“Guitarist Bruce Eisenbeil (featured in the May 2009 issue of GP) is one of the most original voices in contemporary jazz and new music — be it within the structures of his multidimensional compositions, or improvising freely. Eisenbeil transcends the perceived limitations of his instrument primarily by evolving new conceptual and technical approaches to playing it, rather than employing electronic processing (though there is some of that) or “preparing” the instrument with extraneous objects.” ~ Barry Cleveland; Guitar Player Magazine

“One of the most unique jazz guitarists to emerge in decades.” ~ Harvey Pekar, Jazz Times

“About as revolutionary as music can actually get.” ~ The Wire

“Strikingly original.” ~ Downbeat

“Outrageously exciting.” ~ Ben Watson

“Disarmingly hypnotic.” ~ Derek Taylor

“a matchless voice” ~ Jazzreview.com

“This guitarist often sounds as if he’s disassembling the instrument. He isn’t; he’s breaking down preconceived notions of harmony, melody, rhythm, and sound itself – and the effort can be as exhilarating as the results.” ~ Francis Davis, Village Voice

“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 with Evans and Robinson building into a fiercely collective conversation.” ~ 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 composition and improvised music. He has fifteen CD’s released on a variety of labels including: ESP, New Atlantis, Pogus, Nemu, Konnex, Cadence, C.I.M.P and Nine Winds. Additionally he has tracks released on Clean Feed and Bridge records.  Eisenbeil has performed and recorded with some of the best musicians throughout the USA, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, France, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Brasil, and at many festivals. Eisenbeil has been living in New York City since 1995.

In addition to his musical developments, Eisenbeil is trained in advanced mathematics, physics – general relativity and quantum mechanics, organic chemistry, computer languages, electrical engineering, acoustics, art history, philosophy and psychology. He has worked as an electrical technician, mechanical draftsman, auto mechanic, construction and as a farm laborer.

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

Despite the fact that Eisenbeil is a singular artist with his own personal sound, those critics  who write comparatively associate him not only with guitarists such as Wes Montgomery, Django Reinhardt, Grant Green, Billy Bauer, Derek Bailey, 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. Eisenbeil’s ensemble writing has garnered a lot of attention for his unique counterpoint, textures, and sound masses.  Because his work is tough to describe, critics have associated Eisenbeil’s writing with that of Miles Davis, Don Cherry, Brian Ferneyhough, Sun Ra, Anthony Braxton, the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the Revolutionary Ensemble.

Eisenbeil has performed and/or recorded with many fine musicians including drummer Butch Trucks, Cecil Taylor, Milford Graves, David Murray, William Parker, Andrew Cyrille, Matt Shipp, Kent Carter, Edgar Bateman, Nasheet Waits, Badal Roy, Peter Evans, Rob Brown, Ellery Eskelin, Karl Berger, Perry Robinson, Michael Manring, Alex Blake, Lukas Ligeti, Jon Lindberg, Katsuyuki Itakura, David Fox, Aaron Ali Shaikh, Jimmy Stewert, Biggi Vinkeloe, Steve Swell, David Taylor, Lisle Ellis, Wilbo Wright, Hill Greene, Tom Abbs, Nate Wooley, Tom Hamilton, Charles Cohen, SKFL, Jay Rosen, William Hooker, Lou Grassi, Ian Ash, Klaus Kugel, Shiro Onuma, Michael Lopez, and many others. In the 1980’s he worked with Jeff Buckley, Paul Gilbert, and in R&B bands.  His trio, TOTEM>, includes Tom Blancarte and Andrew Drury.

Eisenbeil has performed at these festivals:

2014 Marlboro Blues & BBQ (NJ)
2013 ESP 50th Anniversary Festival (NYC)
2013 Marlboro Blues & BBQ (NJ)
2009 Hell’s Kitchen Festival (NYC)
2008 Sonic Circuits Festival (Washington D.C.)
2008 New Languages Festival (NYC)
2008 Boise Experimental Music Festival
2007 Edgefest (Ann Arbor)
2006 Montreal Jazz Festival
2006 Silent Art Festival(Bochum)
2005 Silent Art Festival(Bochum)
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

Eisenbeil’s work has been featured in Guitar Player magazine (May 2009), Jazz Review (August 2008), All About Jazz (Los Angeles: November 2007), Cadence (Feb. 2003), Avant (Autumn 2001), and Staten Island Advance (1999). He has been interviewed on several online sites including: Prepared Guitar.com, Kronosonic, Jazzweekly.com, Modernguitars.com, One Final Note.com.

