Steven Kirby/Illuminations

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You Tube: Illuminations, Over the Rainbow

Steven Kirby Bio

“Illuminations” Press Release

Publicity: Mountain Times, The Sun Journal, Central Maine, Concert Announcement, Cadence/Papatamus, Modern Jazz (Greece), Wellesley College, Republic of Jazz, Downbeat (April), DownBeat January Editor’s Pick (online), Midwest Book Review, AllAboutJazz, Jazz.com,

Radio promo by New World n Jazz, KCRW

Promo Photos: #1, #2, #3Trio

CDs:

YouTube: Illuminations

YouTube: Over The Rainbow

Mixed Media Client since: 2016

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Steven Kirby Quintet
Tuesday, Jan 10th
7:30pm to 10:30pm
Sahara Jazz Club
Address: 34 Bates St, Methuen, MA 01844
Phone: (978) 683-9200

Steven Kirby (guitar) Aubrey Johnson (voice) Bass (TBA)
Saturday, Dec 10th, 2016
10am to 2:30pm
Beehive
541 Tremont st
Boston, MA

Steven Kirby is Associate Professor, Harmony Dept, Berklee College of Music

Click here to read the full article!

Live At Wamsutta Club

Tickets: $20 Advance, $25 Day of Show

Tickets Available From: YWCA, 20 So. Sixth St., NB/(508)999-3255

Whaling City Sound (508)992-6613

Wamsutta Club (508)997-7431

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Friday October 28th 8-10pm

at the Wamsutta Club, 427 County Street New Bedford

Steven Kirby – Guitar

With:

Aubrey Johnson – Vocals

Rick DiMusio – Sax

John Funkhouser – Keyboards

Ed Lucie – Bass

Mike Connors – Drums

Reviews:

“deep beauty and spare, folkloric elegance but also an album that doesn’t lose sight of Kirby’s jazz roots and a penchant for more incendiary playing”

“Kirby expands his palette with a larger group who collectively lift these deep yet eminently accessible compositions off the page to leap out of the speakers.”

“Illuminations represents Kirby’s biggest leap forward yet -…. as a writer but, equally, as a guitarist who leans towards inimitable lyricism yet also possesses the chops to burn brightly as the music demands it”

John Kelman (All About Jazz)

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Illuminations

Steven Kirby’s “Illuminations” Project has been described as “richly textured, multi-layered, ebullient and lyrical jazz featuring evocative and exciting compositions and stellar musicianship”. It features a mix of original compositions, and some creative arrangements of standard tunes, using varied ensembles but primarily a quintet of instrumentalists and a singer performing both wordless and lyrical vocals.

STEVEN KIRBY

“Illuminations represents Kirby’s biggest leap forward yet – most specifically as a writer but, equally, as a guitarist who leans towards inimitable lyricism yet also possesses the chops to burn brightly as the music demands it.”

ALL ABOUT JAZZ

“Steven Kirby, a guitarist of rippling technique and a poetic mind, has developed a modern jazz guitar style that bridges the angular lyricism of Pat Metheny and the painterly asceticism of Jim Hall.”

Brian Zimmerman, Editor’s Pick, DOWNBEAT Jan 2017

“Illuminations—guitarist Steven Kirby’s third album,—is both true to previous form and highly expansive. Kirby uses elements of the sonic palette(s) that helped to color his earlier work, referencing the probing lyricism of John Abercrombie and the straight-to-the-heart melodic qualities shot through in classic recordings from Pat Metheny with Lyle Mays, but he doesn’t simply extend on what’s come before. In the thirteen years since Kirby’s last album, he’s refined and expanded his own style(s) of performance and composition, living up to the idea of jazz as an art built on growth and renewal…..gorgeous…an extraordinarily pleasing and diverse album.”
Dan Bilawski, 4 stars…ALL ABOUT JAZZ , 2016

“This (Illuminations) is a stunningly gorgeous album!…put me into a trance. Had to get it on the air, will continue to do so!”

Bradley Stone JAZZSOULAND

“A glistening, beautiful, emotionally moving, and well performed album.”
AMAZON

“Steven Kirby, a guitarist of exemplary technique and thorough compositional skills…Illuminations is Kirby’s best work so far and lives up to the hype” JAZZ
TRAIL

“NORTH LIGHT” FEAT. CHRIS POTTER

by Steven Kirby

About North Light. “His prodigious chops and unerring sense of swing are on full display throughout this offering. But it’s his radiant melodies, inherent lyricism and big heart that ultimately elevates Kirby above the hoards of chopmeisters and ax slingers out there today”

Bill Milkowski (Jazz Times)

“It Takes Two” provides perfect music for any occasion. Guitarist Steven Kirby and bassist Mark Poniatowski (both Berklee College of Music professors and seasoned performers) have a wide and varied repertoire which allows them to provide just the right music for any event while customizing their selections to each client’s taste and requirements. Styles include Pop, Rock, Jazz, American songbook, Broadway, Celtic, Brazilian, Classical.

The beautiful and varied sound texture of acoustic nylon string guitar and acoustic upright bass is perfect for a wide range of events: enchanting background music; atmospheric sound underpinnings, lively upbeat music at social events, holiday parties, cocktail hours; stately and joyous music for weddings, etc. (please listen to the sound samples)

“Kirby plays and writes from inside the music, putting melody and feeling first.” – 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

“ …beaucoup chops…creative music….beautiful and always well played…personal expression that transcends mere imitation” – Jim Ferguson (Jazz Times)

“Kirby doesn’t just play the notes, he plays the sound ”. — Jazz Hot Magazine

“Compositional depth and brilliant playing” –David Miles (Worcester Magazine)

“….Kirby’s solos unfold with a naturalness unusual on any instrument, but especially guitar.” – James Issacs (Downbeat & MSN Sidewalk Boston)

“Beautiful!” – Mike Stern (world renowned guitarist with Miles Davis and other luminaries)

“With “North Light” Kirby makes another leap in his progress as a player and a composer. His prodigious chops and unerring sense of swing are on full display throughout this second offering . But it’s his radiant melodies, inherent lyricism and big heart that ultimately elevates Kirby above the hoards of chopmeisters and ax slingers out there today”- Bill Mildowski (Jazziz, Jazz Times, Guitar Player”)

Show Dates:

10.27 Riverwalk Cafe, Nashua, NH

10.28 Wamsutta Club, New Bedford, MA