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Kelly Lancaster grew up surrounded by music, in Nacogdoches, Texas. His earliest musical influence was his grandmother, Alice Joyce Lancaster Frye, who played saxophone and clarinet in an all-girl orchestra that traveled all around the United States in the 1930s. When Alice Frye was 88 years old, she and Kelly recorded a series of lively and tender swing-style piano-guitar duets. Kelly's father plays banjo and guitar, and his mother plays the flute. Not long after he first picked up a guitar at age 12, Kelly became a regular at bluegrass jam sessions at the Oldtime String Shop with Steve Hartz and others from Nacogdoches’ rich stock of talented musicians. Kelly went on to compete nationally in guitar and mandolin flatpicking contests, and begin a lifelong career as a professional musician. Along the way, Kelly developed virtuosity in both bluegrass and in jazz, particularly gypsy jazz and swing. In fact, each of these musical communities can claim him as one of their brightest lights. Kelly’s
playing is characterized by dazzling technical wizardry, light-speed invention,
and sheer exuberance. He generates ideas -- and plays them -- faster than
most of us can think. At the same time, Kelly enjoys musical jokes -- you
can tell that he is having fun. But the breadth (and depth) of his ability
are revealed just as much when the fireworks are set aside and he develops
meditative, sensitive arrangements in which each note is rich in meaning
and deeply felt. We hope that you’ll like what you hear.
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Kelly has been fortunate to know wonderful people who have guided him musically. Foremost among these, in addition to his grandmother and his family, were the late Dave Peters and the late Paul Buskirk --considered two of the best mandolin players in the world. Dave was the only three-time national bluegrass mandolin flatpicking champion, and was equally adept in other styles, including jazz and classical. In addition to being Kelly’s best friend for fifteen years, Dave taught Kelly many things, including discipline, notes and scales, licks, and tunes. Paul Buskirk specialized in 1930s-style country jazz and often played with Willie Nelson. Beginning in the mid-1980s, Paul guided Kelly into the 1920s and 1930s jazz and swing styles, teaching him sophisticated chord changes and discipline. Steve Hartz of Nacogdoches shared with Kelly his joy in music along with a vast repertoire of bluegrass and fiddle tunes. The innovative banjoist James McKinney helped Kelly develop dexterity, confidence, and an aggressive approach to his instrument. Greg Harbar, leader of the Gypsies musical group, taught Kelly world and ethnic musical styles (Russian, German, Czech, Klezmer, etc.), while Slim Richey was influential in teaching Kelly jazz chords and the jazz style. Kelly is grateful to all of these people, as well as to the musical heroes who have amazed and inspired him with their genius: Django Reinhardt, Oscar Aleman, Bireli LaGrene, Norman Blake, Emily Remler, Clarence White and Tony Rice. |
 For
those who are interested, Kelly has taught a 60-minute instruction video
on the Gypsy Jazz guitar style. The video is available in music
stores or can be ordered from Mel Bay Publications, Inc., 1-800-8-MEL BAY;
also available from Ridge Runner Videos, 84 York Creek Drive, Driftwood,
Texas 78619, 1 800 FRET-PRO; or Texas Music and Video, P.O. BOX 16248,
Lubbock, Texas 79490-6248, 1-800-261-3368.
“Kelly Lancaster’s Gypsy Jazz Guitar video will help bridge the gap for bluegrass and swing guitarists who are just beginning to develop their Gypsy jazz chops. Lancaster, a talented guitarist who has a strong technical grasp of the Gypsy style, demonstrates such typical tunes as ‘Nuages,’ ‘Body and Soul,’ ‘Caravan,’ and ‘Minor Swing.’” |
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