Mitchell Long: Bio
Introduction
I have 24 years professional experience in the music business. I play guitar and sing in both English and Portuguese. I specialize in traditional Jazz and classic Brazilian music, but I am equally experienced in many other styles.
I am available as a solo guitarist, or singing and playing guitar. I also have a Trio, Quartet or Quintet ready for all types of events and venues: concert, recording, club, bar, restaurant, private parties, corporate events and weddings. I know how to captivate a concert audience, get people up and dancing, or play the correct background music volume for each room.
I feel my musicianship is exhilarating to experience live, and captivates the average listener, or the musician’s musician. My goal is to express myself honestly and hopefully capture the attention of the listener and give them a piece of my soul and share my journey in life through music.
My home is in Los Angeles. I am currently composing, recording and performing my own original music with my trio. I record and tour with the popular Cape Verdean singer Maria de Barros. I also freelance in the studio or on stage with various artists: Katia Moraes, Pure Samba, Tita Lima, Renni Flores, Marta Santamaria, Billy Kent, La Choro Ensemble, Roger Espinoza, Red Jerios, Robert Kyle, and Braziliando, Jurassic 5, and Sergio Mendes.
I am now taking private students. My focus is on classic Jazz and Brazilian guitar styles with an emphasis on understanding strong groove and rhythm concepts.
History
I was born to an art and musical heritage: my Grandmother was a music teacher, my mother Mary Ellen Long is a fine artist who plays classical piano. I began playing the guitar at age eight. I started playing folksongs then got into rock, blues, bluegrass, Motown and R&B. I consider myself to be a self taught or “learn-by-doing” musician, but serious interest in Jazz took me to Berklee College of Music in Boston: 1981-82’ and Naropa Institute 1983-85’ I have taken lessons privately with Peter Sprague, Joe Pass, Jimmy Ponder, Rene Heredia, Fred Hess, Art Lande, Bill Douglas, Meia Noite, Bill Summers, and Michael Spiro.
My professional career as an acoustic and electric guitarist, bass payer, singer, percussionist, and teacher has taken me on a musical odyssey: working in jazz, with big bands or combos, roots style samba, blues, funk, pop, rock, world music, salsa, bolero, flamenco, classical musicians, singers, or bands throughout Europe, Canada, Brazil, the Caribbean and the United States. I have taught privately at home or through CU Boulder and Naropa institute.
While living in San Diego, Boulder, NYC, Spain, and Los Angeles I played or recorded with Sergio Mendes, Usher, Vinx, Ozomatli, Ron Miles, Claudio Roditi, Herbie Mann, Dr Lonnie Smith, Paul Mcandless, George Howard, Art Lande, Peter Sprague, Claudio Slon, Rudy Love and the Love Family, The Organ Grinders, Pat Bianci, Pau Brasil, Hazel Miller, Brad Upton, Nelson Rangel, Mary Ann Moore, Bill Summers, Angela Hagenbach, Michele Shocked, Rare Silk, Nathan Watts, Mark Soskin, Buddy Williams, Frank Colon, Janice Siegel, Paul Jackson Jr., Jeff Jenkins, Eduardo "Bijoux" Barbosa, Eric Gunnison and Wake Up Call, Brad Upton Quintet, Marguerite Juenemann, Chuck Lamb and Theano Anifantakis, Barry Wedgle, Sonya Vallet, Kim Stone, and Joe Bonner among others.
Career Highlights
The great honor of playing guitar and singing with my hero, the extraordinary Billy Tolles (an astounding bandleader - entertainer and veteran of Billy Eckstine, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, and Louis Jordan’s bands) Billy passed away recently at 83 years old. Playing with him was indeed like getting a paid education in jazz.
“Banda” A Brazilian jazz quintet formed by myself and the late Claudio Slon; the legendary drummer of Astrud Gilberto, Walter Wanderley, Sergio Mendes, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Sinatra. We were the house band at Vartan's Jazz Club in Denver Colorado for a few years. “Banda” featured my arrangements and Denver’s finest jazz musicians: Eduardo Bijoux Barbosa on bass, Jeff Jenkins or Eric Gunnison on piano, and Bob Rebholz or Peter Sommer on woodwinds. We backed up national touring jazz artists, and played in Aspen, Breckenridge, Vail, and Denver jazz festivals and other concerts. We recorded live on KUVO radio and a seven song studio demo.
