Bruce Eisenbeil Biography

"About as revolutionary as music can actually get." - The Wire

"One of the most unique jazz guitarists to emerge in decades."
- Harvey Pekar, JazzTimes

"Strikingly original." - Downbeat

"Outrageously exciting." - Ben Watson

"Disarmingly hypnotic." - Derek Taylor

"a matchless voice" - Jazzreview.com

"Eisenbeil's prophetic voice comes like a streak of light out of nowhere surprising us with his range of intensity and extensive vocabulary of sounds that quickly develop into torrid dialogues."
- Jazz Improv Magazine

Bruce Eisenbeil is a composer, improviser, and guitar instrumentalist who has dedicated his life to the advancement of modern guitar techniques through the growth and evolution of modern improvised music. He has 6 CD's released and has performed throughout North America, Japan, Germany, Brasil, and at many festivals. Eisenbeil has performed, recorded and collaborated with some of the best musicians in the world.

Although Eisenbeil was born in Chicago, he grew up in Plainfield, NJ which is where he began playing the guitar when he was 4 years old. He has been performing professionally since he was 15. Mostly self-taught, he studied with a few great teachers including Joe Pass, Howard Roberts, Joe Diorio, and Dennis Sandole (teacher of John Coltrane and Pat Martino).

Critics have compared him not only with guitarists such as Wes Montgomery, Django Reinhardt, Grant Green, Billy Bauer, Sarnie Garrett, Sonny Sharrock, Curtis Mayfield, John McLaughlin, Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck but also with saxophonists John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman and pianists McCoy Tyner and Cecil Taylor. His ensemble writing has been associated with the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the Revolutionary Ensemble.

Eisenbeil has collaborated with many fine musicians including:
Cecil Taylor, David Murray, Milford Graves, Evan Parker, Wolfgang Fuchs, Ellery Eskelin, Andrew Cyrille, William Parker, Katsuyuki Itakura, Micheal Manring, Blaise Siwula, Lukas Ligeti, Klaus Kugel, Shiro Onuma and many others.

Eisenbeil has performed at these festivals:

2006 Montreal Jazz Festival
2006 Silent Art Festival(Cologne)
2005 Cologne Jazz Festival
2001 Vision Festival
1998 CMJ Music Conference
1997 Texaco New York Jazz Festival
1997 Buffalo Interprov Festival
1997 Philadelphia Mellon Jazz Festival
1997 Trenton Avant-garde Festival
1997 Philadelphia Fringe Festival
1997 CMJ Music Conference, NYC
1996 Philadelphia PSFS-Mellon Jazz Festival

2006

MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL with CARNIVAL SKIN
SILENT ART FESTIVAL - Cologne, Germany
GERMANY TOUR
JAPAN TOUR: 10 cities
The Stone in NYC - premeired new quartet
CARNIVAL SKIN concerts

Concerts with: Klaus Kugel, Perry Robinson, Peter Evans, Hill Greene,
Ute Kaiser, Ludger Schmidt, Kent Carter, Roby Glod, Ellery Eskelin,
Alex Blake, Soon Kim, Nate Wooley, David Chiesa, Blaise Siwula,
Lisle Ellis, Elliott Levin, Fay Victor


Performances in Japan with: Shiro Onuma, Junji Mori, Keiko Komori,
Katsu Itakura, Hiroyuki Eizuka, Kumi Wakao, Yu Wakao, Keigo Iwami

2005

Cologne Jazz Festival
Performances with: Ute Kaiser (v), Albrecht Maurer (vln), Ludger Schmidt (cello), Roby Glod (ss), Achim Tang (b), Klaus Kugel (d)
17 City US Tour with Katsuyuki Itakura and Brian Osborne
NPR affiliate WBLV interview with Lazaro Vega with 60 minute in-studio concert
WRCT interview with Matt Merewitz
WRUW interview with Wade Tolleson
CARNIVAL SKIN recording and performances

