Jonathan Stout: Pre-Bebop Jazz Guitarist (and JGO member)

**lang&django** · 05-29-2021, 08:37 PM

Can't wait to hear the new record! Everything you've put out during the pandemic has been spectacular.

Did Chris Wilkinson do this cover?

**Greentone** · 05-30-2021, 04:31 PM

Jonathan,

Sounds great. Way to go.

**campusfive** · 06-01-2021, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by lang&django

Did Chris Wilkinson do this cover?

But of course! Who else is that hip?

By the way, especially for folks who don't live in Los Angeles and have the chance to see us regularly (at least during normal times), we're livestreaming our album release party THIS SUNDAY June 6th from 4:30pm-7:30pm pacific time.

All the details and stream are here: https://fb.me/e/417EwDCcZ

**jameslovestal** · 06-01-2021, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by campusfive

But of course! Who else is that hip?

By the way, especially for folks who don't live in Los Angeles and have the chance to see us regularly (at least during normal times), we're livestreaming our album release party THIS SUNDAY June 6th from 4:30pm-7:30pm pacific time.

All the details and stream are here: https://fb.me/e/417EwDCcZ

I live in Orange County CA: Now that things are opening up in CA, will you be playing in the So Cal area anytime soon?

Thanks

**campusfive** · 06-01-2021, 02:34 PM

I'm hopefully we'll have some more stuff coming soon, but as our core audience is mostly swing dancers, it's still aways off before enough of them are going to feel comfortable being indoors. And the outdoor venues seem to be booked up already. But we're looking ahead to Labor Day Weekend for Camp Hollywood (which our singer runs), which is a 4-day convention at the LAX Marriott, and we'll be playing in various configurations all weekend.

**campusfive** · 06-05-2021, 03:59 PM

Jonathan Stout: Pre-Bebop Jazz Guitarist (and JGO member)-package-jpg

The new Campus Five album is LIVE, and the CD's have arrived and are already starting to be shipped out.

For fun, I transcribed my solo on our original tune "Mobtown All Out" from the new Campus Five album, and here's a soundslice of it:
Jonathan Stout - Mobtown All Out - Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five | Soundslice

I hope you dig it.

**chasranney** · 06-26-2021, 10:57 PM

Jonathan, your new CD is terrific from beginning to end! I've listened to it several times in the week since it arrived.

**campusfive** · 08-04-2021, 03:07 PM

Hey all,

Over on @campusfive on Instagram, I've started a new project - the #chorusadaychallenge.
I was inspired by Bruce Forman's thing where he posts his first chorus of the day every, but I wanted to change it up a bit to help inspire me/force me to get out of playing the same things all the time. So, rather than simply capture my first chorus every day on whatever tune it may be, I pick a new tune every week, and then record a chorus each weekday. Having to come up with a different approach to the same tune over five days without overtly repeating the same ideas is a real challenge. I use different guitars to provide some alternative inspiration, jumping around from acoustic chord-melody solos, electric single note stuff, or acoustic single notes on more "charactery" guitars, like my National Tricone or my selmer-style.

During the weekend, on facebook and Youtube, I post the "digest" version of each day's takes strung together.

Here's the first five weeks:

Week One: "All of Me"

Week Two: "Rose Room"

Week Three: "Rosetta"

Week Four: "Sweet Sue"

Week Five: "My Blue Heaven"

Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the project or specific takes/approaches/choruses, whatever.

**L50EF15** · 11-11-2021, 08:54 PM

Just downloaded All Cooped Up and I am greatly enjoying it. The guitar sounds a little brighter than on Pick It and Play It. Jonathan, did you use the same L5 this time?

**campusfive** · 10-12-2022, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by L50EF15

Just downloaded All Cooped Up and I am greatly enjoying it. The guitar sounds a little brighter than on Pick It and Play It. Jonathan, did you use the same L5 this time?