“Cornerstone” The high energy jazz project featuring Rippingtons Bassist Kim Stone, extraordinary pianist Jeff Jenkins and formed by Brazilian drumming virtuoso Henrique de Almeida. We had a house gig at a jazz club in Colorado Springs and were featured twice in the Breckenridge and Aspen jazz festivals. We play original music and do arrangements of jazz, fusion, Latin jazz, and world music.
“Hi-Fi Mo-Fo” The eclectic 7 piece dance band I formed in Boulder, Colorado. I started playing my original music and developing my genre jumping sound in the very successful two year house gig at Round' Midnight. We also played often at the Fox Theatre opening for The Meters, Charlie Hunter, and Roots Revolt etc...
A childhood dream come true was working with Innerscope record’s The Low and Sweet Orchestra, formed by Zander Shloss. Zander is one of my biggest influences and my best friend since high school, and he is a punk rock icon (Joe Strummer Band, Circle Jerks, The Weirdos, and Two Free Stooges). I completed four tours with Low and Sweet, playing Mandolin, Dobro, Guitar, and singing. This twelve piece Celtic rock group also featured actor Dermott Mulroney, and James Fearley of The Pogues.
An ongoing highlight is working with world class vocalist - percussionist Vinx. In the past 12 years I toured in his groups to promote I.R.S Releases; Rooms in my Fathers House, I Love My Job (produced by Sting), and Storybook. We performed throughout the U.S. and Europe, playing at prestigious events like the Aspen Jazz Festival, Du Marier Jazz Festival, Brussels Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, and at venues The House of Blues, SOB’s, The Troubadour, Lisner Auditorium, and Whiskey Ago-go. Band members include Bill Summers, Andrew Daniels, Greg Poree, Mark E. Smith and special guests live or in recordings featured George Howard, Stuart Copeland, Brenda Russell, Stevie Wonder, Munyungo Jackson, Cassandra Wilson, Harvey Mason, and Zapp Mama…
I have had many residency gigs as a solo guitarist and singer at many music venues, bars, and fine restaurants. Highlights include “Café Mars” for 3 years and “Envie” for a year playing in a concert style setting every week. Now I am solo at Gauchos Village Brazilian restaurant in Glendale every Thursday night 7 to 10.
Another career highlight has been opening shows for many world class acts including Dave Brubeck, Mcoy Tyner, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Manhattan Transfer, Joe Zawinul, Los Hombres Calientes, BB King, Jackson Brown, Pat Metheny, Maceo Parker, The Meters, Stanely Clark, The Yellowjackets, Le Tete Brulees, Olodum, and Airto & Flora etc...
Mitchell Long Trio
This is my self titled trio playing all original music. I have been a sideman for many years and after leading groups playing other peoples music I developed a keen intrest in my own materiel. The more I do it, the more I write and the more the concept grows. I work with acoustic guitars in a trio setting with bass and drums. My influences and majority of work is in straight ahead Jazz, Brazilian, and African, but when I write, it comes out neo-soul, r&b, hip hop, blues, Brazilian, folk and pop. You will hear a little bit of a lot of things in my music. I call it thoughtfull and resposible genre-jumping. I write lyrics in English and Portuguese, and use improvisations as well as arrangements, to tell my stories.
It was drummer and longtime friend Sam Upton's enthusiasm for my materiel that inspired this project. Young Sam used to religously attend my solo gig at Cafe Mars in Boulder, CO. And he always wanted to hear my originals. Sam is a fine up and coming actor and we recorded a CD "Black Orchid" with his father Brad Upton, a highly acclaimed jazz trumpet player and fine composer. I have known Sam since the night his dad said "hey, my son is gonna play drums tonight, is that OK?" I was impressed by young teenage Sam, years later I am still amazed at his rare humanity and music. On bass, I am thrilled to have an old Colorado friend Eric Baines in the mix. Eric allways impressed me with his playing, professionalism, and vocal abilities, back in Colorado. But he is doing well for himself here, playing steady with Keiko Matsuis band, and has worked with Lee Ritenour, Gregg Karukas, Nelson Rangel etc
Trio Agogô
Trio Agogô
Three world class musicians have joined forces to present music from one of the richest musical heritages in the world: Brazil. Featuring the colorful classics of Bossa Nova, and virtually the whole Antonio Carlos Jobim songbook, their world class sound also includes the sophisticated Brazilian Pop Music (MPB), and authentic roots music of the seductive Samba. Enjoy your favorites from Joao Gilberto, Luiz Bonfa, Vinicius de Moraes, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Djavan, Noel Rosa, Cartola, Ary Barroso and Dorival Caymmi. Imagine the acoustic guitar and romantic Portuguese language floating over an infectious Brazilian groove with lush and sophisticated harmonies. In an instrumental or vocal setting, for dancing or listening, Trio Agogô never fails to create an ambience of warmth, excellence and excitement.