Concerts with: Perry Robinson, Klaus Kugel, Peter Evans, Hill Greene

2004

15 City Japan Tour with Katsu Itakura
performed in Japan with: Yosio Ootani, Tetuzi Akiyama, Keiki Midorikawa, Yuki Saga, Shiro Onuma, Dai Soma
15 City US Tour with Katsu Itakura and Stephen Flinn
Symphony Space in NYC - Concert and DVD recording with Itakura, Flinn and William Parker
CARNIVAL SKIN performance
VICE VERSA performance
WRPI interview with Mark Dunlea

Concerts with: Peter Evans , Tom Abbs , Klaus Kugel , Charles Cohen, SKFL, Mike Lopez, Ian Ash

2003

15 City Japan Tour with drummer Stephen Flinn
Performances in Japan with: Bun, Katsuyuki Itakura, Yosio Ootani, Yamamoto Seichi, Toyohito Yoshikawa, Ueno and Takashi Kojima.
Goethe Institute concert and recording with Wolfgang Fuchs
CADENCE February cover interview
Goethe Institute concert with CONCIOUSNESS
concert with Chris Kelsey Trio

Concerts with: Damon Smith, Michael Wimberly, Heather Kristin, Octavio Vasquez, Matt Brewer, Rosi Hertlein and Charles Cohen

2002

OPIUM is voted one of the top 10 new jazz releases of 2002 in CADENCE
KEEP THE METER RUNNING (Nine Winds) is released.
TRUTH, PEACE, & LOVE ENSEMBLE Concert In The Park
TONIC - concert with Lucas Ligeti and Michael Manring
EDWARD ROLLIN OCTET concerts

Concerts with: Tony Larokko, Joe Rigby, Masujah, Fred Berryhill, Ratzo Harris, AJ Mantas, Andrew McCann,

2001

OPIUM (CIMP) was released, charted on many Top 10 playlists and peaked at #10 in CMJ
VISION FESTIVAL with MILFORD GRAVES BAND
Guitarist and sole-coordinator for month long Cecil Taylor residency and concert with 40 musicians from around the world
AVANT magazine interview
Meet The Composer grant
PARTICLE DATA GROUP(Cadence) featuring Eisenbeil with Steve Swell (trombone), and Gregg Bendian (vibes)

Concerts with: Kevin Schmidt, Mark Dresser, Ellery Eskelin, Michael Wimberly, Steve Swell, Avram Fefer, Bob Hovey, Ratzo Harris, Lukas Ligeti, Paul Brantley, Amir El Saffar (tpt), Aaron Sheikh (as), Terence Murren, Edward Rollin, Rosi Hertlein, Jay Rosen, Joe Rigby, Tony Larokko, Oseiko DanEL-Diaz,

2000

Eisenbeil's ON POINT TRIO at Knitting Factory with Andrew Cyrille and Leon Dorsey
Performed with URSEL SCHLICHT ENSEMBLE
Performed with J.D. PARREN TRIO
Performed with POSITIVE KNOWLEDGE QUARTET
featured writer for Net4music.com
WKCR live-on-the-air concert
ASHES recording: 23 Eisenbeil compositions featuring: David Murray(b cl), Matt Maneri(vln), Badal Roy(tabla), Jeribu Shahid(b), Bob Moses (d), Edgar Bateman(d), Todd Margasak (cornet), Felix Sanabria(perc), Michael Sotolongo(perc), Mark Weinstein (flt), Edward Rollin(eng hn), John Clark(fr hn).

Concerts with: Jaribu Shahid, Ernesto Diaz-Infante, Chris Forsyth, Donald Robinson, Jim Ryan, Dave Sewelson, Matt Heyner, Andrew Barker, Rick Frank, Felix Sanabria, Tony Cruz, Noah Blum, Danny Zanker, Ravish Momin, Oktopus, Mark Weinstein, Oluyemi Thomas, Ijoma Thomas, Michael Wimberley, Wilbur Morris, Warren Smith 1999

MURAL (CIMP194) was released, charted on many Top 10 playlists and peaked at #11 in CMJ

DENNIS SANDOLE PROJECT(CJR1102) - facilitated the release of this music, originally recorded in 1957 but never before released.

