About Me
Jazz guitarist and composer Steven Kirby has built a reputation for performing exciting, melodic, lyrical and expressive mainstream and contemporary jazz. He has performed and/or recorded with Chris Potter, Joe Lovano, George Garzone, Scott Colley, Bruce Barth, Harvie Swartz, Joe Hunt, Steve Hunt, Bevan Manson, George Schuller, Laszlo Gardony, Mark Shilansky, Phil Grenadier, Bruce Gertz , Matt Malley ( of the rock band Counting Crows) , and many others. He has toured throughout the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and Europe including appearances at Boston Globe Jazz Festival and festivals in Europe
In 1998 Steven Kirby's jazz CD "Point Of Balance" was released internationally on the European based Challenge/ A-Records label to much critical praise. His CD "North Light" was released in Feb of 2003 also on Challenge. It features Kirby along with many fine musicians including some particularly well-known jazz artists like Chris Potter, Bruce Barth, Scott Colley and Matt Wilson performing 8 new original compositions and 2 unique arrangements of jazz standards.
Press coverage of Steven Kirby's music have appeared in many notable publications including Jazz Times, Guitar Player, Jazz Improv Magazine, Jazz Now, Just Jazz Guitar, 20th Century Guitar, Boston Globe and many others
Kirby's music has been featured nationwide on over 100 jazz radio stations in US and Canada and Europe.
He has won awards in Billboard Song Competition (Jazz) and International Song Competition (Jazz).
Kirby is now an Assistant Professor in the Harmony Dept. at Berklee College of Music in Boston and has taught at other colleges and universities including Brandeis, Umass (Dartmouth) and UMass (Amherst). He also teaches guitar performance, ear training and theory at his home studio in Concord, MA.Review Excerpts:
"From hard-hitting boppish opener to the heartfelt, poignant closer, Kirby cuts a wide swath of guitaristic expression on his sophomore outing….. With North Light , Kirby makes another leap in his progress as both player and composer. His prodigious chops and unerring sense of swing are on full display throughout this solid second offering. But it's his radiant melodies, inherent lyricism and big heart that ultimately elevates Kirby above the hordes of chopsmeisters and ax slingers out there today". -- Bill Milkowski (Jazz Times and Jazziz)"Kirby plays and writes from inside the music, putting melody and feeling first." – Bob Blumenthal (Boston Globe)" Meticulously played, elegantly produced post-bop jazz….Kirby has a serious command of the guitar" (New England Performer)" Kirby has an intense, darkly melodic sound that's very much his own" (All About Jazz)I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4
