Jeff Autry – photo © Dorothy St. Claire Photography
Veteran guitarist Jeff Autry hasn’t been as active in recent years as in times past, following some health issues that slowed him down a few years ago. But he is still playing and recording, these days for Huckleberry Records, focusing on music that means a great deal to him, blending bluegrass instruments and sensibilities with jazz voicing.
Jeff had toured for a time with John Cowan, alongside Wayne Benson and Noam Pikelny, and with The Bluegrass Cardinals, and tracked on several projects produced and recorded by Scott Vestal.
His most recent single is one he wrote as an homage to jazz guitar pioneer Wes Montgomery, which he has titled East Meets Wes.
“The jazz guitar styling of Wes Montgomery truly resonates with me, and inspired me tremendously. With East Meets Wes, I wanted to create a musical dialogue that bridges the gap between his world and my own musical journey, and pay tribute to him for his influence.”
To assist on the track, Autry has Shad Cobb on fiddle, Todd Phillips on bass, and Ed Toth on percussion. They create an intimate feel reminiscent of the piano trio sound so popular in jazz settings. You can hear the bluegrass influence, and the impact of the new acoustic sound that David Grisman and Tony Rice created, in this new composition and arrangement.
Have a listen…
East Meets Wes is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track at Get It Played.
