Sean McGowan presents the music of guitarist Wes Montgomery

Sean McGowan is a fingerstyle jazz guitarist who combines many diverse musical influences with unconventional techniques to create a broad palette of textures within his compositions and arrangements for solo guitar. His first recording River Coffee won the Best Independent Release of the Year Award (2002) from Acoustic Guitar magazine. As a soloist, Sean has performed at several festivals including the Novi Sad International Jazz Festival in Serbia, the Healdsburg Guitar Festival in Napa Valley, Copper Mountain Guitar Town, the La Conner Guitar Festival, and many more. Sean is an avid arts educator and currently serves as Professor of Music and Chair of the Music & Entertainment Industry Studies department at the University of Colorado Denver, one of the largest contemporary music programs in the country.

The history of jazz guitar and even jazz in general would not be the same if Wes Montgomery never picked up the instrument. A self-taught artist, Montgomery’s style was full of innovative and unique techniques that quickly set him apart from his contemporaries, even though he didn’t start playing the guitar until 19. After spending his early years imitating Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt, his early idols, Wes went on to innovate the language of jazz guitar. Through incorporating melodic chord substitutions, fluent single note lines, and his signature use of octaves, Wes created an incredibly unique and recognizable sound that established him as the next step in the lineage of jazz guitar. Wes Montgomery’s influence can be heard in many jazz guitarists to this day. His joyful and welcoming style will undoubtedly be celebrated for years to come.

A light taco bar buffet will be available at intermission for those who purchase specific dinner and show tickets.