Steve Somers Acoustic Guitarist from Ann Arbor, MI

Steve Somers specializes in solo jazz and classical guitar performance. Mr. Somers holds a masters degree in music from Eastern Michigan University and has been active as both performer and teacher for over thirty years. A female vocalist and/or sax-male vocals may be added for certain occasions. Song selection includes jazz standards, popular tunes and classical pieces. Please see full bio below. Steve - Your playing couldn't have been more perfect, thank you! My bookkeeper will be here Thursday and we'll get a check in the mail by Friday. Warmly, Peri (Student Advocacy Center of Michigan Fund Raiser Nov. 2012) Steve, I've been enjoying your disc and admire your vast musical range from the Baroque to the Blues... Rich Kowalewski Steve's work is absolutely beautiful.. it is go for sure...thanks! Jerry Xu President, Detroit Chinese Business Association Steven Somers (b. 1954) Steven Somers was born in New York City. His family moved to Ann Arbor, Mi in 1962 for two years and then Berkeley, Ca where his father taught Sociology and Statistics at U of M and then UC Berkeley. Formal guitar lessons began at age nine and private teachers included Jimmy Luttrell, Jack Eskridge, Dave Creamer (Miles Davis) and George Barnes (one of the first recording artists to use an electric guitar). Mr. Somers mostly focused on jazz, blues and popular styles until 1979 when he relocated to the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti, Mi area and began study with classical guitarist Nelson Amos at Eastern Michigan University receiving a bachelors degree in 1984 in classical guitar music performance. He also studied music composition with Anthony Iacconne, William Albright, Andrew MacDonald and George Wilson. Mr. Somers has written numerous compositions for guitar, piano, brass, woodwinds, strings and chamber orchestra. He received his masters degree from EMU in 1986 in music theory/composition. In 1990 Mr. Somers had a renewed interest in becoming a band leader again and formed the Steve Somers Band which specialized in blues, R & B and jazz styles. They performed at many major festivals, clubs and concerts and vocalist Valerie Barrymore became his wife in 1998. They have three beautiful girls now ages 10, 13 and 15 who are talented at dance, flute, piano and vocals. Mr. Somers wrote music for the group and also did the arranging for the horn section. The Steve Somers Band was nominated for numerous Detroit Music Awards in 1999 and 2000 and still performs on occasion at private parties and festivals. Mr. Somers began teaching private guitar lessons as early as 1972 and had many students in California and now Michigan. Currently he is teaching music classes at the Washtenaw Community College Extension Campus which has a community program for students between the ages of 5 and 15. Mr. Somers has developed techniques for teaching young people how to play, read and write music at a very early age. Continuing to offer private lessons, he is currently accepting students for guitar, keyboards, music theory, composition and recording. During the 1990's Mr. Somers formed a music production company called Alley Records. The company does recording, cd pressing, audio post-production, graphics and equipment sales. It is during this time that Mr. Somers became a recording engineer and music producer which came naturally after all the years of experience in the music business. Mr. Somers is currently preparing for a concert series of solo classical-jazz guitar recitals. His program includes early music from the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical time periods, jazz and South American music and his own compositions. His music has wide ranging influences from jazz to contemporary classical and the intimate nature of the guitar is the perfect instrument for this beautiful and expressive music. Concerts will be held at venues such as the Kerrytown Concert House, museums, libraries, churches and schools. At some locations an additional lecture and/or master class will also be offered. Mr. Somers new CD "Solo Guitar" is in it's final stages and will be available during the concert series.

• Moon River | Mancini
• Alfie
• Killer Joe
• Summertime | Gershwin
• More
• Crazy | Patsy Cline
• Breezin' | George Benson
• This Masquerade
• Pachelbel's Canon | Pachelbel
• Turkish Rondo | Amadeus Mozart
• New York, New York | Frank Sinatra
• Just The Way You Are | Billy Joel
• Moon Dance | Van Morrison
• Spanish Romanza | anon.
• Yesterday | Beatles
• Every Day I Have the Blues
• Meditation
• Shadow of your Smile
• Gymnopedie #3 | Erik Satie
• Prelude #3 | Villa Lobos
• Adelita | Tarrega
• Sunshine of My Life | Stevie Wonder
• My Cherie Amour | Stevie Wonder
• All in Love is Fair | Stevie Wonder
• Wave | Jobim
• Something | Beatles
• Watch What Happens | LeGrand
• Freight Train | Trad.
• Have You Met Miss Jones
• Renaissance Lute Piece | Anon.
• Georgia On My Mind | Ray Charles
• Dust in the Wind | Kansas
• Stairway to Heaven | Led Zeppelin
• Killing Me Softly | Roberta Flack
• My Funny Valentine
• Fly Me To The Moon
• Satin Doll | Duke Ellington
• Silent Night | Seasonal
• Oh Little Town of Bethlehem | Seasonal
• Deck The Halls | Seasonal
• What Child Is This (Greensleeves) | Seasonal
• Manha De Carnival | Louis Bonfa
• Europa | Santana
• And I Lover Her | Beatles
• Lagrima | Tarrega
• Etude #4 | Villa Lobos
• Girl From Ipanema | Jobim
• Sunny | Bobby Hebb
• When Sunny Gets Blue
• Misty | Garner
• Don't Get Around Much | Ellington
• Sophisticated Lady | Ellington
• Gymnopedie #1 | Satie