Lenny Breau

Mating Dance of the Cosmic Pandas

by Patrick Burnette
September 5, 2019

It's all things twangin' and screaming this time, as the boys look at four albums by guitarists. Some settle for six strings, some demand four, but all are one shade of awesome or another... and some make pretty impressive O-faces. The boys then each pick their three favorite guitarists, and the results may surprise you. Once the pickin' and a strummin' is dispensed with, Prince's Originals gets a thorough-look at from two guys who know eighties music 'cause they lived ...

One Long Tune: The Life And Music of Lenny Breau

by Elliott Simon
August 13, 2006

One Long Tune: The Life And Music Of Lenny Breau Ron Forbes-Roberts University of North Texas Press ISBN:157441210 Born on the cusp of the beat and hippie generations, guitarist Lenny Breau epitomized both but fit into neither. Hailed by many as the greatest guitarist of all time, he remains largely unknown outside of guitar circles and his murder at the age of 43 in 1984 is still unsolved. One Long Tune is an in-depth ...

Lenny Breau: Swingin' on a Seven-String

by John Kelman
June 25, 2005

While guitarist Lenny Breau's innovations may not seem so significant now, he was like a bolt of lightning when he emerged in the '70s out of Manitoba, Canada. A true self-accompanist who integrated virtuosic skills in jazz, country, and flamenco into an unmistakable voice, Breau made his guitar sound like an ensemble. Legend has it that Chet Atkins was walking down the hall of a Nashville studio and, hearing music coming out of one of the rooms, said to himself, ...

Lenny Breau: The Hallmark Sessions

by Elliott Simon
November 16, 2003

Following the reissue of Lenny Breau's Complete Living Room Tapes, Art of Life Records has released another CD of historical import and musical excellence. Recorded in 1961, The Hallmark Sessions are the heretofore unreleased first studio recordings of this guitarist who most capably fused classical, flamenco, and country finger picking with contemporary jazz. Seven of the thirteen unique cuts feature a trio consisting of 20-year-old Breau, 17-year-old bassist Rick Danko and 21-year-old drummer Levon Helm. The sound quality, aside from ...

Lenny Breau & Brad Terry: The Complete Living Room Tapes

by Elliott Simon
April 16, 2003

Guitarist Lenny Breau's short life (1941-1984) is a movie waiting to be made. Before his still unsolved murder, he was able to bring a new voice to the guitar by adapting country fingerpicking technique to the intricacies of modern jazz. A Breau hallmark was his highly developed ability to play bass, chords and single notes concurrently - in effect having a trio in his right hand.

The newly re-released Complete Living Room Tapes, with clarinetist Brad Terry, ...

Lenny Breau: 7-String Swing

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
June 1, 2020

In August 1982, Canadian jazz guitarist Lenny Breau was in Nashville to record, of all things, a country album. Or rather, a guitar album with Western Swing sensibilities. For the studio session, Breau played a seven-string guitar and a six-string electric guitar. He was backed by the legendary Buddy Emmons on pedal-steel guitar, Jim Ferguson on bass and Kenny Malone on drums. The seven-string guitar is unusual and adds a string to the more common six-string setup. The extra string ...
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Lenny Breau and Brad Terry

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
May 5, 2020

Back in October 1978, guitarist Lenny Breau and clarinetist Brad Terry found themselves in the living room of Terry's mother's farmhouse in Maine. A tape recorder was there as well. Breau and Terry decided to record several songs. Both musicians were so proficient, the results sounded as if they had rehearsed in advance of the farmhouse session. In fact, they didn't. Over a series of visits by Breau to the house, the pair completed 23 tracks in the living room ...
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Lenny Breau and Ron Halldorson

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
January 8, 2018

Few guitarists are as admired by fans and musicians alike as Lenny Breau. He played a 12-string electric guitar with a natural swing and elegance. treating the instrument like a piano. He'd play single-note melody lines while accompanying himself with chords, much the way a jazz pianist performs on the keyboard. Except with Breau, what you heard sounded like two guitarists playing a duet. Born in Maine, Breau's family moved to New Brunswick in Canada in the late 1940s. His ...
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The Tragic Life of Lenny Breau

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 4, 2013

Jazz guitarist Lenny Breau was born in Maine in 1941 to parents who were country music performers. According to Wikipedia, he began playing guitar at age 8 and soon became a member of his parents' band after they moved to Canada. In 1959, his father slapped him in the face for playing jazz improvisation on stage, and Breau left to start his career, living in various Canadian cities.  In 1976, he moved to the U.S., living in Nashville, Maine and ...
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Lenny Breau Radio Documentary Online

Source: Michael Ricci
September 21, 2009

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On the Trail of Lenny Breau - On CBC Radio

Source: Michael Ricci
September 8, 2009

CBC Radio's unique weekly program called “Inside the Music"(hosted by Patti Schmidt) presents a documentary / soundscape focusing on Lenny Breau's music - keeping true to his character as much as possible, through his playing (some rarities and never before heard stuff), his voice (via archives), and narration by his son Chet Breau.

Also featured are the voices of Chet Atkins and Darcy Cotten. Produced by John Klepko

Sunday, September 13, 2009 3:00 p.m. ET - on CBC ...
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Lenny Breau & Brad Terry-"Live at the Maine Festival" DVD Video on Art of Life Records

Source: All About Jazz
April 23, 2009

Lenny Breau & Brad Terry-Live at the Maine Festival Art of Life Records DVD Video Now available.

This rare video performance, which was recorded live at the Maine Festival at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine on August 2nd, 1980, features the only known existing video footage of Lenny Breau playing his acoustic seven-string guitar.

Lenny and Brad perform two popular Jazz standards, “Emily" by Mercer & Mandel and “Autumn Leaves" by Prevert, Mercer & Kosma. The DVD Bonus Features include ...
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Buddy Emmons & Lenny Breau-"Minors Aloud" CD on Art of Life Records

Source: All About Jazz
May 10, 2005

Buddy Emmons & Lenny Breau-"Minors Aloud" CD on Art of Life Records Originally released in 1978 on Flying Fish Records and now available on CD for the first time!! Art of Life Records is proud to announce our latest CD release. Buddy Emmons & Lenny Breau-"Minors Aloud" AL1014-2 “Minors Aloud" was recorded at Pete's Place in Nashville, Tennessee on August 7th & 8th, 1978 and originally released the same year on LP on Flying Fish Records. The album features several ...
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Lenny Breau-"Swingin' on a Seven-String" CD on Art of Life Records

Source: All About Jazz
February 17, 2005

Art of Life Records is proud to announce our latest CD release. Lenny Breau-"Swingin' on a Seven-String" AL1013-2 Featuring: Buddy Emmons, Jim Ferguson and Kenny Malone. “Swingin' on a Seven-String" was recorded on August 12th & 25th in 1982 and originally released in 1984 as “When Lightn' Strikes" on LP. In addition to being the last studio album that Lenny Breau recorded before his untimely death ...
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Lenny Breau, Don Francks, Eon Henstridge Release "At the Purple Onion" on Art of Life Records

Source: All About Jazz
September 2, 2004

Art of Life Records is proud to announce our latest CD release.

Lenny Breau, Don Francks, Eon Henstridge-"At The Purple Onion" AL1009-2

Following in the footsteps of Lenny Breau's-"The Hallmark Sessions" CD (Art of Life AL1007-2), “At The Purple Onion" captures Lenny performing in a live trio date recorded at the Purple Onion club in Toronto, Canada in August of 1962. This 68-minute previously unreleased live recording features Canadian singer/actor Don Francks on vocals and acoustic bassist Eon Henstridge. The ...
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