Neil Jacobs "World 12-String Guitar" Guitarist from Grand Haven, MI

"For more than 25 years Jacobs has circumnavigated the globe performing his exotic hybrid of gypsy jazz, flamenco, and Eastern European Folk on solo 12-string guitar" - Guitar Player Magazine. A masterful performer on the 12 string acoustic guitar with his own ingenious style that the St. Louis Riverfront Times describes as "mesmerizing" and the Austin Chronicle describes as "the rockin'est since early Leo Kottke". Neil covers the world vibe with influences of Gypsy, World, Balkan Folk, Classical and Modern Fingerstyle, while transforming his 12-string acoustic guitar into his own personal orchestra. Neil draws inspiration from his mind-boggling world travels and experiences, and shares his fascinating stories with his audience. "Imagine Russian cowboy music! Imagine flamenco joined with Balkan dances! Imagine one guy doing all that while sounding like a whole orchestra!" - The Cleveland Sun Messenger "He does everything to that guitar but give it an herbal massage" - Livingston Taylor "He came out alone and sounded like everything from a guitar to a symphony orchestra" - Jay Ungar "Modern Fingerstyle that's sure to send chills up and down your spine." - "Cool Cleveland" "Neil brings to mind John Fahey traveling through strange and exotic lands" - Windham Hill Recordings " One of the most dazzling solo performances imaginable" - The North Coast Voice "The 'Cowboy Medley' alone is worth the price of admission" - The Lincoln Theater "Think classical 12-string guitar is boring? Well, it can be, but in the hands of international musician Neil Jacobs, it is anything but!" "It's classical 12-string guitar with a sense of humor" - The Howmet Theater "Jacobs' virtuosity is unmistakable" - Dayton Daily News "Jacobs has the ability to make his 12-string sound like 24 strings being played by three people" - Akron Beacon Journal "a superb 12 string guitar virtuoso" Libra Radio, Slovenia "Neil Jacobs is a virtuoso on the 12-string guitar, with a beautiful and varied guitar tone palette" Marc Nolis, editor - "Mazz Muzikas", Belgium "For over twenty-five years, this award-winning performer and composer has toured the world, bringing a whole new emotional and spiritual virtuosity to the instrument." F.A.M.E Review "Jacobs' mastery of the instrument is magical" - The New Age Reporter "From jigs to jazz Jacobs gives you high speed harmonics and arrangements that keep your feet moving." - Austin Chronicle "Jacobs covers the world vibe on his extraordinary 12-string, fusing flamenco, Celt, Balkan, Greek, jazz and gypsy.. ." - Mike Jurovic, Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange "Low-key humor, without crassness or politics, and a kind-hearted disposition, create a personal connection between Neil and his audience. One leaves the concert feeling blessed by his spirit, soothed and healed by his musicality, and amazed/stunned by his technique." - Dan Anderson Music Blog Neil's performance history is startlingly unconventional. It began in Moscow in 1985, as guest of state, and a witness to a very historic moment of transformation in the Soviet Union. He returned the next year performing on "Cowboy Television Specials" for hundreds of millions in Eastern Europe, and he never looked back. When the wall came down, Neil wasted no time and returned to Eastern Europe, studying and performing in Poland, Czech Republic, and the Balkans. His fascination with the Gypsy music of Eastern Europe and the Balkans led to the creation of "American Gypsy", in which he draws from his first hand knowledge of Eastern European Gypsy, Balkan and World Folk music to create his riveting compositions. The "American Gypsy" CD was nominated "Album of the Year" in the 2001 "American Independent Music Awards". Neil studied with the Gypsies of Spain as part of a special cultural exchange grant in 1995, the same year he was voted "Outstanding Folk Instrumentalist" at the Columbus Music Awards. He then resided in Seville, Spain for over a year before returning. He then rejoined the acclaimed Balkan group, Zivili, on an amazing refugee camp tour of the war-torn Balkans, including performances in Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia, and Sarajevo. As a result of this experience, Neil produced his more pensive second CD, "World Blue". Later that year he returned to Bulgaria to teach as part of UNESCO's Balkan Youth Reclamation Program, and then was invited to Budapest to study and perform. In 2003 accepted a temporary teaching position as Associate Professor of Gypsy/Balkan music and history at Alfred University in New York. His most recent release, "12 String Guitar", is an homage to the classic instrument and features striking array of styles and concert favorites. "12-String Guitar" was recently nominated "Best Solo Guitar CD at the JPF Music Awards in Nashville.

• Many Original Compositions | Neil Jacobs
• The William Tell Overture | Rossini
• Bolero | Ravel
• Misirlou | Balkan Traditional
• Talijanska | Goran Bregovich
• Chardash Z | Hungarian/Croatian Folk
• Hungarian Dance #5 | Brahms
• Frailach (+ more) | Klezmer
• U Stambolu na Bosforu | Bosnian Sevadalinka music
• Bitola / Ripna Maca + others | Macedonian & Serbian Folk Music
• Speak Softly Love (from the Godfather) | Nina Rota
• Greensleves | traditional
• Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy | Tchaikovsky
• Funeral March of a Marionette | Charles Gounoud
• Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring | Bach
• Hungarian Rhapsody (Rhapsody Rabbit arrangement") | Lizst
• Sukar Rom | Roma traditional
• Those Were the days | Ukrainian Folk/Gypsy
• La Serenissima | Loreena McKennitt
• Ripna Maca (+many others) | Serbian
• Dajcevo | Bulgarian Folk Dance
• Croatian Folk Music | Croatia