Mark Dziuba – guitar
Joel Harrison – guitar
Rich Syracuse – bass
Jeff Siegel – drums
The Magnatone Brothers is a two guitar ensemble led by Joel Harrison and Mark Dziuba. The two like -minded guitarists bonded over the fact that they both own rare and eccentric 1950s guitars made by the Magnatone company. They resolved to do a show where both guitars would speak to each other. Both Joel and Mark are improvisors with an open minded aesthetic which includes all kinds of American Music. Both are composers so expect a mix of originals, jazz tunes, groove- based material, and in general a lot of fine interplay and good fun. The two are joined by illustrious colleagues— Rich Syracuse on bass and Jeff Siegel on drums.
Guitarist, composer, arranger, lyricist, writer, educator, and vocalist Joel Harrison has “created a new blueprint for jazz” (New Orleans Times-Picayune). A Guggenheim Fellow (2010) whose compositions have been commissioned by Chamber Music America, Meet the Composer, New Music USA, the Jerome Foundation, NYSCA, and the Mary Flagler Cary Trust., he has released 25 CDs as a leader on seven different labels. Harrison’s music may be founded on jazz but veers into classical, rock, country, and all manner of American roots music. Succinctly described by the New York Times as “protean… brilliant.”
Harrison is the founder and director of the Alternative Guitar Summit, a yearly festival devoted to new and unusual guitar music. Pat Metheny has called the Summit “one of the most interesting and distinguished forums for guitar on the planet. Harrison is the author of “Guitar Talk: conversations with visionary players” as well as “Modern Jazz Standards for Guitar.”
