Jeff Gauthier

Mask is violinist Jeff Gauthier's third CD as a leader. He calls his ensemble The Jeff Gauthier Goatette to institutionalize the lifelong humiliation of his childhood nickname, "The Goat." Gauthier's musical universe was exploded at an early age by influences as diverse as Igor Stravinsky, Olivier Messiaen, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Ralph Towner and King Crimson. The core of the Goatette has been together since 1991, and Gauthier has been performing and recording with brothers Nels and Alex Cline since 1979. This new CD features works by Gauthier, Nels Cline, Alex Cline, former band member Eric von Essen, and harmolodic legend Ornette Coleman. The title track, "Mask", is a four-part work that was inspired by certain serendipitous and synergistic events experienced during a holiday trip to Guanajuato Mexico.

Violinist, composer and producer Jeff Gauthier has worked with many prominent musicians in a variety of creative contexts during a career that has spanned over 20 years. As an improvising violinist he has performed and recorded with Yusef Lateef and Adam Rudolph for Meta Records, The Alex Cline Ensemble for ECM, Nine Winds & Cryptogramophone Records, the Cline Gauthier Stinson trio for Cryptogramophone and Nine Winds Records, and The Vinny Golia Large Ensemble and Quartetto Stig for Nine Winds Records. His own ensemble, the Jeff Gauthier Goatette has recorded three CDs including Internal Memo and The Present for Nine Winds and Mask for Cryptogramophone. Gauthier has also performed in ensembles with bassist Mark Dresser (Banquet) and drummer/percussionist Gregg Bendian (Bone Structure). As a founding member of the seminal ensemble Quartet Music (with Nels Cline, Alex Cline and Eric von Essen) in the late 70s, Gauthier recorded four albums, received two NEA grants, toured with the California Arts Council touring roster, and performed twice as soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony. Gauthier also founded and produced the Inner Ear new music concert series in Los Angeles.

In demand as a producer of jazz and new music recordings, Gauthier has worked with such jazz luminaries as Alan Broadbent, Nels Cline, Mark Dresser, Peter Erskine, Lou Levy, Jimmy Rowles, Stacy Rowles, Alan Pasqua, Don Preston, Theo Saunders and many others, having produced CDs for Cryptogramophone, Delos and Nine Winds Records.

In a former life as a concert violinist, Gauthier has performed with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Music Center Opera, Los Angeles Mozart Orchestra, Long Beach Symphony, the Oregon Bach Festival and the Carmel Bach Festival. He performed on the 2000 Grammy Award winning CD Credo, by Kristoph Penderecki with the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra and Chorus.