Bob DeVos | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Robert W. DeVos |
| Born | 1946 (age 74–75) Paterson, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, educator |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Labels | Savant |
| Website | bobdevosjazzguitar |
Bob DeVos (born 1946) is an American jazz guitarist.[1]
Career
His style combines blues, rhythm and blues, and jazz.[2] "I wanted to play like B.B. King and Chuck Berry", DeVos said.[3] At twelve, he began playing guitar, trying to figure out solos from his brother's R&B records. He took lessons from Joe Cinderella.[3] In high school he became interested in jazz after hearing albums by organist Jimmy Smith with guitarist Kenny Burrell and the album The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery.[3] After graduating, he went on tour with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and took lessons from Harry Leahey and Dennis Sandole.[3][2] In 1969 he got a job with Trudy Pitts[2] after it was vacated by Pat Martino.[3] Beginning in the late 1970s, he was a member of bands led by Gerry Niewood, Teo Macero, Jimmy McGriff, and Charles Earland. Earland produced his first album for Savant.[3] He has also worked with Harry Allen, Freddy Cole, Junior Cook, Joey DeFrancesco, Kenny Drew Jr., Etta Jones, David "Fathead" Newman, Greg Osby, Houston Person, Irene Reid, Lonnie Smith, Dave Stryker, and Stanley Turrentine,[3] Gene Ludwig, and Ron McClure.[2]
Discography
As leader
- Breaking the Ice (Savant, 1999)
- DeVos' Groove Guitar! (Blues Leaf, 2003)
- Shifting Sands (Savant, 2006)
- Playing for Keeps (Savant, 2007)
- Shadow Box (American Showplace Music, 2013)[4]
- Six String Solos (American Showplace, 2016)[5]
As sideman
- Charles Earland, Charles Earland Live (Cannonball, 1999)
- Onaje Allan Gumbs , Sack Full of Dreams (18th & Vine, 2007)
- Richard "Groove" Holmes, Good Vibrations (Muse, 1980)
- Gene Ludwig, The Groove ORGANization (Blues Leaf, 2002)
- Gene Ludwig, Duff's Blues (18th & Vine, 2008)
- Teo Macero, Impressions of Charles Mingus (Palo Alto, 1983)
- Ron McClure, Match Point (SteepleChase, 2002)
- Ron McClure, Age of Peace (SteepleChase, 2003)
- Irene Reid, I Ain't Doing Too Bad (Savant, 1999)
- Akiko Tsuruga, Sakura (American Showplace, 2011)
References
- ^ Bowers, Jack (2008-01-02). "CD/LP Review: Playing for Keeps". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
- ^ a b c d Skelly, Richard. "Bob DeVos | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Yanow, Scott (2013). The Great Jazz Guitarists. San Francisco: Backbeat. pp. 56–57. ISBN 978-1-61713-023-6.
- ^ Orthmann, David (13 November 2013). "Shadow Box". All About Jazz. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- ^ Orthmann, David (8 February 2016). "Six String Solos". All About Jazz. Retrieved 11 March 2019.