Soliloquy

Collection Contents

#		Title	Length
1		Simon	5:15	Play
2		Paco	4:46	Play
3		Stefanie's Soliloquy	4:51	Play
4		Cajun	5:44	Play
5		The Leaning Trees of Havi	5:51	Play
6		Amadeus	12:00	Play
7		The Concealed Tear	6:32	Play
8		Seattle Stomp	5:11	Play
9		Kylie	6:13	Play
10		Rama	4:37	Play

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Description

Peter Sprague Bio

Born in Cleveland, Ohio on October 11, 1955, Peter Sprague was raised in Colorado until 1963, when his family moved to Del Mar, California. Inspired by his father's love of jazz, he took up the guitar when he was twelve. By the age of fifteen he was devoting all his time and energy to learning music. He studied with San Diego jazz guitarist Bill Coleman, played in his high school stage band, and formed his first group, the Minor Jazz Quartet.

Following a year's study at the Interlochen Arts Academy, Sprague studied privately and performed around the San Diego area until 1976. That year found him moving to Boston to study with many notable musicians including Pat Metheny, Madam Challof and Albin Czak ( a classical guitarist). Peter returned to San Diego in 1978 and formed a jazz group called The Dance Of The Universe Orchestra that featured Kevyn Lettau, John Leftwich, and Peter's brother, Tripp Sprague on saxophone.

Peter has recorded many of his own albums on the Concord, Xanadu, and SBE record labels and has been a guest artist on many other records. Chick Corea, Hubert Laws, David Benoit, and Sergio Mendes are only but a few of the many great artists Peter has worked with. His debut with the Chick Corea band was a series of concerts at Disneyland on Memorial Day weekend. In a review the following day in the Los Angeles Times, Leonard Feather called Peter "...One of the emergent great guitarists." Peter also worked with Chick on the film score to the movie "The Cat Chasers", starring Kelly McGillis.

Peter is active in the music book world having self-published nine of his own books, (The Sprague Technique, SpragueSongs, Soliloquy Songbook, Blurring the Edges Songbook, BrazilJazz Songbook, Soliloquy Songbook, Jazz Solos of Charlie Parker, Jazz Solos of Sonny Rollins, Jazz Solos of McCoy Tyner, and Assorted Jazz Solos). Peter's The Jazz Solos of Chick Corea is published nationally with Sher Music. Sprague also is the chief organizer and transcriber for Chick Corea's music books. Hal Leonard Publishing has released Chick Corea's Light Years, The Eye Of The Beholder, Inside Out, Chick Corea Collections, Beneath The Mask, and Paint the World, all books executed by Peter.

Peter has been involved with GRP Records on a number of projects. He arraigned Chick Corea's song "Spain" for the GRP All-Star Big Band record and video. This tune was played by the likes of Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, Dave Weckl, Ernie Watts, etc. Peter was featured on David Benoit's GRP releases "Letter To Evan" and "Shaken, Not Stirred". Peter toured with pianist David Benoit worldwide for three years. Also on GRP, Sprague played with Eric Marienthal, Russell Ferante, Jimmy Haslip, Alex Acuna, and Ivan Lins on Eric's GRP record "One Touch".

Sprague taught music at both Musicians Institute in Hollywood and California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles for three years.

Peter currently is involved with a group called "Blurring the Edges" whose self released CD was awarded the best contemporary jazz recording of 1994 from the San Diego Music Awards. Peter also has his hands in producing other artists and has been part of over one hundred CD projects. He runs a recording studio called SpragueLand and this is where you'll find him wearing the hat of producer, engineer, guitar player, and arranger. His latest recordings are called "Soliloquy" and "Nikki's Rose" both released on the SBE Record label. Sprague was voted the Best Jazz Musician of the Year 2000 by the San Diego Music Awards organization. Peter wrote and performed a twentyminute guitar concerto composition in May,2000 with the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra. This piece of music was performed with the San Diego Symphony in May, 2002. Sprague has his own website at www.petersprague.com..

Soliloquy

"I started this recording a long time ago and because of the way life sometimes pours it on, it's taken me to now to complete this adventure. The collection of songs presented here all hold a unique place in my heart. They remind me of people, periods of time, and places. They are my words spoken at the edge of the stage. This is my soliloquy."
Peter Sprague
August, 1996

Musicians:
Peter Sprague: guitars, synths
Tripp Sprague: saxophones
John Opferkuch: piano, synths
Kevin Hennessy: bass
Bob Magnusson: bass
Steve Kujala: flute
Fred Benedetti: guitar
John Minchin: harmonica
Kevyn Lettau: vocals
Robin Adler: vocals
Leonard Patton: vocals
Kylie Sprague: vocal
Randy Brinton: violin
Hernan Constantino: violin
John Stubbs: viola
Rudy Stein: cello
Duncan Moore: drums
Tom Aros: percussion
Jason Hann: percussion
Ron Wagner: percussion

Songs
Simon 5:14 Peter Sprague (Satyam Music / BMI )
Paul Simon's "Graceland" album inspired me to play around with "one, four, and five" type harmonies and the big rhythms.

Paco 4:00 Peter Sprague (Satyam Music / BMI )
Paco de Lucia and his music came to town last year and left such a big impression on me. It was so great. Not just guitar fireworks but the beauty of the Spanish soul. When Kujala and I play live and the tune starts to cook in the minor key, Kujala yells out "PACO"!!!

Stefanie's Soliloquy 4:50 Peter Sprague (Satyam Music / BMI )
This song was a surprise to my wife Stefanie on our wedding day. Her whispers of wisdom and love mean the world to me.

Cajun 5:43 Peter Sprague (Satyam Music / BMI )
The harmonica and the minor chord vamp causes me to wonder about the consequences of Chick Corea vacationing in Louisiana.

The Leaning Trees of Havi 5:50 Peter Sprague (Satyam Music / BMI )
While chasing down the total solar eclipse of 1991 on the big island of Hawaii, I came across a small town in the north called Havi. I pulled the car over, went into the market for some cashews, and watched the trees sway gently back and forth. For a short moment it all made sense.

Amadeus 12:00 Peter Sprague (Satyam Music / BMI )
In 1989 I led a band that brought together a classical string quartet with three jazz musicians. The prevailing question that was constantly posed was "can strings swing?" You be the judge but for my money, these guys tear it up. I dedicate this piece to my mother, Carol Harrington, who took me to the theatrical play "Amadeus" and encouraged me to record this most challenging composition.

The Concealed Tear 6:31 Peter Sprague (Satyam Music / BMI )
The inspiration for this song came to me one evening in Los Angeles after I had played a gig with pianist Billy Childs. His brilliant playing and compositions led me to this melody.

Seattle Stomp 5:11 Peter Sprague (Satyam Music / BMI )
This is a bop tune based on Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" that I composed while on a stint at Jazz Alley in Seattle.

Kylie 6:03 Peter Sprague (Satyam Music / BMI )
In the early days of taking care of our daughter Kylie, amongst the hurricane of activity, every now and then I'd eke out a moment and play the guitar. I'd have only a short time to play before she'd make it clear that the attention was swaying too far from her. Kids! It was in one of those brief interludes that I came up with the opening phrase for this song. This one goes out to my little Jewel of the Galaxy.

Rama 4:35 Peter Sprague (Satyam Music / BMI )
It was 1982 and Kevyn Lettau, brother Tripp, John Leftwich, and I were having a group dinner party on a night off from our steady jazz gig. I pulled out a beach guitar and started playing open "E" chords. An optimistic chant emerged and a few days later I refined the original spirit of that evening into this tune.