spring/Summer 2009.

Also: I would like to publicly invite bassist Phil Brown to continue the FourOnSix legacy with a new duo album and maybe a few gigs to back it up! (still on my list for 2009!)

Last, but certainly not least: Eugene Vinyard, yes Eugene Vinyard! This man is a heavy hitter on the tenor saxophone. Gene, I’d love to record with you as well… on my wish to-do list for 2009.

One more thing: stimulate the economy, hire musicians!

Thanks: to Nick Calabrese and Bruce Gibson of WRRG’s Local Jazz Focus for the lengthy interview and airing of several cuts from Parts Unknown on July 1, 2008. Check out their show every Tuesday from 7:00-9:00 p.m. @ 88.9 FM or at myspace.com/wrrg