Bio
Equally at home in both Jazz and Latin guitar styles, Brian Moran has become one of the Bay Area's most versatile and sought after musicians. Since graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1998 (B.M., magna cum laude, Professional Music), Brian has made San Francisco his home, where he maintains an active performance schedule and teaching studio.
Brian began his study of the guitar in 1987, starting with rock guitar, and eventually focused exclusively on Jazz for 10 years. Since 2001, Brian has dedicated much of his time to the study of 7 string jazz guitar, nylon 7 string guitar, Brazilian cavaquinho and bandolim, and includes Classical, Brazilian music, and Flamenco in his diverse repertoire. He has traveled to Brazil 3 times and studied in Sao Paulo with Choro Rasgado guitarist Alessandro Penezzi, and Marco Bertaglia, author of O Violao de 7 Cordas. In Feb of 2007 and Feb of 2008, Brian attended the 3rd and 4th annual Festival Nacional do Choro in Sao Paulo state, Brasil where he studied with Mauricio Carrilho, Paulo Aragao, Luciana Rabello, Jayme Vignola, and had the great pleasure of playing in rodas (Choro jam sessions) with the top choro musicians from Rio and Sao Paulo.
Brian gave workshops at the South Bay Guitar Society's 4th, 5th and 6th annual Guitar Festivals on the subject of Brazilian choro guitar styles.
Brian is also the lead instructor for the new instructional website StrumSchool (www.strumschool.com). The website is a free, all access website focused on teaching guitar to absolute beginners. It will feature videos, articles, blogs, etc.
Brian's instructional articles have been published in Acoustic Guitar Magazine (Dec 08, July 09).
Notable work includes performances with jazz guitarists Bruce Forman and Mundell Lowe, and actor/improviser Timothy "Speed" Levitch (Waking Life and The Cruise), and some of the Bay Area's best musicians, among them Harvey Wainapel, Jorge Alabe, and countless others.
He has lent his talents as a recording artist to many projects, as well as his own, has produced music for the openings of photographers Annie Liebowitz,Ruth Bernhard, painter Robert Bechtle, performed at the San Francisco Jazz Festival, SFMOMA, played on television and in theatre, and has composed and conducted for numerous other projects. Bruce Forman calls him a "thorough musician who has spent a great deal of time assimilating the wealth of Jazz history and has found a wonderfully personal way of expressing himself".
He currently plays with Grupo Falso Baiano, Jorge Alabe and Grupo Samba Rio and as a leader and sideman in various other jazz, blues, and world music groups.
His discography includes:
Grupo Falso Baiano: Viajando: Choro e Jazz(2008).
Performer. scheduled for Summer 2007 release - www.grupofalsobaiano.com
The Alamo audio tour(2008). Produced, arranged, recorded and performed music for audio tour. www.thealamo.org
Astralingua:Contact(2008).
Contributing performer. www.astralingua.com
Grupo Falso Baiano: Live at The Hillside Club(2006).
Performer. Self released - www.grupofalsobaiano.com
Xavier Viramontes:Printmaker(documentary film), by filmmaker Michael Fraser(2006).
Performer on soundtrack. Details at www.xaviermiramontes.com
Downtown Uproar:Downtown Uproar(2006).
Performer. Self-released - www.henryhungmusic.com
The People's Temple(play), directed by Leigh Fondakowski, premiering at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre(2005)
Performed and liscenced music for use. Details at www.berkeleyrep.org
Blowout: The Supporting Theory, Lifeforce Jazz Records(2004).
Performer, Arranger, Producer. Released by Lifeforce Jazz Records. Details at www.blowoutmusic.com
Brian Carmody Quartet, featuring vocalist Allegra Bandy(2003).
Performer. Released and liscenced to Seismicom.com.