The album was done in a proper studio with a selection of great ribbon mics, and evenly split between both my 1932 and 1939 L-5's.
The EP was done in my non-acoustically treated home office, with a combination a Rode NT-3 and a DPA4099 mic, recorded, mixed and mastered in Garageband. But I did only use the 1932 on the EP, because my 1939 had gotten tough to play during the first months of the pandemic, and it was a while before I could adjust it satisfactorily myself, let alone take it to a tech.

**campusfive** · 10-12-2022, 07:35 PM

In case any body is interested... we've got a Campus Five holiday album dropping after Halloween.
It's got a bunch of Reuss-style chord solos and interludes mixed in, and it's the first album we've done since I finally started transcribing Reuss properly, so it's the first chance I've had to fully deploy those new tricks!

Plus, it's a holiday record that really and truly swings... so there's that. More details soon! Cheers

**Oscar67** · 10-14-2022, 02:30 AM

Normally I can’t stand holiday albums but will make an exception for this one

!

Jonathan, I owe you one. First became aware of you through Norm’s vids and in turn those made me aware that just perhaps a pre-war L model might be within my sphere of influence after all, both financially and musically. Last year I got the chance to buy a ‘37 L7 that was played into the ground. I’ve had it checked and despite several well repaired cracks and the need of a refret, I bought it because it sounded incredible. Had the refret done and now everyone wants to buy it (no way). It’s such a joy to play a guitar like that. Can’t imagine how many gigs were played on that since 1937. How many miles traveled. How many songs written. There’s none of the snare drum aspect, it doesn’t bite my head off. It just sounds woody and articulate and musical everywhere on the neck. If not for you, it wouldn’t have come on my path. So thanks for the inspiration!

BTW kudos to how the HTM album was recorded! Lovely room sound and it’s awesome when your drummer lets loose with that kick ass old kit. Love the contrast with modern snare sounds. Can’t wait for the next chapter!

Some pics of my old lady:

**ruger9** · 10-14-2022, 07:10 AM

IDK how I missed that last year!!! Will definitely be getting this one!

**skykomishone** · 10-14-2022, 09:55 AM

Jonathan Stout is one of the family on this forum! That holiday album is on my list!
Love Jonathan's music!
And his guitars!

**campusfive** · 10-18-2022, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Oscar67

Normally I can’t stand holiday albums but will make an exception for this one

!

Jonathan, I owe you one. First became aware of you through Norm’s vids and in turn those made me aware that just perhaps a pre-war L model might be within my sphere of influence after all, both financially and musically. Last year I got the chance to buy a ‘37 L7 that was played into the ground. I’ve had it checked and despite several well repaired cracks and the need of a refret, I bought it because it sounded incredible. Had the refret done and now everyone wants to buy it (no way). It’s such a joy to play a guitar like that. Can’t imagine how many gigs were played on that since 1937. How many miles traveled. How many songs written. There’s none of the snare drum aspect, it doesn’t bite my head off. It just sounds woody and articulate and musical everywhere on the neck. If not for you, it wouldn’t have come on my path. So thanks for the inspiration!

BTW kudos to how the HTM album was recorded! Lovely room sound and it’s awesome when your drummer lets loose with that kick ass old kit. Love the contrast with modern snare sounds. Can’t wait for the next chapter!

Cheers, and thanks so much! HTM was recorded at EastWest, formerly Western Recorders, and that room has an EPIC sound. (Good enough for the Godfather Theme, Sinatra's "New York, New York" and "Strangers in the Night", the Elvis '68 Comeback Special, Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On", etc.). I actually would've used a bit more baffling to reduce the ambiance just a little more, but you're right, those drum fills sound so huge.

**campusfive** · 10-18-2022, 10:32 AM

Not sure why this video preview is so cropped, but click "full screen" and it works fine.

**campusfive** · 10-22-2022, 06:51 PM

Here's another sneak preview...

**campusfive** · 11-04-2022, 03:27 PM

Hey all, "Let It Snow" is OUT NOW!

