About Jimmy
- Guitarist : Jimmy Mac -Age : who cares?Influences : Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix & Prince and 70’s Funk-Main Guitars : Sadowsky Tele, Classic Telecaster – and a Host of Gibson Les Pauls as well as Gibson- SGs.Amps : Fenders, Vibroverb (Caesar Diaz customized) Hot Rod Deluxe , Champ. PODxt-Live, Mesa Boogie
also assorted classic Pedals like Ibanez Tube Screamers, Fulltone Wah, Digitech gadgets and a Boss GS-10-Location : San Francisco,CA-Background :
For a short period of time I was the Guitarist for the group that became Twisted Sister. You heard me right but i left to pursue my music education. And since then my Guitar has been a vehicle for Composition. My formal training was at William Patterson College. I majored in Classical Guitar/Violin and also studied Theory and Composition with Dr.Jeff Kresky I have studied with Mario Escudero,Leonid Bolotine, and Bob DeVos. Focusing on the various languages of the instrument and letting each whether it be Classical or Bop, inspire me to improvise within that idiom. But there's a twist i am also a violinist and have worked as a soloist and session man in the forms mentioned above.I kept busy. I even backed off guitar for awhile.But that didn't last long.
For a period of time i could be heard playing swing fiddle in one setting and Hendrix in another, as well as teaching Theory and Guitar at AIG in NYC. My compositions were used in commercial settings for companies such as Tommy Hilfiger I guess its diversification. My rap-sheet includes reviews in Jazz Times and Cadence with the group Three Point Play. I was featured in Guitar for the Practicing Musician in 1990 I had the good fortune to appear on records with artists Mike Stern, Dave LaRue , Kim Stone and Scott Kreitzer. My guitar/violin work can be heard on CDs by Winter Hours, Three Point Play and Positive ID This recent project "Just a Kid Havin' Fun" was not one of design but one of curiosity which lead to necessity. I wanted to break away from Jazz based projects and return to the heart of my guitar interests Rock with a nod to Funk and Blues. Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and Prince as well as Sly Stone have always been in my playlist whether listening or performing. So, i kept it simple. I once had the privilege of spending some time with Producer/Drummer Narada Michael Walden in an informal setting and he told me "Chord Changes are cool but the GROOVE is where its at". I tried to be as creative as possible without being pretentious.
Recently i released my new CD - Life is Good - a collection of great new melodies and old school grooves. Featuring guest soloists : Damien Masterson and Bob Mocarsky. The attitude for this record was Gratittude. Corny as it may seem i can't think of a better reason to perform and record music these days - it certainly ain't the Money.
Goal achieved.Contact :
[email protected] &
[email protected] Mac
