Jim Savitt Bio:
Stylistically, Savitt’s musical influences stem from both traditional and contemporary jazz, with a touch of acid/groove & world music sounds. He plays electric, acoustic & MIDI guitar synthesizer, applying his melodic styling equally to all of these instruments. Jim is also a skilled producer, recording engineer and MIDI programmer. His improvisation and compositions have been described as "both fluid & melodic," combining lyrical phrasing and urban grooves. Savitt has written and recorded many original instrumental compositions and released his first full length 12 song CD entitled "Hear & Now" in 2001. This CD had been played around the globe in 8 countries and Jim won the SONY Jazz sponsored international "Search For A New Jazz Artist" 2004 contest. New York City resident, Savitt opened for Grammy nominee Boney James and gigs regularly in the New York metropolitan area. He is also the chief engineer of SaviTech Studio, a state of the art hard-disk based recording and production facility in midtown Manhattan. Jim has performed in numerous venues ranging from clubs and festivals to trade show events at large convention centers. He was interviewed and performed live to an audience of 4.5 million nationwide listeners on the WOR Radio Network's Joey Reynolds Show. In addition, he has performed internationally including Cairo Egypt, Copenhagen Denmark, at the Jamaica Ocho Rios/Kingston Jazz Festival as well as at the 2006 Musik Messe and IFA Frankfurt & Berlin, Germany. Jim was a headline performer at the WJZA 103.5 FM concert series in Columbus, OH, has been played on VH1 Radio and Music Match, had a Top 5 Single on Music Choice nationwide and he was the Artist of the Week on WAVE 94.7FM. "Hear & Now" was also voted as one of the "Best Releases of 2002" by Smooth Jazz Canada. Jim Savitt has received international airplay on a number of stations including JazzFM in London and on the Australian Smooth Jazz Radio Network in Sydney. He was voted "Favorite New Artist" by SkyJazz Internet Radio and was spotlighted as an "Undiscovered Talent" by Guitar 9 Records. While
recording "Hear & Now", Jim collaborated with In addition to these projects, Jim worked very closely with the Afro-pop star Nkossi Konda. He recorded nylon, MIDI & electric guitar parts on Nkossi's release Africapella and performs globally with his live band This collaboration also resulted in a unique instrumental album entitled 21st Century Story Tellers which features Jim's melodic nylon string acoustic guitar set against Nkossi's world music productions. Jim is also a partner in Afrikool Music Productions and is on the Artist Committee for IFAM (International Foundation Against Malnutrition). Savitt and Konda have jointly organized and participated in various benefit concerts & events to fight global malnutrition and water crisis problems around the world. Savitt worked with co-producers Nkossi Konda & Rick Garson on World Voice, a powerful and poignant spoken word project that features celebrities and musicians reading passages from the writings of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. World Voices contains an all-star roster including well know figures such as: Britney Spears, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kirk Franklin, Monica, Tim Mc Graw, 98 Degrees, Brooke Shields, Vince Gil, Deepac Chopra, Amy Brenneman, Joe Perry & Steve Tyler of Aerosmith, Edouard James Olmos, Matthew Modine, Danny Glover, N'Sync, Ice-T, Faith Hill... And many more. Jim is a co-writer on the soundtrack and plays guitar & MIDI guitar synthesizer on the project. Jim played guitar on and co-produced the latest AfroBeatCafe release Africlub Mixes Vol. 1, produced and played on the debut Chill Out CD by Manhattan Project called "Chillin' Nights" and produced & performed on the New Age CD Leaving Footprints. He contributed MIDI and nylon guitar on new original tracks by Japanese singer/songwriter "Miko", formerly of the pop duo Twins. Jim also produced tracks and played guitar on projects by trumpeter & vocalist Ginetta, jazz vocalist Caroline deFauw. His guitar tracks and co-productions were also featured by violinist Bonnie Kaye in performances at Café Del Mar in Ibiza. He performed with pop/rock vocalist Jennifer Barrett and was a main songwriter and guitarist for Blue Mile (an original pop/rock band). In the early 1990s, Jim was the lead guitarist in the NY City based rock band Dey 7, performing at clubs such as CBGBs. Jim has also worked with Postive Records sax player Randy Villars, top NYC keyboardist Ted Cruz, Spin Doctors drummer Aaron Comess, renown hip-hip producer Skeff Anselm and his guitar playing was featured in the Ford Foundation sponsored documentary "Creating Counterparts".
With 20 years of experience in musical theory and performance, and an expertise in computer technology, Savitt constantly seeks out new venues to express his musicality. His compositions were regularly featured by The Endless Advantage, a music service provider, have been licensed by the Play Network in the U.S. and by Mosaic Records in Australia. He was commissioned to compose music for Any Channel, an interactive entertainment company developing a video game for a multi-player CD-ROM machine. Mixing eerie sound effects and a pulse-pounding theme, Savitt's score has been incorporated into their alien infested combat-action game. Jim’s first instrument was the trumpet, which he started playing when he was 10 years old, and he won the prestigious Louis Armstrong Jazz Award in high school. He studied at the Berklee School of Music and has a bachelor of science degree from Stevens Institute of Technology, where for two years he was the musical director of their 17 piece jazz band. Jim Savitt is a sponsored artist by Cakewalk/SONAR multitrack recording software and by guitar maker Triff of Switzerland. |
Jim
Savitt, from
New York City, brings a fresh new sound to the scene. An accomplished guitarist, composer & producer, he
constantly impresses listeners with both his playing and
his compositional skills. 
In
2007 Jim released "Second Light", the eagerly anticipated
follow up to the critcally acclaimed "Hear & Now" CD.
This new disc contains all new instrumental compositions and is completely
recorded, mixed and produced by the artist. The clean tones of Jim's
electric guitar are featured throughout the set and guests include Ted
Cruz on keys and Randy Villars & Lanny Ward on sax.