You can find it at https://campusfive.bandcamp.com/album/let-it-snow (always the best place to get music to support the artist!), as well as all your major streaming services:

Spotify: Unsupported browser
Itunes/Apple Music: Let It Snow by Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five on Apple Music
Amazon: https://amazon.com/music/player/albu...ZHyk4eZquLZ6jk

**campusfive** · 04-06-2023, 07:21 PM

Hey all,

I wanted to mention I will be teaching at two guitar camps this summer:

May 17-21 - Matt Munisteri's RED HOT STRINGS in Port Townsend, WA (along with Matt and the great Dave Biller)
Red Hot Strings 2023 workshop intensive | Centrum

Jun 6/14-18 - Django in June in Northampton, MA
Django In June

Also, check out my courses on DC-Music School here:
DC Music School

And here's a some live-fire demonstrating the Allan Reuss-style chord melody playing I'll be teaching at both camps and is featured in Vol. 3 of the DC Music School course. Cheers! (If there's any issue with the time stamp, the playing starts at 3:54)

**campusfive** · 07-03-2023, 01:42 PM

Hey all, it's been a crazy run the last two months, and if you're not following me on Instagram... take a look @campusfive - there's a lot of guitars and guitar playing on there as of late... and it's seriously been nuts.

Red Hot Strings->Playing and hanging at the Fredboard Journal->Finally cracking Allan Reuss's "Bye Bye Blues" solo->Django in June-> playing and demoing some of the "Blue Guitars" -> doing a trio concert at Django in June-> heading to NYC for a week of gigs-> hitting TR Crandall and Retrofret and playing some amazing instruments -> visiting a guitar collector and playing Tony Mottola's acoustic L-5, and his electric L-5P (aka Charlie Christian's custom ordered L-5P with a CC pickup), as well as several other amazing guitars-> visiting John Monteleone's workshop and playing some of his extraordinary instruments-> leading a trio in NYC-> etc....

It's been pretty amazing and inspiring. But one of the takeaways was that I need to offer something besides a swing dance band to serve people like the folks who read and post here. A trio turns out to be a really great platform to showcase both Reuss-style chord-melody playing and also Charlie Christian-style electric playing. To that end, at Django in June we ended up putting together a trio set for their evening concert, and despite having almost no rehearsal time and having just met the clarinet player three days prior... I think it came out great. And as it turns out someone recorded it. This is the whole 60 min set:

If anybody wants this kind of thing to come to visit them, let your jazz club booking agents know.
I'm really hoping to be able to take this platform on the road, and hone this kind of show even more.

**campusfive** · 07-05-2023, 08:05 PM

Oh, and I've always struggled with the follow through on people who ask for lessons, especially zoom ones.
But I'm trying a new platform to streamline things, and I'm excited because I think it'll make everything a lot easier.
Rather than a series of emails every time, just sign up for a slot here, and we can go from there.

Sign Me Up

(and yeah, this a silly free version, but I'd really like to see if something like is helpful or worthwhile before committing to paid plan)

**Oscar67** · 07-08-2023, 02:35 AM

Thanks! Really appreciate it that you’re keeping this style alive. It matters. Keep doing what you do. Oh, and come to Europe ;-)

**campusfive** · 09-07-2023, 12:14 PM

I'm stoked to bringing my newest project, the Jonathan Stout Trio, to Boulevard Music (a great acoustic music venue) for their Los Angeles Concert Debut.

Jonathan Stout: Pre-Bebop Jazz Guitarist (and JGO member)-facebook-web-js-trio-jpg

I created this group specifically for a bunch of the folks who've found me on places like this forum or on instagram or youtube, and would like to see my guitar playing with having to go to a swing dance venue. I'll be playing both acoustic guitar and electric guitar selections, so both the Allan Reuss-influenced chord-melody side, and the Charlie Christian-influenced single-note side can be featured.

Here are some clips:

**campusfive** · 09-07-2023, 12:16 PM

Also, good lord, I forgot to mention I was honored to be a guest on the Fretboard Journal Podcast!!!!

Here's the link: https://www.fretboardjournal.com/pod...onathan-stout/

It was a real honor, and such a privilege to get to talk to Jason Verlinde... a voice I've heard in my car for years speaking with some of the best guitar players out there. I hope you dig the conversation.