Louis Stewart (5 January 1944 – 20 August 2016) was an Irish

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

guitarist.

Life and career

Born in

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

, Ireland, Stewart grew up in Dublin. He began playing guitar when he was thirteen, influenced by guitarists

Les Paul Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, and his prototype ...

and

Barney Kessel Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Known in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups a ...

. Stewart began his professional career performing in Dublin showbands. In 1968, he won an award as the most outstanding soloist at the

Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...

. Soon after, he spent three years with

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His co ...

. Stewart recorded his debut album, ''Louis the First'' in Dublin, and then recorded in London with

Billy Higgins Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Biography Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, be ...

Peter Ind Peter Ind (20 July 1928 – 20 August 2021) was a British jazz double bassist and record producer. Early life Ind was born in Middlesex. His father was a builder. Ind began to learn the violin at the age of eight and played in his school orches ...

, Sam Jones,

Red Mitchell Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell (September 20, 1927 – November 8, 1992) was an American jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet. Biography Mitchell was born in New York City. His younger brother, Whitey Mitchell, also became a jazz ba ...

, and

Spike Robinson Henry Bertholf "Spike" Robinson (January 16, 1930 – October 29, 2001) was a jazz tenor saxophonist. He began playing at age twelve, recording on several labels, including Discovery, Hep and Concord. However, he sought an engineering degree and ...

. From the mid to late 1970s, he worked with

George Shearing Sir George Albert Shearing, (13 August 1919 14 February 2011) was a British jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for Discovery Records, MGM Records and Capitol Records. Shearing was the composer of over 300 t ...

, touring America, Brazil, and playing European festivals, and recording eight albums, including several for the MPS label in a virtuosic trio with Shearing and the Danish bassist

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (, 27 May 1946 – 19 April 2005), also known by his abbreviated nickname NHØP, was a Danish jazz double bassist. Biography Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, the son of ...

. Stewart has also appeared on albums by Joe Williams and

J. J. Johnson J.J. Johnson (January 22, 1924 – February 4, 2001), born James Louis Johnson and also known as Jay Jay Johnson, was an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. Johnson was one of the earliest trombonists to embrace bebop. Biograph ...

, and worked with many other jazz musicians. In 1981, ahead of his debut in the U.S. as a leader, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' stated, "Mr. Stewart seems to have his musical roots in bebop. He leans toward material associated with Charlie Parker and he spins out single-note lines that flow with an unhurried grace, colored by sudden bright, lively chorded phrases. His up-tempo virtuosity is balanced by a laid-back approach to ballads, which catches the mood of the piece without sacrificing the rhythmic emphasis that keeps it moving." Stewart was prominently featured in Norman Mongan's book, ''The History Of The Guitar In Jazz'', in a chapter devoted to guitarists who were considered to be contemporary masters (along with players such as Jim Hall, Pat Martino, and George Benson). In a review of Stewart's live album ''Overdrive'' (Hep, 1993),

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

stated, "Louis Stewart is one of the all-time greats, and it is obvious from the first notes he plays on any occasion". Stewart received an honorary doctorate from

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

, Dublin, in 1998. In 2009, he was elected to

Aosdána Aosdána ( , ; from , 'people of the arts') is an Irish association of artists. It was created in 1981 on the initiative of a group of writers with support from the country's Arts Council. Membership, which is by invitation from current member ...

, an Irish affiliation of people engaged in literature, music, and visual arts that was established by the

Irish Arts Council The Arts Council (sometimes called the Arts Council of Ireland; legally ga, An Chomhairle Ealaíon) is the independent "Irish government agency for developing the arts." About It was established in 1951 by the Government of Ireland, to encour ...

in 1981 to honour those whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the creative arts in Ireland. In 2015, Stewart was diagnosed with cancer and died on 20 August 2016 in

Harold's Cross Harold's Cross () is an affluent urban village and inner suburb on the south side of Dublin, Ireland in the postal district D6W. The River Poddle runs through it, though largely in an underground culvert, and it holds a major cemetery, Mount ...

, Dublin, at the age of 72.

Discography

As leader

* ''Louis the First'' (Hawk, 1975) * ''Baubles, Bangles and Beads'' with

(Wave, 1975) * ''Out on His Own'' (Livia, 1976) * ''Milesian Source'' (Pye, 1977) * ''Drums And Friends'' (Livia, 1978) * ''Alone Together'' with Brian Dunning (Livia, 1979) * ''I Thought About You'' (Livia, 1979) * ''Louis Stewart and the Red Lion Trio'' (Decibelle, France, 1980) * ''Acoustic Guitar Duets (Super Sessions)'' with Martin Taylor (Jardis, 1985) * ''Good News'' (Villa, 1986) * ''String Time'' (Villa, 1988/1990) * ''Serious Jazz'' (Livia, 1989) * ''Winter Song'' with Heiner Franz (Jardis, 1990) * ''In a Mellow Tone'' with Heiner Franz (Jardis, 1992) * ''Louis Stewart Quartet (feat. Michael Moore)'' (Cecilia, 1992) * ''Joycenotes'' (Villa, 1993) * ''Overdrive'' (Hep, 1993) * ''I Wished On the Moon'' with Heiner Franz (Jardis, 1999) * ''GIFT''(w/Bill Charlap) (Ashbrown, 2000) * ''Street of Dreams'' with Heiner Franz (Jardis, 2001) * ''Road Song'' (Villa, 2002?) * ''Core Business'' with Egil Kapstad, Terje Venaas, Eyvind Olsen (Villa, 2004) * ''Angel Eyes'' (Blau, 2006) * ''You've Changed'' w/Frank Harrison Trio (Desert Island, 2007) * ''Tunes'' (Beechpark, 2013) * ''Live in London'' (Blau, 2016)

As sideman

With

Tubby Hayes Edward Brian "Tubby" Hayes (30 January 1935 – 8 June 1973) was an English jazz multi-instrumentalist, best known for his tenor saxophone playing in groups with fellow sax player Ronnie Scott and with trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar. Early life H ...

