Renowned for his mature, melodic sound and elegant, lyrical style of writing and playing, guitarist Garrison Fewell has established himself as a distinctive voice throughout his 30-year career. Critics have called him "one of today’s most personal guitar players" (Boston Phoenix), "an assured stylist with a strong sense of tradition" (The New Yorker), "a player of virtuosity and swinging intensity" (UPI), and "refined, passionate, and inspiring" (Guitar Player). His diverse discography, beginning with 1993’s Boston Music Award-winning "A Blue Deeper Than the Blue" (Accurate), counts multiple titles ranked on best of the year lists in publications like Coda, Guitar Player, Musica Jazz, and his hometown Philadelphia Inquirer. The long list of prominent Fewell sidemen on record includes pianists Fred Hersch, Jim McNeely and George Cables, bassists Cecil McBee and Steve LaSpina, and drummer Matt Wilson to name just a few. 

In the last several years, Garrison has expanded beyond the modern-mainstream sound to play "free" and improvised music with artists such as vibist Khan Jamal and saxophonist John Tchicai. He has recorded an upcoming release, “Big Chief Dreaming”, for Soul Note Records, featuring John Tchicai.

As a leader, Garrison has performed at NYC's Blue Note and Birdland Jazz Clubs, and toured in the US, South America, Africa, Caribbean, Canada and Europe. He has played at major jazz festivals such as Montreux, North Sea, Umbria, Clusone, Veneto Jazz, Copenhagen, Krakow, Budapaest, Quebec, Cape Verde, Africa, and Asuncion, Paraguay. He has performed with renowned artists such Tal Farlow, Larry Coryell, Benny Golson, Billy Harper, John Tchicai, Zbigniew Namyslowski, Steve Grossman, Herbie Hancock, Fred Hersch, Hal Galper, George Cables, Cecil McBee, Buster Williams, Miroslav Vitous, Steve LaSpina, Cameron Brown, Harvie Swartz, Michael Formanek, Tim Hagans, Cecil Bridgewater, Kenny Wheeler, Jimmy Owens, Dusko Goykovich, Khan Jamal, Norma Winstone, Jay Clayton, and Slide Hampton.

An internationally respected jazz educator, Fewell has been a Professor of Guitar and Ear Training at Boston’s Berklee College of Music since 1977 and has given clinics at more than 40 prestigious conservatories in Europe alone, authored a textbook called Jazz Improvisation, and served as a lesson contributor to Guitar Player, Guitar Club and Axe magazines.

Active Ensembles:

Garrison Fewell Quartet featuring George Cables

Garrison Fewell Trio featuring Khan Jamal and Cameron Brown

Garrison Fewell Trio featuring Attilio Zanchi and Gianni Cazzola

John Tchicai/Garrison Fewell Quintet (debut release forthcoming on Soul Note)

John Tchicai/Charlie Kohlhase/Garrison Fewell Trio