Today we’d like to introduce you to Larry Koonse.
Larry, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in a musical family. My father was a jazz guitarist that worked with quite a few well-known artists ….. George Shearing, Chico Hamilton, and Harry James to name a few. At the age of seven, he took me to hear the legendary Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia. I was totally captivated and spellbound by the range of his artistry. To hear this master come out onto the stage with a guitar in hand and witness a performance that told stories that few entire orchestras could convey in the same way ….. now that’s magic. With no microphone he filled the entire Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with this rich sound. I got to meet him afterward and that started me on the path. I wanted to experience what it was to be so at one with the guitar. My father took me to a local teacher (the great flamenco guitarist Don Amore) for lessons and that put me on the path. When I went into the 7th grade, I had the good fortune of going to Eagle Rock High School. A legendary teacher there named John Rinaldo had created one of the greatest jazz programs that existed anywhere in the country. So many great musicians came out of that program. That is where I got the jazz bug.
With a small handful of my peers, I started to explore the intricacies of harmony and melodic improvisation. So many other studies came out of that beginning …. developing a deep sense of groove/time feel ……. communication on the bandstand ….. how to use silence, etc. After graduating, I entered USC which lead me on the path of revisiting and strengthening my classical background with the great guitarist Jim Smith and being exposed to the music of the jazz world outside of my narrow perspective with an amazing teacher named Paul La Rose. I met Cleo Laine when she came with John Dankworth to participate in a concert with the USC big band. John thought enough of my playing to invite me to join the band and that became my first serious professional road gig. It was at that point that I also met David Roitstein who was the head of the jazz program at CalArts and I joined the faculty at that school. David was the most adept teacher, player, and administrator I had ever met. No ego, always about the students, and with a constant connection to the joy at the center of it all. I have now been there for over 25 years, have continued to travel around the world playing with various artists, have appeared on over 300 records, have been nominated for a grammy on five different occasions, and continue to record and play locally.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been smooth sailing. I got married at a relatively young age and later on had two daughters (Rachel and Sarah)… My wife Bobbi was an extremely committed mother and we decided that it was best for her to be a stay at home mother. So …. paying the bills was the tricky part. Fortunately, teaching has always given me a steady income with the ebb and flow of freelance work. CalArts has always been extremely flexible and supportive of my trips to perform abroad. In the last 20 years, the fees for my performances are much better than the days when I would play for a meal or for a few beers. Lots of shuffling money here and there with home equity loans, etc.
The other aspect of struggle for me was to develop a consistent connection with the instrument. When I first graduated from college (and actually well into my earlier years of teaching at CalArts) it became immediately apparent that I suffered from the kind of crippling self-criticism that got in the way of my art-making. I knew that I had to get a handle on this or I would have to quit ….. because it made me too miserable beating myself up all the time. Eventually, I found healthier ways to look at myself that helped me to move forward in the right way without all the emotional baggage and heaviness.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am a first and foremost an improvising guitarist. I have always loved the feeling of not knowing what is going to happen next. That excitement has not dissipated from my earliest attempts in the art of instrumental improvisation. I think I have a distinct sound and approach to improvisation that is recognizable. I only say this because a lot of people say they can identify that it’s me on the radio, or on a recording, after listening to a few notes. I have also made a huge study of harmony (thank you Bach) and that deep analysis of voice-leading has allowed me to go to some places on the instrument that might be unique for a jazz guitarist.
The highlights of my career are recording and performing with Charlie Haden at Disney Hall. Recording and touring with singers Luciana Souza, Sinne Eeg, Karrin Allyson, Sara Gazarek, and Tierney Sutton. Playing with grammy-nominated pianist and composer Billy Childs. Performing with the Los Angeles Jazz Quartet comprised of Darek Oles, Chuck Manning, and Jason Harnell. Recording and touring with the unbelievably talented Seth MacFarlane.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I truly love what I do and I believe that this feeling is reflected in my playing. I am also open to other perspectives and willing to be a student when playing with younger musicians that often have a better handle on certain aspects of improvisation, time feel, etc. Love to be pushed in directions that are sometimes uncomfortable because now I realize that its an opportunity for growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: eliteguitarist.com
Image Credit:
Yinka Oyelese, Bob Barry
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