Jay Soto
Encyclopedia
Jay Soto is an American
smooth jazz
guitarist
.
Soto is best known for his proficiency in guitar, however he is also an accomplished pianist
and vocalist.
In 2004, Jay won the local, district and regional rounds in Guitar Center’s “Guitarmageddon” competition. This lead him to the finals held at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar festival in Dallas, Texas where he finished as one of the top guitarists in the nation.
Also in 2004, Jay sang The Star-Spangled Banner
for the United States President at the Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Arizona.
In 2005, Jay released his first album, Long Time Coming.
In 2007, Soto signed with the Smooth Jazz label, Nu Groove.
Soto's self-produced debut led to his meeting producers Jeff Lorber
and Paul Brown, who helped produce Jay's second album, Stay Awhile.
Jay's 2007 single, Slammin, was listed in the top 5 on RadioAndRecords.com Smooth Jazz Chart
Jay had song placements in HBO's Sex and the City
and is a favorite on The Weather Channel
, and has been featured in publications such as JazzTimes
and 20th Century Guitar Magazine.
He's also played or worked with industry greats, Michael Lington
, Jeff Lorber
, Paul Brown
, Marion Meadows
, Euge Groove
, Jeffrey Osborne
, Craig Chaquico
, Darren Rahn, Acoustic Alchemy
, Peter White
and many others.
Stay Awhile (2007)
Mesmerized (2009)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
.
Soto is best known for his proficiency in guitar, however he is also an accomplished pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and vocalist.
Biography
At age 5, Jay began studying drums followed by classical piano at age 7. It wasn't until age 12 that Jay found his favorite instrument, the guitar. Since then, Jay's interest in music has grown immensely.In 2004, Jay won the local, district and regional rounds in Guitar Center’s “Guitarmageddon” competition. This lead him to the finals held at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar festival in Dallas, Texas where he finished as one of the top guitarists in the nation.
Also in 2004, Jay sang The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
for the United States President at the Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Arizona.
In 2005, Jay released his first album, Long Time Coming.
In 2007, Soto signed with the Smooth Jazz label, Nu Groove.
Soto's self-produced debut led to his meeting producers Jeff Lorber
Jeff Lorber
Jeff Lorber is an American Grammy Award-nominated keyboardist, composer, and record producer.After leading his own group, The Jeff Lorber Fusion, he went on to pioneer the smooth jazz genre....
and Paul Brown, who helped produce Jay's second album, Stay Awhile.
Jay's 2007 single, Slammin, was listed in the top 5 on RadioAndRecords.com Smooth Jazz Chart
Jay had song placements in HBO's Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
and is a favorite on The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel is a US cable and satellite television network since May 2, 1982, that broadcasts weather forecasts and weather-related news, along with entertainment programming related to weather 24 hours a day...
, and has been featured in publications such as JazzTimes
JazzTimes
JazzTimes is a magazine that dates back to Radio Free Jazz, a publication founded in 1970 by Ira Sabin when he was operating a record store in Washington, DC. It was originally a newsletter designed to update shoppers on the latest jazz releases and provide jazz radio programmers with a means of...
and 20th Century Guitar Magazine.
He's also played or worked with industry greats, Michael Lington
Michael Lington
Michael Lington is a contemporary jazz saxophonist and recording artist.Lington plays a distinctive contemporary saxophone leaning strongly towards the pop side of jazz. He reaches a younger demographic than traditional jazz listeners and is emerging as a contemporary face of jazz.Born in...
, Jeff Lorber
Jeff Lorber
Jeff Lorber is an American Grammy Award-nominated keyboardist, composer, and record producer.After leading his own group, The Jeff Lorber Fusion, he went on to pioneer the smooth jazz genre....
, Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
, Marion Meadows
Marion Meadows
Marion Meadows is an American tenor saxophonist, soprano saxophonist, composer, and smooth jazz recording artist of Native American, African American and Caucasian descent. Meadows has released a total of 9 albums to date.-Upbringing:...
, Euge Groove
Euge Groove
Steven Eugene Grove , better known as Euge Groove, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist with a strong Top-40 background....
, Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Linton Osborne is an American funk and R&B musician, songwriter, lyricist, and former lead singer of the band, L.T.D.-Early life and career:...
, Craig Chaquico
Craig Chaquico
Craig Chaquico is an American guitarist of Portuguese and Native American descent. He has had over thirty years of success in a variety of genres: in the 1970s with the post-Summer of Love Jefferson Starship, in that band's 1980s incarnation, Starship, and in the 1990s and 2000s as a...
, Darren Rahn, Acoustic Alchemy
Acoustic Alchemy
Acoustic Alchemy is an English contemporary instrumental and smooth jazz band formed in England in the early 1980s , originally fronted by acoustic guitarists Nick Webb and Simon James...
, Peter White
Peter White (musician)
Peter White is a smooth jazz and jazz fusion guitarist. He also plays the accordion and the piano. His brother, Danny White, was one of the original members who formed the UK based band Matt Bianco.-Career:...
and many others.
Albums
Long Time Coming (2005)Stay Awhile (2007)
Mesmerized (2009)