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The second concert in this year's "Jazz Up" series will be a collaboration between two star guitarists from the United States and Japan, Larry Carlton and Tak Matsumoto, following the Hong Kong debut of the legendary Duke Ellington Orchestra.
Larry Carlton started learning to play the guitar when he was six. Taking an interest in jazz while at high school, his style was influenced by many renowned guitarists. His creative blend of jazz and rock makes him a unique and talented artist. He is appreciated by jazz fans for his subtle, velvety style, and also by jazz and blues guitarists for his tight phrasing and impressive technique.
Three times winner among 18 Grammy nominations, Carlton established himself from his first recording, "A Little Help From My Friends". His studio collaborators include musicians and groups like Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis Jr, Herb Alpert, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and dozens of others. With 30 albums to his credit and having performed on over 100 albums that have gone gold or platinum, Carlton has set a standard for artistry spanning three decades.
In 2008, Carlton received a Lifetime Achievement Award from "Guitar Player" magazine and was presented the "Titan of Tone" award from "Premier Guitar" magazine at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In addition to being the guitarist and lead composer for the hard rock band B'z, Tak Matsumoto has had a successful solo career. His formal education in jazz was minimal, but his work as a session musician, and supporting many tours, cemented his musicianship. His exposure to a myriad styles helped him to mould his own unique sound, blending elements of his jazz training, blues (incorporating the style known as "Kansai Blues"), classical, metal, rock and ska.
Matsumoto and Koshi Inaba formed the band B'z and debuted in 1988. With 16 albums, B'z truly means business, having sold a combined 80 million units in Japan alone, making it Japan's best?selling band in history. In 2004, Matsumoto formed the Tak Matsumoto Group with Eric Martin on vocal, Jack Blades on bass and Brian Tichy on drums, forging ahead with his own brand of music.
"Jazz Up: Larry Carlton & Tak Matsumoto" is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The concert will be at 8pm, October 19 (Tuesday), at the Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $150, $220, $300 and $420 are now available at URBTIX outlets, on the Internet and by credit card telephone booking. Senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients may have 50% off (limited quotas for students and CSSA recipients on a first-come, first-served basis). A maximum discount of 20% is offered for group booking. Please refer to the programme leaflet for details.
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp . Ticketing enquiries can be made on 2734 9009 and credit card telephone bookings on 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk .
Ends/Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Issued at HKT 11:01
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