George Van Eps
| George Van Eps | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | George Abel Van Eps |
| Born |
August 7, 1913 Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | November 29, 1998 (aged 85) Newport Beach, California |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1924–1998 |
| Labels | Euphoria, Capitol, Concord Jazz |
| Associated acts | Freddy Martin, Benny Goodman, Ray Noble, Howard Alden |
| Notable instruments | |
| Seven-string guitar, Gretsch signature model 1968 | |
George Van Eps (August 7, 1913 – November 29, 1998) (often called the Father of the Seven-String Guitar) was an American swing and mainstream jazz guitarist.
George Abel Van Eps was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, in 1913. He was the son of Fred Van Eps, a popular jazz banjoist. George Van Eps was self-taught and performed professionally beginning at the age of 11. He started on guitar two years later, giving lessons when he was 15. He played with Smith Ballew, Eddie Lang, Freddy Martin, Benny Goodman, and Ray Noble.
Noted for his recordings as a leader, and his work as a session musician, Van Eps was also the author of instructional books that explored his approach to guitar-based harmony. He was a pioneer of the seven-string guitar (including a Gretsch signature model released in 1968), which allowed him to incorporate sophisticated bass lines into his improvisation. He was a strong influence on later seven-string players such as Howard Alden, with whom he recorded four CDs for Concord Records in the early 1990s, Bucky Pizzarelli, and John Pizzarelli.
Van Eps died of pneumonia in Newport Beach, California on November 29, 1998 at the age of 85.
5.George Van Eps, Guitar Player Magazine, August 1981.
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