Guy & Billy
Guy Van Duser & Billy Novick have been
performing their unique style of classic jazz since 1976!
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"Elegant." "Riveting." "Soulful." "Classic mastery." These are a few of the terms that have been used to describe the unique and stunning swing-jazz music of acoustic guitarist Guy Van Duser and clarinetist Billy Novick.
Together as a duo for more than a quarter of a century- longer than most marriages- Guy and Billy have performed in concerts, clubs and festivals all over North America and Europe. They have issued nine recordings as a duo, and have for another eleven recordings under their own names. You also may have heard them as frequent guests of the Prairie Home Companion show, NPR's All Things Considered, or on one of the numerous film and television soundtracks they have been featured on.
And like a good marriage, their music has wed together two perfectly suited musical personalities. Their music is based around Guy's innovative finger-style guitar wizardry, and his uncanny ability to play bass lines, chords and melodies all at the same time. With his daring imagination, breathtaking technique, and his wonderful musicality, Guy has become an inspiration for guitarists all over the world.
Novick's ever-inventive and soulful clarinet playing provides the ideal complement to Guy's guitar. With his vast knowledge of the classic jazz era, his dazzling improvising skills, and his entertaining vocals, Novick is able to both add a melodic and dynamic spark to Guy's guitar . Their music sounds fresh and original, yet is also deeply rooted in the rich legacy of the classic jazz age. The duo can play any piece from their huge repertoire- an obscure Ellington tune, a Gershwin classic, a complex Jelly Roll Morton arrangement, or perhaps one of the their originals- and immediately have it sound their own.
And, my, how they swing! The two of them together can create a pulse as driving as any big band. They have a musical telepathy and understanding that has been honed by more than twenty-five years of playing together, a rhythmic drive that doesn't quit and a thorough mastery of their instruments. Add to all of this their relaxed and engaging stage manner, and you will be treated to a joyously entertaining and musically enchanting show that, indeed, has already stood the test of time.
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"...the two elegant gents of the swing music world..."
GARRISON KEILLOR, "A Prairie Home Companion"
"Riveting echoes of an earlier jazz era..."
WASINGTON POST
"Guy has practically invented a finger-picked guitar style, closer to jazz piano than guitar. Billy Novick on clarinet, had he lived in the '30's, would be a legend."
BOSTON GLOBE
"They'll stun you with the mastery of their playing..."
BIRMINGHAM (Alabama) NEWS
"...a moving performane that combined exquisite beauty with a blues feeling..."
MANCHESTER (England) EVENING NEWS
"...a sound so full that it's hard to believe only two people hold the stage."
CALGARY HERALD
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For booking information, please call Billy Novick at 781.862.5262 or send an
email.
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You can find Guy Van Duser & Billy Novick's upcoming performances listed on the
PERFORMANCES page of this website.
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