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Meet Guitarist Jocelyn Gould
Courtesy Benedetto Guitars
Jocelyn Gould is a leader in the next generation of great mainstream jazz guitarists.
—Howard Paul, President, Benedetto Guitars
Growing up in Winnipeg, Canada, in a family that loved singing all the time, Jocelyn Gould played guitar to accompany her own vocalizing. But it wasn't until she was 18 years old that she became serious about jazz. That's when a friend introduced her to the 1965 Verve album, Smokin' at the Half Note, featuring the
Wynton Kelly
piano1931 - 1971
Wes Montgomery
guitar1923 - 1968
That album, she said, "opened with a 13-minute tune called 'No Blues' (written by
Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991
A lot has happened to Gould over the past couple of years. In August 2018, she won first place in the annual International Guitar jazz competition sponsored by Milwaukee's Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts. A month later, she moved to New York City where she stayed for a year before moving back to Canada to accept a position as Head of the Guitar Department at Humber College in Toronto. While in New York, Gould was endorsed as a Benedetto Artist. In March 2020, she released her first album as a leader, Elegant Traveler, on the Posi-Tone label. She also appeared on three different 2019 albums with MSU faculty members: guitarist
Randy Napoleon
guitarb.1978
Michael Dease
tromboneb.1982
Diego Rivera
saxophone, tenorb.1977
Howard Paul, Benedetto's President, considers Gould, "a leader in the next generation of great mainstream jazz guitarists. She's deeply immersed in the history and musicality of the guitar pioneers like [Kenny] Burrell, Montgomery, [Barney] Kessel, [Grant] Green, and [Pat] Martino. She is in command of the instrument and the theory needed to preserve and advance the art form and maintains a confident-while-modest personality that is characteristic of the great musicians we'd all like to share a stage with or learn from. We at Benedetto are delighted that she's part of our artist family!"
Assuming it's safe by then, Gould will be joining the Benedetto staff at the Jazz Corner on Hilton Head Island on August 13 and 14. According to Evans, the company's Customer Relations and Sales Manager, "Jocelyn and my wife, bassist/vocalist Maggie Evans, will be headlining performers in a show celebrating the great women of jazz. A drummer and I (on guitar) will be accompanying them. We're planning to book some other dates around it." In a review of Elegant Traveler for All About Jazz, Dan McClenaghan wrote that Gould, "displays some serious chops. She has soaked up the influences of Wes Montgomery,
Grant Green
guitar1935 - 1979
Kenny Burrell
guitar, electricb.1931
Joe Pass
guitar1929 - 1994
Napoleon, Gould's guitar instructor and professor at Michigan State, said she has "a rare intensity and tenacity that is the sign of a committed artist. She understands where the music is coming from, and where it is headed. Her passion for the guitar makes it clear that she is going places. It's a special and wonderful thing when a young player has her balance of feeling, discipline, and creativity." Through Napoleon, Gould had an opportunity to play with the late vocalist/pianist
Freddy Cole
piano1931 - 2020
Gould became part of Dease's album after he heard her play a solo on
Gerald Wilson
composer / conductor1918 - 2014
Eric Alexander
saxophone, tenorb.1968
Randy Brecker
trumpetb.1945
Gould's year in New York, she said, was "hugely impactful—just to be there full-time, go out to jam sessions, and play with whomever I could. It was just incredible. On any given night, I could be playing with anyone at places like the Fat Cat and Mezzrow." She'll be coming back as much as possible, she added. "It's only a 60-minute flight."
A second album is being planned, but Gould is "waiting for things to open up a little. I haven't quite figured it out. The past few weeks I've been throwing out album titles and themes. I want to do something joyful. That's what I think we need right now. It will be a quartet album. I just want to do Smokin' at the Half Note."
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Jocelyn Gould Concerts
Oct
18
Sat
The Benedetto All Stars
Gateway PlayhouseSomers Point, NJ
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