Here is a mini interview that I'm conducting with various jazz guitarists that are listed on this site. So I thought that I'd interview myself (In the third person - tell me that isn't strange ;-)) and post it here as an example of what is to come. Same questions are presented to every guitarist.

Curt Sheller

The Interview (April 2003)

(JazzGuitarResources) As a Jazz guitarist who where you early influences?

(CS) My earliest jazz influence was George Benson, Django and Charlie Parker. There was a book store in the Art college across from the art school that I attended and they had cheap albums there. I got lots of great stuff. Lots of the Folkways Django and Charlie Parker stuff.

I like tons of jazz guitarists but the only few that I every really tried to emulate where and actively studied their playing. I was drawn to Jim Hall as a very tasteful player. I wore out the Jim Hall Live and Alone Together albums. Kenny Burrell is the one artist that I have the most CDs of. Which pretty is easy considering he has recorded or been on over 100. I just loved his bluesy playing and trio playing, Midnight Blue and Tin Tin Deo are two of my favorites. Steve Khan is one of my favorites and I have everything I could get. I also liked his Chord Khancepts book, Joe Pass was an early melody and chord influence and Jimmy Bruno I only discovered a few years ago and he live less than an hour away. I was drawn to Jimmy's bebop playing on his earlier CDs. Jimmy is a great guy and I actually took a few lessons from him a couple of years ago and did some art work for one of his book. Great personality and proves you can make a living playing jazz guitar.

The biggest influence on my playing and general outlook on music, although he never played much guitar in the lessons was and still is Chuck Anderson whom I've studied with for the last 20 years. Chuck had all the show gigs in the Philly area in the 70s and 80s and is the most knowledgeable musician I know with the ability to articulate and communicate any music principle or style. I owe my teaching success to Chuck. Great player, composer with awesome technique. Chuck acts as editor on most of my books.

(JGR) What about jazz drew you to the form?

(CS) The improvisational part and that you didn't have to play a song the same way each time. Unlike rock if you play someone else solo note for note is frowned upon. Unlike rock where it's almost required. That used to upset the bass player in one of the top 40 bands I was in the 70s. I thought, "Hey that was his solo, I'd rather do my own."

(JGR) Do you see any commercial potential in jazz?

(CS) Not like pop or rock "mass market" sense. But I do think if one is aggressive and markets oneself well you can make a living at jazz. People love the songs that are in the jazz repertoire and I've always gotten a great response and good feedback when playing out. I make my living as a musician and consider it to be three parts. Teaching, publishing and performing. I'm very good at the teaching, publishing and a pretty good performer but suck at the sales part of getting gigs. I have a few people working for me to get gigs and hopefully that will workout. I'm constantly working on new repertoire and spots in my play I want improvement on. I believe you done learning and improving the day they plant you in the ground. Then you done.

(JGR) For all the guitarists with GAS out there what is you current gigging setup?

(CS) I cured my self of GAS a while ago when I had a L5 and discovered Raezer's Edge cabinets at the Philly guitar show. When I went 7 string I sort of fell into a Benedetto Benny 7 the I got through Bill Fender at Legato Guitars. I run that I run thru a Clarus Acoustic Image amp and Raezer's Edge cabinets. I haven't changed this setup in a few years. I would like to one day get an archtop 7 string. And need to get a new Clarus amp. Strings are TI Bebop 14s. Jimmy Bruno turned me on to the Fender 354 X-Heavy picks. I had a ton made with my web site address and phone number on them. Expensive business card but people really get a kick out of it. I sell them on the site and include one with every order. It has actually generated a few orders.