His latest CD release, Handwritten, reflects Ian's love of romantic harmony. Performed as duets between classical guitar and contrabass, Handwritten melds the classical tradition with a strong jazz sensibility. Shades of Chopin and Erik Satie are particularly evident in songs like Reflection and Regret, but more modern sounds are evident as well in Deep South and Voyage. Mixed and Mastered by Kent Verderico, Handwritten is a beautiful portrait of Ian's musical artistry.
Ian's work with electronica band Insidium presents a stark contrast to his acoustic work, but draws from the same musical sensitivity. Combining jazz saxophone with driving electronic basslines and powerful drumbeats, Insidium's music remains melodic and accessible. On Exit Terra, Ian uses his guitar to play everything from deep bass to lead synth, which gives the album a distinctly organic sound. Both live and on CD, Insidium is a unique and exciting experience.
As a performing guitarist, Ian has played throughout California as a leader and as a sideman. Currently he performs with songwriter paula mcmath and rock band Deep 6 Holiday, and can frequently be seen onstage playing everything from R&B to Jazz. He has performed with jazz artists Steve Huffington, Buddy Childers, and Rob Lockart, rock artists Loren Ellis and The 7 Wonders, and R&B/ hip-hop artists Deborah Charles and 10th Planet. He has performed for film and television, including the soundtrack for Sony Pictures' "Dirty", and released 4 collections of library music.
Uninterested in studying pop/ rock guitar, Ian pioneered the Jazz Composition major in the Jazz Studies Department at the University of Southern California, and subsequently studied with Vince Mendoza, Milcho Leviev, and Shelly Berg. While at USC Ian received an Oustanding Soloist Award at the Fullerton Jazz Festival, performed as a featured soloist with the USC Studio Big Band, and had music performed by the Alaje, ELF, and Concert Jazz ensembles.
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