HELLO FRIENDS!
You are warmly invited to our long-awaited premiere concert of the season. It is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the musical reunion of three highly accomplished professional guitarists who are not only favorites of the Connecticut Guitar Society, but New England area audiences at large. The aptly named Tipsy Gypsies base their repertoire on a style influenced by Django Rinehart, known as, “gypsy jazz.” However, that is only the beginning, as the trio masterfully fuses their well-crafted approaches to create a sound that is truly unique. Nylon string, steel string and electric guitars encompass the major categories of the instrument found around the globe. But the Tipsy Gypsies combine the tonal qualities and techniques inherent in all three! Please join us in-person, as they create one of a kind guitar magic.
DAVE GIARDINA
Award-winning jazz guitarist and bandleader Dave Giardina received his Bachelor's Degree from St. Anselm College before continuing studies at the Longy School of Music, as well as with Sal Salvador, Bob Kobus and others. His talents as a highly versatile guitarist, educator and sought-after performer are well known, along with his two other bands, Fiesta del Norte and Goza. Dave Giardina has performed extensively throughout the Northeast at major festivals, bandshells, First Nights, schools, clubs and casinos as a soloist and with ensembles. His compositions are featured on two releases by the CT Guitar Society of which he is a founding member and the artistic director.
RICH GOLDSTEIN
Hartford based guitarist Rich Goldstein is known for his grooving hard bop style with a modern tinge. He attended the Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz and completed his Master in Jazz Studies at Purchase College in New York. He has appeared with a wide range of musicians at major jazz venues and festivals and played on notable recordings, including his own cds, “Comin’ from Montgomery,” and “Effervescent.” Rich Goldstein is professor of jazz guitar at the Hartt School of Music, Central, and Southern CT State Universities. In addition to lectures and master classes, he co-leads a quartet with pianist Andy LaVerne.
FRANK VARELA
Frank Varela ignites the interest of every listener. He attended Berklee School of Music and has been an influential music instructor, as well as lecturer throughout his career as a performer. His imaginative compositions, arrangements of standards and numerous recording engagements have brought years of recognition, including favorable reviews in nationally renowned publications such as "Jazz Improv" magazine. Larry Coryell compared Frank Varela's playing to Jeff Beck and Grant Green in the liner notes of a recording featuring both of them playing on, "Angelina Park," an original tune by Frank Varela.
