Artist description Jazz guitarist & composer

Music Style Jazz and other styles

Musical Influences Jim Hall, Bill Evans, Gerry Mulligan, Cannonball Adderly, John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, Joshua Breakstone, Frank Zappa, Emily Remler, Pat Martino, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Johnny Winter, Steve Lukather, Pat Metheny, Jesse Van Ruller-and many others!

Similar Artists Jim Hall, Joe Pass, Joshua Breakstone, Wes Montgomery

Artist History b.August 10, 1954. Took up guitar Summer of '66, bass the following Winter. Earliest band experience as bassist with various 'garage' bands. First jazz experience, also as bassist, age 14 with the Bob Graham Quartet(tenor sax/clarinet,piano bass & drums).Switched to guitar as main instrument in High School, guitarist for various rock bands.Attended Berklee College of Music(fall '74)and studied composition privately during that same year. Graduated in '80 from Peabody Conservatory of Music, Baltimore MD with Bachelor's in music comp. Won 2 awards for composition while there: 2nd Prize(for String Trio), Phi mu sinfonia Composition Contest, Sam Houston State Univ Huntsville TX 1976; 1st place(for "Polite Music"),Phi mu alpha Composition Contest, Peabody Conservatory, 1977. Also won an Honorable Mention on guitar(hey it's something!) playing in Lincolnland Comm College's jazz combo at the Governors' State Univ. Jazz band competition in 1981. Was "Artist-in-Residence" for Sangamon State Univ's Blues-in-the-Schools Program during 1980-81. Instructor in Guitar, Lincoln College, Lincoln IL in 1984. Played with Gina, Dean and Scoundrel from '84-86, a 'Showband' playing Hotels and Casinos throughout the U.S., in Canada and Mexico. Performed at the Ashikaga Jazz Festival, Ashikaga Japan, in 1995. In recent years, have been active with my own group-The Sam Crain Quartet(or Trio)-and with recording. I have 4 CD's out at present, and have 15 mp3 CD's. Currently(07/03)playing with Bob Katt and the Missing Lynx, and developing some new things via home recording, the results(more salvageable results anyway)being posted here on my site. I've just acquired a classical electric(i.e. classical guitar w/ eq & pickup)which is making its way onto my gigs and my recordings.

Group Members SAM CRAIN- guitar;GG PELLETIER, tenor saxophone, vocals;KEVIN ELLIS, bass; DON COCHRAN, drums. In the Sam Crain Quartet(2): KEVIN HART or MICHAEL STRYKER, piano. I also have an occasional working trio with ANDY BURTSCHI, bass, and CRAIG RUSSO,drums.

Instruments Main guitar: Bill Cook archtop(similar in design to Gibson Super 400); other guitars: Ibanez SE Series(Strat design w/ 3 double coil pickups & 5-way toggle switch; Takamine GK-200, Ibanez Artist Model, Applause beanbag-body acoustic,(new-7/03)Ibanez classical electric; Peavey DPM Synthesizer(also used a lot on new recordings), Yamaha RX-15 Drum Machine.

Albums ON mp3: 1. Vintage Sam 2.Son of Vintage Sam 3.Lester Sleeps In 4.Big Bang 5.music of sam crain 6.Oz; 7.Roadsongs ;8. 1,2 & 3 Guitars!; 9.Sonic Moods 10. Jammin' with Sam. 11. Home Cookin. 12: Jazz Guitar.13: Toasty Relief and other selections.14: The Dance of Life. 15: Songs for Girls . On CD BABY:Rose of Loami and other Selections; Swing into Spring; The Sam Crain Trio;Oop Bop Sh'Bang

Press Reviews "on solo after solo, Crain sets out into uncharted waters with the boldness and finesse of a master."-Dennis Darling . Illinois Times, Springfield IL , June 22, 1995 "Crain's solo guitar work...is versatile, lyrical and fluid."-William Furry, Illinois Times, January 23,1997 "Assured, relaxed and possessing fingers that seem to know no limit in speed or precision on the fretboard, Crain is a joy to watch and hear.." Matthew Dietrich, from article "Guitar Man", the State Journal-Register, Springfield, IL, June 24, 1999; "Not for the faint of heart, but if you can take it, this is a really great classical electronic track:well-structured, nicely paced adn inventive sounds. I liked this one a lot!"-review of composition "Godzilla", the New Classical 3 Station on mp3, 11/2001

Location Springfield, Illinois - USA

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