Jim Wright
Jim Wright: After growing up in and exhausting the possibilities of being a guitarist Columbus Ohio, Jim moved to Denver Colorado to study under Dr. William Fowler (brilliant musician and father of the famed Fowler Brothers, long time Zappa alumnus and many other artists studio work fame) at the University of Colorado. It was during this time in 1977 when Jim was inspired by the Chapman Stick, a guitar/ bass hybrid tapping style instrument that he heard during a demonstration of this new invention. He soon became an owner and player of this unusual instrument forming his own power jazz trio called Intuition. The group gained popularity in Colorado jazz communities. Jim moved to Southern CA in 1989 and since then has continued to work with his own jazz groups as well as a sideman in numerous rock, jazz and blues groups. Jim is a fine producer and studio musician and well as having excellent engineering skills.
     In 1996 Jim began playing the Warr Guitar, a remarkable new tapping instrument, built by the Topanga Canyon fire Captain, Mark Warr. The Warr Guitar brings all of the latest music technology to the tapping-guitar world and allows Jim to play guitar, bass, and synthesizer all at the same time. Because of the extensive thought that went into how to get the best tone from the wood, string and pickup, the sound of this carefully constructed instrument is exquisite.
     Jim is very proud to feature the Warr Guitar on his upcoming release, Jazz Heretics. This disc features all original music with some of L.A.’s finest rock and jazz musicians contributing to these interesting and compelling jazz instrumentals.

About Jim Wright from Wade:
     “What is that thing?” is the question of the day when you’re playing with Jim. I love the look of fascination and wonderment on peoples faces when they see this weird guitar/ bass kind of thing this man plays so effortlessly.
     Jim is a knowledgeable jazz musician, essentially a guy who went to school, who took the time to read the Real Book and delve into diverse and unusual styles of music that most of the populous would shun. Jim is also an engineer’s engineer in just about any studio environment. Any question I have about my home studio, Jim has an answer and explanation in well thought out and complete sentences. He usually knows what I’m talking about before I finish my own sentence. Jim’s a bright fellah. He knows a lot about a lot of stuff. He’s very politically aware. He’s very well read. He’s a pretty good singer. And he’s always very, very funny. Although we don't play together much of  late, we've done a lot of studio projects together. He always did sound for us at live Vivo Presto Swing gigs, and he's the first guy I call when I need a skilled sound guy. He recorded and mixed everything on the Vivo Presto Swing Live CD. I enjoy the time I get to spend with Jim, especially hiking through the Angeles Forest, which is where he makes his home these days. What can I say, he's one of my dearest friends in the world.
      

Jazz Heretics, by Jim Wright
Available on cassette or CD through Jim's web site at http://home.earthlink.net/~mrjwright, or you can order either a tape or CD through my web sites order page. Just type in Heretics in the number of CD's box or number of tapes box.