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AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR SUMMIT FOR BRUNCH, FEATURING 3 STRONG GUITARISTS FROM THE MIDWEST, HOSTED BY ELGIN FOSTER.
ELGIN FOSTER:
Over the years, Elgin has performed in local coffee houses; restaurants; Mall of America, Minneapolis - Saint Paul Airport, wine tastings; Bed and Breakfasts; weddings; house concerts; church services and open-mic nights with the Minnesota Guitar Society. Elgin also was awarded a certificate of special congressional recognition from congressman John Kline for his service to the community through benefit concerts to help the homeless, cancer victims and programs for single moms. Elgin has shared the stage with some of the artists who continue to inspire him including: Dean Magraw, Dan Schwartz, Ben Woolman, Dylan Mckinstry, Dan Neale, Tim Sparks, Greg Herriges, Steve Lehto and John Wright.
Mike Salovich:
Mike Salovich performs eclectic uptempo 12-string and 6-string electro-acoustic guitar music. His guitar virtuosity typically mixes world rhythms, simple melodies and turbo fingerpicking. Think Leo Kottke rifting world music.
Mike Salovich is known for a series of eye candy YouTube videos that capture dazzling images of wildly vibrating guitar strings. An initial video became a mini-viral hit and landed in YouTube’s Top 100 Music Videos, besting Lady Gaga for a day. International YouTube specter propelled Mike Salovich’s debut album, The Return Message, to rank in Amazon’s Top 100 World Music, as well as invitations to perform around the world. The Return Message album features ECM recording artist Marcus Wise as well as Marc Anderson.
Mike Salovich recently performed at the International Healdsburgh Guitar Festival and dueled with guitar notable Alex DeGrassi. Mike is currently recording a latin jazz album.
Mike Salovich’s guitar technique is rooted in American Primitivism, known for animated fingerpicking on steel strings to create layers of notes towards folk impressionism. His music is difficult to categorize and veers towards the World genre when it beats Latin, African and East Indian rhythms. Mike Salovich’s influences include Leo Kottke, Peter Lang, John Fahey along with spaciness from The Edge, Brian Eno and spicy Latin rhythms of Celia Cruz, Aterciopelados.
Jerry Kosak:
living in Saint Paul, MN. His musical journey began over 35 years ago and continues to flourish, with the release of his third recording of original music for solo guitar, Yossarian’s Dream. With this new recording, Jerry has incorporated every new stylistic turn presented along the way into his playing and composing. The scope of Jerry’s playing and composing covers roots and blues Americana to modern progressive rhythmic drumming, grooving bass lines, and thoughtfully disjointed melodies, all performed by one guitarist on one guitar. His passion of listening, studying, and performing continues to produce “a great reflection of many different styles” according to Kevin Barnes of KBEM Jazz 88.
As a performer, Jerry is equally comfortable with an acoustic, nylon string, electric, or resonator in his hands. In addition to his performing as an acoustic guitar soloist, his projects have included Are You Experienced? (Jimi Hendrix 40th Anniversary Tribute), The String Trio (string band and early blues), as well as his current trio, Blues Contraption (funky slide guitar, bass, and cajon).
Having received a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance and a Master of Music in Musicology/Guitar Performance, Jerry is also right at home teaching guitar or music history at the college/university level. From 2007 through 2010, Jerry served as Head of the Guitar Department at McNally Smith College of Music.
What sets Jerry apart is his versatility. Because he regularly performs, composes, and teaches in all styles – roots and blues, rock, classical, and jazz – he has developed the authentic musical vocabulary of each. Dedication to and study of the wider continuum of music has enabled him to develop his own unique voice as a player and composer.
Jerry has won awards for his original music (Zeitgeist Composition Award and Jerome Foundation Grant), and has recorded three CDs of original music for solo guitar; Many Dances, Sounds Like This and Yossarian’s Dream. In addition, Jerry collaborated with internationally renown DJ/Producer Freddy Fresh on his album Play The Music.