Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Ron Escheté was born on August 19, 1948 in Houma, Louisiana and after receiving his first guitar at the age of 14, joined a quartet and was working clubs in Louisiana before he had even graduated from high school. His early influences were jazz masters Jim Hall, Howard Roberts and Wes Montgomery. He attended Loyola University where he majored in classical guitar and minored in flute, and studied with classical guitarist Paul Guma.

Shortly after Escheté left Loyola he was tapped to tour with Buddy Greco and while touring with Greco, he set his sites on the Los Angeles music scene. In 1970 Ron relocated to California, worked and recorded with vibraphonist Dave Pike. In 1975 he joined forces with pianist Gene Harris and quickly establish his reputation as a premier accompanist.

Over the decades, Escheté, who plays a seven-string guitar, has worked with jazz musicians and vocalists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Diana Krall, Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson, Ray Brown, Bill Cunliffe, Sam Most, Ernestine Anderson, Mort Weiss and many more.

No stranger to television, Escheté has appeared on the Tonight Show, the Merv Griffin Show and the Mike Douglas Show as well as playing nearly every notable jazz venue in Southern California including the Catalina Bar and Grill, The Jazz Bakery, Steamers, Donte’s, Carmelo’s, The Parisian Room and The Lighthouse to name a few.

Guitarist Ron Escheté, quintessential sideman and innovative leader with some 36 albums to his credit, continues to tour, perform and record as he currently heads his own trio with Todd Johnson on bass and Kendall Kay on drums.

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