Mitchell Long - Guitar and Voice
Mitchell is the syncopated acoustic guitar and voice of Trio Agogô. Born 1962 in La Jolla, California to a family of artists and musicians, he brings 24 years of experience to the group. A world class guitarist who sings beautifully in English and Portuguese, he has worked on countless recordings, and performed in renowned venues and festivals around the world. He has worked with many fine musicians including Herbie Mann, Claudio Roditi, Vinx, Angela Hagenbach, Maria De Barros, Rare Silk, Katia Moraes, Lonnie Smith and others. In popular styles or improvisation, he is pure soul and romance, all about loving the groove, the melody and the lyrics. Since 2003, he has made his home in Los Angeles, California.
Larry Steen - Bass
“A giant of the not-too-distant future” declared the distinguished jazz critic Leonard Feather of bassist/composer/producer Larry Steen. Larry has performed live and in the studio with artists that include Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, Dave Weckl, Eric Marienthal, Bob Sheppard, Mose Allison, Billy Eckstine, Bennie Maupin, Billy Childs, Rosemary Clooney, Louis Bellson, Jimmy Buffet and others. He has performed at such prestigious music festivals as the Montreux, North Sea and Playboy Jazz Festivals, as well as the San Jose Jazz Fest. He is the rhythmic and harmonic foundation of Trio Agogô.
Tony Shogren - Drums and Voice
Drummer and percussionist Tony Shogren is the springboard both rhythmically and emotionally for Trio Agogô. A native of California, Tony Shogren began studying drums when he was five years old and played his first professional gig at 12. He has toured extensively and performed at music festivals throughout the U.S. In addition to his film scoring and session work in Los Angeles, he is an integral part of the highly acclaimed original music group “Katia Moraes and Sambaguru” and occasionally tours with Sergio Mendes. His drumming reflects the knowledge he gained from his studies of afro/colonial music of the Americas.
The Organ Grinders
The Organ Grinders is for music lovers who really appreciate good musicians. They have a back to basics sound that is brought out by Gordon Sims on the Hammond B-3 organ. Mix this with some soulful singing and you have got a hot band! Music ranges from Jazz, Blues, R&B, and Bossa Nova.
Mitchell Long: Guitar and vocals
Gordon Sims: Hammond B3 Organ
Kevin Smith : Drums
Equipment
Six string Takamine classical, 7 string classical handmade by Julian Gido, George Benson Ibanez handmade hollowbody jazz guitar, Hand picked and custom Fender Stratocaster, Yamaha steel string acoustic, Godin nylon string, Godin steel string, Godin twelve string, Flatiron Mandolin, Cavaquinho, Banjo Cavaquinho, cuban tres, dobro, and 5 string Warwick bass.
Mesa Boogie MarkIV amp, Roland Jazz Chorus 120 amp, Polytone amp, and lots of stomp boxes and rackmount effects!!!
I specialize with 18 years experience in playing the popular brazilian tamborine or "Pandeiro" I have many different pandeiros and have developed my own techniques to play all kinds of rhythms. I also play Conga, Bongo, Agogo, Bells, Wood Blocks, Tamborim, Shakers, Shekere, Reco-Reco, Cuica, Tan-Tan, Surdo, Udu, Berimbau, Talking Drum, Afoxe, Rain Stick, Whistles, Chimes ...etc
I have a state of the art sound system: Mackie 12 channel mixer and Mackie M1400i power, two Mackie Powered monitors and two EV-1202 Main speakers.
I have a small home studio for production featuring a Yamaha AW2816 Pro Audio Workstation, Baby Blue Bottle Mic and Grace Design Pre-Amp