(1968–69) * ''England's Late Jazz Great'' (IAJRC, released 1987) * ''200% Proof'' (Master Mix, released 1992) * ''Rumpus Savage'' (Solweig, released 2015) * ''The Syndicate: Live at the Hopbine 1968 Vol.1'' (Gearbox, released 2015) * ''Grits, Beans and Greens'' (Fontana, released 2019) With

* ''Windows'' (MPS, 1977) * ''500 Miles High'' (MPS, 1977) * ''Getting in the Swing of Things'' (MPS, 1979) * ''On Target'' (MPS, 1980) * ''How Beautiful Is Night'' (Telarc, 1992) * ''That Shearing Sound'' (Telarc, 1994) * ''Paper Moon'' (Telarc, 1995) With others *

Agnes Bernelle Agnes Bernelle (born Agnes Elisabeth Bernauer; 7 March 1923 – 15 February 1999) was a Berlin-born expatriate actress and singer, who lived in England for many years, then Ireland. She appeared in over 20 films and also made stage and televisio ...

, ''Bernelle On Brecht and...'' (Midnite Music, 1977) *

Cafe Society A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...

, ''Cafe Society'' (Konk, 1975) * Mary Coughlan, ''Long Honeymoon'' (Evangeline, 2001) *

Laila Dalseth Laila Dalseth (born 6 November 1940) is a Norwegian jazz singer. She was formerly married to the jazz saxophonist Theodor "Totti" Bergh (1935–2012). Career After an early debut in her hometown of Bergen, Dalseth was active on the Oslo jazz ...

, ''Daydreams'' (Hot Club/Gemini, 1984) * Kevin Dean, ''Venous Lake'' (Gemini, 1998) * Jim Doherty, ''Spondance'' (Livia, 1986) *

Yvonne Elliman Yvonne Marianne Elliman (born December 29, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who performed for four years in the first cast of the stage musical ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. She scored a number of hits in the 1970s and achieved ...

, ''Yvonne Elliman'' (Decca, 1972) *

, ''Benny Goodman in Concert'' (Decca, 1971) * London Jazz Chamber Group/

Ken Moule Kenneth John Moule (26 June 1925 – 27 January 1986) was an English jazz pianist, best known as a composer and arranger. Biography Moule was born in Barking, Essex, the only child of Frederick and Ethal Moule. Early childhood illness, which ...

, ''Adam's Rib Suite'' (Ember, 1970) *

, Robert Farnon, ''Tangence'' (Gitanes, 1994) * Len McCarthy ''Len McCarthy & The Guinness Jazz All-Stars'' (Livia, 1986) * Maurice Meunier (clarinette), Louis Stewart (guitar), Michel Gaudry (contrebasse), ’’Paris - Dublin'’ (Bloomdido, France, 1986) *

Doug Raney Doug Raney (August 29, 1956 – May 1, 2016) was an American jazz guitarist. He was the son of jazz guitarist Jimmy Raney. Career Raney was born in New York City. He began to play the guitar when he was 14, beginning with rock and blues. He was ...

, Heiner Franz, Maarten Van Der Grinten, Frederic Sylvestre, ''The European Jazz Guitar Orchestra'' (Jardis, 1993) *

, ''Three for the Road'' (Hep, 1989) *

, ''A Real Corker'' (Capri, 1991) *

Dickie Rock Richard "Dickie" Rock (born 10 October 1936) is an Irish singer. He experienced much success on the Irish charts during the 1960s, but has continued on as a popular live act as well as occasionally hitting the charts ever since. Early fame Rock ...

, ''Just for Old Times Sake'' (Jewel, 1982) *

Ronnie Scott Ronnie may refer to: *Ronnie (name), a unisex pet name and given name * "Ronnie" (Four Seasons song), a song by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe *"Ronnie," a song from the Metallica album '' Load'' *Ronnie Brunswijkstadion, an association football stadium ...

, ''Serious Gold'' (Pye, 1977) *

Clark Terry Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator. He played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948–51), Duke ...

, ''At the Montreux Jazz Festival'' (Polydor, 1970) *

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...

Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English lyricist and author. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ' ...

, ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' (MCA, 1970) * Joe Williams, ''Here's to Life'' (Telarc, 1993)

References

Sources

*Feather/Gitler, ''Encyclopedia of Jazz'', Oxford University Press, 2007,

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Louis 1944 births 2016 deaths Irish guitarists Irish jazz guitarists Irish male guitarists People from Waterford (city) Male jazz musicians