·Instrument: Solo Guitar

·Website and music samples: http://markolsonmusic.com

I love working out my own solo guitar arrangements of tunes from “The Great American Songbook,” songs like Skylark, The Nearness of You, Time after Time, I’ve Got Rhythm, and all those great tunes. To play these heartfelt, fun, melodic songs gives me great satisfaction. I adopted solo finger-style (or “chord-melody”) guitar when I lived in a small town and found impossible to find other musicians interested in the same material. I could play rhythm, and I could play the melody, but what I needed to do was figure out how to put the parts together. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. Arranging songs is wonderful creative exercise. These songs weren’t written for solo guitar. I get to figure it out.

My style is great for non-intrusive background music, but I also enjoy playing shows where people come just to listen. I have been hired to play at art shows, outdoor festivals, fund raising events, food drives, private parties, and restaurants. From time to time, I will invite a singer or drummer to perform with me, and that adds nice dimension to fill out a show. If my music is what you need for your special event, formal or casual, please give me a call.