 

2014

Published Scores: Inner Constellation – vol. 1, String Quartet #1, Wildflowers

Published Book: The Musical Atlas Of Inner Constellation

New Blog/Website

concerts with Forever Grateful, The Pat Borgen Band

2013

ESP 50th Anniversary party – duo with Nels Cline (gtr)

New CD’s released – TOTEM>Voices Of Grain (New Atlantis 007) and The $100 Guitar Project – produced by Nick Didkovsky and Chuck O’Meara (Bridge Records)

concerts with Dave Keys, Sue Williams, Frank Pagano, William Hooker, Daniel Carter,
Tom Blancarte, Andrew Drury, Nels Cline

2012

Concerts at The Stone (NYC) with TOTEM>

Concerts with: Andrew Drury, Tom Blancarte

 

2011

Concert at Roulette MusicCircus (Brooklyn)

Concerts with: Lynne Portis, Dan Godston, Orin Buck, Edmund Mooney, Andrew Drury, Tom Blancarte, Evan Lipson

2010

Concert at Roulette(NYC) – Dennis Sandole Tribute

Concert at Sullivan Hall with Melissa Reaves & Dave Fox Group

TOTEM> performances at Bowery Poetry Club

Concerts with: Matthew Shipp, Andrew Drury, Tom Blancarte, David First, Ian Ash, Bobby Zankel, Rob Brown, Brian Groder, Dylan Taylor, Denise Sandole, Melissa Reaves, Dave Fox, Dave Moss, David Licht

2009

Hells Kitchen Festival with Tom Hamilton

New CD released – Shadow Machine (Pogus)

TOTEM> performances at Zebulon(Brooklyn)

Performance in New Orleans with Jesse Morrow and Dave Cappello

Concerts with: Andrew Drury, Tom Blancarte, Tom Hamilton,Ian Ash, Wilbo Wright, William Hooker, Tony Larokko, Mercedes Figueras, Bill Mason, Samej Williams, Fred Berryhill

2008

Spring tour in France and Switzerland with TOTEM>

The legendary label E.S.P released Solar Forge, TOTEM>’s debut CD. Solar Forge received over 40 critically acclaimed reviews worldwide and was picked as one of the Top 10 Releases for 2008 by Trevor Hunter (New Music Box, American Music Center), Mark Saleski (Blogcritics.org), Pico (SomethingElse.com), Stuart Broomer (All About Jazz—New York, pointofdeparture.org) and Phil Freeman (The Wire, Village Voice).

Sonic Circuits Festival (Washington D.C.) with Deep End Ensemble
New Languages Festival (NYC) with TOTEM>
Boise Experimental Music Festival with Deep End Ensemble
Ten city Midwest Tour with The Deep End Ensemble

TOTEM> performances in NYC at Roulette, Issue Project Room, Yippie Café, Jimmy’s Bar, Bowery Poetry Club, Alain Kirrili’s Loft

Concert at The Stone with Tom Hamilton

Concerts with: Andrew Drury, Tom Blancarte, Tom Hamilton, Ian Ash, Wilbo Wright, Drew Gress

2007

Performed at The Edgefest(Ann Arbor) with Carnival Skin

New CD Release – Inner Constellation Volume 1 (Nemu 007)

INNER CONSTELLATION received over 30 critically acclaimed reviews worldwide and was voted one of the Top 10 Jazz CD’s in 2007 by: Ken Waxman (Coda), Budd Kopman (All About Jazz), Stuart Broomer (Village Voice) , Eyal Hareuveni (All About Jazz), and Improv.hu (Hungary)

Denmark and Sweden – Two week Spring Tour
The Stone in NYC – Two nights with Lisle Ellis’ band
55 Bar – concert with Fay Victor Quartet

Concerts with: Andrew Drury, Tom Blancarte, Tom Hamilton, Lisle Ellis, Ellery Eskelin, Blaise Siwula, Fay Victor, Nat Janoff, Kat Hernandez, Dave Fox, Pat Lawrence, Jon Marc Ryan Dale, Ian Ash, Eddy Rollin, Wilbo Wright, Jon Rowan Reitzes, Claudio Rochat-Felix, Michael Attias, Jose Davila, Dan Marmorstein, Peter Brunn, Biggi Vinkeloe, Arne Forsen, Andreas Axelsson, Jim Ryan, Dave Sewelson, DeePop, Eric Deutsch, Gustavo Aguilar

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

CARNIVAL SKIN (Nemu 003), was voted by Hank Shteamer (Time Out NY) one of the Top 10 new releases. DJ’s at WNUR voted it one of the Top 50 records in 2006. Based on airplay at WNUR it was one of the Top 50 albums of 2006. Carnival Skin appeared on dozens of Top Ten radio playlists throughout the year.

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

17 City US Tour with Katsuyuki Itakura (p) and Brian Osborne (d)
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, Ute Kaiser, Albrecht Maurer, Ludger Schmidt, Roby Glod, Achim Tang

2004

15 City Japan Tour with Katsu Itakura

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

performed in Japan with: Yosio Ootani, Tetuzi Akiyama, Keiki Midorikawa, Yuki Saga, Shiro Onuma, Dai Soma

2003

15 City Japan Tour with drummer Stephen Flinn

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

Performances in Japan with: Bun, Katsuyuki Itakura, Yosio Ootani, Yamamoto Seichi, Toyohito Yoshikawa, Ueno and Takashi Kojima.

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.