Guy Strazz Biography
Guy Strazz is an Australian master guitarist and composer based on the Central Coast north of Sydney. His guitar playing and compositions are rooted in a deep, long-standing relationship with jazz, Afro-Brazilian, Western classical, and Indian classical music. He holds a PhD in improvisation and composition, and an MA (Hons) by research on Intercultural composition and improvisation.
Research
Guy was awarded the Australia Council Music Fellowship (2001-2003) to compose, perform, and research music across America, Europe, and India. This period of study led him to study with the late great Pat Martino in Philadelphia, record with Mike Stern in New York, and produce Calcutta Express (Underscore Records) with santoor player Sandip Chatterjee. Guy is the author of "Jazz Guitar Mastery -fretboard revolutions" (2021, Creative Guitar Publications).
Collaboration Highlights
Guy has worked with such artists as Matt McMahon, Don Burrows, Roger Frampton, Casey Bennetto, Bruce Cale, Sandy Evans, Dale Barlow, Greg Shehan, Pt. Ashok Roy, Sandip Chatterjee, and Pt. Ram Chandra Suman He has crossed paths and played/studied with international guitarists such as Martin Taylor, Mike Stern, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Slava Grigoryan, Mark Johns, Ben Hauptman, George Golla, Jess Green, Aaron Flower, Tommy Emmanuel, and the late jazz legend Pat Martino.
Acknowledgements - Winner of an Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA) Jazz Award; nominations for AIR and multiple APRA awards. USA Indie Acoustic Project Nomination for Best Asia Global Beat Album.
Global Stages - Featured at Jazz Yatra (India), Jakarta Jazz, the Sydney Opera House, Clusone Jazz (Italy), The Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Japan Expo, and the Adelaide International Guitar Festival - Global Guitar.
Current Projects - Guy is part of several innovative ensembles, including 2@1, the guitar quartet The Fret Benders, and the jazz quartet StratoFibre.
Press
"Guy has a voice on the acoustic guitar"
- Ira Gitler, Downbeat
"One of my favourite Indo-jazz guitarists"
-Niranjan Jhaveri - Downbeat/Jazz India
"Guy, it was truly my pleasure. I look forward to meeting again, and again!"
-Pat Martino - The Nature of the Guitar
Teaching - Guy Strazz PhD
He currently teaches composition at Avondale University, and he was head of guitar at the Central Coast Conservatorium of Music for 15 years. He has taught at the University of NSW, Macquarie University, NAISDA, and Sydney Conservatorium of Music, credentials that underpin his extensive research and performance career.