George Van Eps
| George Van Eps | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 7, 1913 Plainfield, New Jersey United States |
| Died |
November 29, 1998 (aged 85) Newport Beach, California United States |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Associated acts | |
| Notable instruments | |
| Seven-string guitar | |
George Van Eps (August 7, 1913 – November 29, 1998) (often called "the Father of the Seven String Guitar") was an American swing and mainstream jazz guitarist.
Biography
Noted for his recordings as a leader, and his work as a session musician, Van Eps was also the author of instructional books that explored his approach to guitar-based harmony. He was well known as a pioneer of the seven-string guitar (including a Gretsch signature model released in 1968), which allowed him to incorporate sophisticated bass lines into his improvisation. He was a strong influence on later seven-string players such as Howard Alden (with whom he recorded four CDs for Concord Records in the early 1990s), Bucky Pizzarelli, and John Pizzarelli (Bucky's son). His father was the legendary classic banjo player Fred Van Eps.[1]
Van Eps died of pneumonia in Newport Beach, California at the age of 85.[2]
Bibliography
- Van Eps, George (1939). Method for Guitar. Epiphone. ASIN B004IHGA1Y.
- Van Eps, George (1993). Guitar Solos. Mel Bay Publications. ASIN B0013GHRKG.
- Van Eps, George (1980). Harmonic Mechanisms for Guitar, Volume One. Mel Bay Publications. ISBN 978-0871669063.
- Van Eps, George (1981). Harmonic Mechanisms for Guitar, Volume Two. Mel Bay Publications. ISBN 978-0786609246.
- Van Eps, George (1982). Harmonic Mechanisms for Guitar, Volume Three. Mel Bay Publications. ISBN 978-1562223663.
References
- ↑ Ginell, Richard S. "George Van Eps Biography". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ↑ Watrous, Peter (7 December 1998). "George Van Eps, 85, Musician Who Popularized 7-String Guitar". The New York Times.
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