Festival Ambassadors
The International Guitar Festival of Great Britain is very proud to have some very loyal Ambassadors that support and promote the festival throughout the world.
The relationship with these Ambassadors over many years have helped to elevate the international status of the festival among experienced and up and coming musicians.
The relationship with these Ambassadors over many years have helped to elevate the international status of the festival among experienced and up and coming musicians.
Martin Taylor - Festival Patron
International Guitarist, Martin Taylor MBE is a Patron of the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain. Described as "THE acoustic guitarist of his generation" by America's Aoustic Guitar Magazine, Martin Taylor has established a unique career as an internationally acclaimed guitarist, and his inimitable style has seen him recognised as the world's foremost exponent of solo jazz guitar playing.
martintaylor.com
martintaylor.com
Rob Smith Co-Founder
Rob Smith co-founded the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain with the late Brendan McCormack in 1988. Initially entitled the Wirral International Guitar Festival, the journey started with an inaugural programme of 18 events in 1989 capturing the imagination of players, journalists and the public alike. Rob spent the following 23 years developing a locally important, international music festival of world class standing. Taking the Director's baton on from Brendan, Rob was the Guitar Festival Director from 1995 through to 2010.
Gary Murphy
2008 saw two new ambassadors join The International Guitar Festival of Great Britain roster. Gary Murphy is a local guitarist who has been involved with the festival since its inception 21 years ago, Gary has made an outstanding contribution to the festival and has appeared as a solo player and with various bands that he has fronted.
Gary has tirelessly promoted the festival on local radio stations and at his numerous concerts in pubs and clubs. Gary’s work in Wirral bars has been of great significance to the growing appreciation of guitar music within the community and has generated interest in many listeners for the work of many of the artists who appear at the festival.
Gary is a great guitarist and a great friend to the festival.
www.facebook.com/GaryMurphyBand
Gary has tirelessly promoted the festival on local radio stations and at his numerous concerts in pubs and clubs. Gary’s work in Wirral bars has been of great significance to the growing appreciation of guitar music within the community and has generated interest in many listeners for the work of many of the artists who appear at the festival.
Gary is a great guitarist and a great friend to the festival.
www.facebook.com/GaryMurphyBand
Woody Mann
One of the most frequent visitors to the Festival, Woody Mann never fails to deliver and exciting concert. A player on immense world stature, Mann is known as the foremost blues guitar instructional guru and as a gifted composer.
“It's a pleasure and honor to be asked to represent the festival as Honorary Ambassador for the US. Your support after all these years means a lot to me. I feel personally invested in wanting the festival to grow and become the annual cultural event that it is. Even from the workshops, my life has been enriched by the students, I have come to know as friends and as growing musicians. It's a good feeling indeed.”
www.woodymann.com
“It's a pleasure and honor to be asked to represent the festival as Honorary Ambassador for the US. Your support after all these years means a lot to me. I feel personally invested in wanting the festival to grow and become the annual cultural event that it is. Even from the workshops, my life has been enriched by the students, I have come to know as friends and as growing musicians. It's a good feeling indeed.”
www.woodymann.com
John Etheridge
John Etheridge rightly enjoys a glowing reputation throughout the jazz world and beyond and has been described by Pat Metheny as, "One of the best guitarists in the world". He is a prodigiously gifted and creative player whose approach to music can only be described as 'eclectic' as he refuses to accommodate or even acknowledge artificial musical boundaries.
“The Wirral guitar Festival celebrates 20 continuous years -a remarkable achievment and testament to the tenacity and enthusiasm of the organisers and also to the power of the world’s favourite instrument to keep engaging generations of listeners . The Festival is very special in it’s breadth of concerts -no genre of guitar playing is excluded and the preeminent practitioners from all the areas have appeared .It’s such an honour to be included in this pantheon over the last few years, and my own experiences have been totally positive on all levels-organisation, facilities, hospitality, audiences etc. I am sure that another 20 years beckons -and where will the ever-evolving world of guitar playing be then? Wherever the instrument goes it’s a certain bet that the Wirral Festival will be championing and presenting it to a new generation of fans.”
www.johnetheridge.com
“The Wirral guitar Festival celebrates 20 continuous years -a remarkable achievment and testament to the tenacity and enthusiasm of the organisers and also to the power of the world’s favourite instrument to keep engaging generations of listeners . The Festival is very special in it’s breadth of concerts -no genre of guitar playing is excluded and the preeminent practitioners from all the areas have appeared .It’s such an honour to be included in this pantheon over the last few years, and my own experiences have been totally positive on all levels-organisation, facilities, hospitality, audiences etc. I am sure that another 20 years beckons -and where will the ever-evolving world of guitar playing be then? Wherever the instrument goes it’s a certain bet that the Wirral Festival will be championing and presenting it to a new generation of fans.”
www.johnetheridge.com
Lucky Ranku
Lucky Ranku, regarded by many as Africa’s greatest jazz guitarist, possesses a fearsome technique and dynamic attack on the fret board quite unlike any other African guitarist. His multi-faceted music is high on quality and ideas and with his groups he creates music that stirs the heads, the hands and most definitely the feet.
“I enjoy playing at the guitar festival. Over the years I have presented a big band with the African Jazz Allstars, a small acoustic guitar group with The African Guitar Masters, a duo with vocalist Pinise Saul and African funk with The Township Express. The festival means so much to me and I have always appreciated the fact that I was offered the possibility to present a different project every time. The audience is brilliant, responsive and encouraging and I am very much looking forward to my visit this year with Pinise Saul and our South African rhythm section. We are planning to transform the club into a vibrant South African Township party.”
www.joyfulnoise.co.uk
“I enjoy playing at the guitar festival. Over the years I have presented a big band with the African Jazz Allstars, a small acoustic guitar group with The African Guitar Masters, a duo with vocalist Pinise Saul and African funk with The Township Express. The festival means so much to me and I have always appreciated the fact that I was offered the possibility to present a different project every time. The audience is brilliant, responsive and encouraging and I am very much looking forward to my visit this year with Pinise Saul and our South African rhythm section. We are planning to transform the club into a vibrant South African Township party.”
www.joyfulnoise.co.uk
John Williams
John Williams is one of the finest classical guitarists of all time. Even though he has delved into other areas of guitar and music that wouldn't be regarded as "classical guitar", he nevertheless remains as one of its most proficient players.
“The International Guitar Festival of Great Britain is the model of what a Guitar Festival should be - a continuing celebration of the guitar in its many styles, presenting it as an open door to the riches of music from the community at home to traditions and cultures from around the world."
www.johnwilliamsguitar.com
“The International Guitar Festival of Great Britain is the model of what a Guitar Festival should be - a continuing celebration of the guitar in its many styles, presenting it as an open door to the riches of music from the community at home to traditions and cultures from around the world."
www.johnwilliamsguitar.com