6 concert tour of West coast
KAZU 2-hour interview and live-on-the-air performance

Concerts with: Ernesto-Diaz Infante (gtr), trumpeter Eddie Gale (tpt), India Cooke (vln), Oluyemi Thomas(b cl), Damon Smith(b), Adam Lane(b), Tom Heasley(tuba)

1998

CMJ Music Conference
Belly Of The Beast


Concerts with: Roy Campbell Jr (tpt), Daniel Carter (as, ts, tpt, fl), Steve Swell (tbn), Wilbo Wright (b), Jackson Krall (d)

1997

Eisenbeil Trio performs at:
Texaco New York Jazz Festival
Buffalo Interprov Festival
Philadelphia Mellon Jazz Festival
Trenton Avant-garde Festival
Philadelphia Fringe Festival
CMJ Music Conference
10 city tour: Eisenbeil Trio with Rob Brown and Lou Grassi
Nine Wings (CIMP 144) was released, charted on many Top 10 playlists and peaked at #12 in CMJ.

1996

PSFS-Mellon Jazz Festival, Philadelphia - Bruce Eisenbeil Septet
Composition Maria's Grace is featured on the release Philadelphia Jazz Showcase CD Compilation, Vol. I, sponsored by Jazz FM, WRTI.
Moved to New York City
Performances throughout Philadelphia
Performances with: Edgar Bateman(d)

1995

Concerts with the late Philadelphia alto saxophonist Jim Stewart and his 35 year old avant-garde septet Kuntu,
GROUP MOTION: guitarist for improvisational dance workshop

Performances with: Lamar Prince(d), Todd Margasak(cornet), Jeff Reed(d)

1994

Eisenbeil Trio performances
Eisenbeil solo performances
Little Shop of Horrors - Guitarist with pit-orchestra

Performances with: Len Oranzi, Ian Ash, Jim Hamilton, Wilbo Wright, Darren Keith, Conrad Korsch

1993

Eisenbeil Trio begins to perform in Philadelphia
NEAR FATAL FUNK: Featured performer with 7 piece band

Performances with: Len Oranzi, Ian Ash, Jim Hamilton, Wilbo Wright, Darren Keith, Conrad Korsch, Tim Motzer, Kenny Davis

1992

4 week tour in Brazil with the Carlos Oliva Band.
Interviewed on Brasilian public radio and received recognition in several major newspapers.

1991

Gloria's Café - Philadelphia - Soul guitarist in the house band
Specialized in Jazz and R&B. 4 nights a week, 4 sets a night


1990

Gloria's Café - Philadelphia - Soul guitarist in the house band
Specialized in Jazz and R&B. 4 nights a week, 4 sets a night


1989

Freelance Guitarist

1988

Freelance Guitarist

1987

Performances with Brad Hill Trio
Performances with Rob Paocetti Band featuring Chris Botti (tpt) and Dave LaRue (b)
Performances with Bruce Fagan Orchestra

1986

Freelance Guitarist
Performances with soul singer Johnny Stewert in LA and Las Vegas


1985

Performances with soul singer Johnny Stewert in LA
THE CHASTONES - guitarist with Paul Gilbert's retro rock band
This band was one of 6 selected from an audition of 55 to be produced and recorded by famous guitar studio-legend Tommy Todesco.

1984-1986

Musician at Large in Hollywood. Played in a variety of bands and situations.
Styles included: Jazz, Blues, Rock, Funk, Fusion, Country, Latin, Brasilian.

Performances with: Jeff Buckley(gtr), Enzo Todesco(d), Carlos Oliva(gtr), Jean-Marc Belkadi(gtr), Tony Marriott(b), Randall Stohl(d), John Pin(gtr), Neil London(d)

1982

Annie- the musical: guitar and banjo

1979-1993

Freelance Guitarist
Lead and rhythm guitarist for blues, jazz, and wedding bands, all styles covered, lived and worked in New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Philadelphia.

Some of Eisenbeil's influences include: John Coltrane, Iannis Xenakis, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Bill Dixon, Gyorgy Ligeti, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, Duke Ellington, Cecil Taylor, Thelonious Monk, Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Shankar, George Rochberg, McCoy Tyner, Morton Feldman, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery and far too many more people to list.

For a long time Eisenbeil has been using Fender, Gibson and Martin guitars, Mesa Boogie and Fender amplifiers and D'Addario strings