Mel Bay Sweet and Lowdown
Howard Alden is one of a handful of up-and-coming guitarists bringing the seven-string archtop to the forefront of jazz. His prowess as a single-string improviser is daunting and his insight into fretboard harmony and chord construction is second to none.Born in Newport Beach, California in 1958, Alden began playing guitar and tenor banjo as a child. Alden's early influences were Louis Armstrong, Barney Kessel, and Charlie Christian. He later developed a passion for the harmonies and textures in the music of Bill Evans and Thelonious Monk. In 1982 he moved to New York City where he still resides.Alden was voted "Best Emerging Guitar Talent" in the first annual Jazztimes critics poll in 1990 and "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" in the '92, '93, '95, and '96 Downbeat critics polls. In November 1997, Alden performed at the opening of the world famous Chinery Exhibition at the Smithsonian Institute's Museum of American History. He continues to challenge his creativity by performing in different instrumental combinations and settings.To quote the master luthier Robert Benedetto:No doubt, if you looked up Howard Alden in Webster's dictionary, he would be defined as "The Consummate Guitarist." Howard doesn't hold the guitar as he plays - he caresses it. As if being a world-class player isn't enough, he is also one of the most decent human beings I've ever had the pleasure of calling a friend. I'm at a loss for words when trying to describe Howard's playing style. He does everything with impeccable taste and truly plays as if the guitar were just another appendage. In another life, he must have been a guitar!