Shoji Ledward

A friend gave me a CD entitled “Shoji Ledward Live at the Contemporary Café”. I played it, then played it again, then played it again! I marveled at the simplicity of it – just guitar & bass – at the recording engineers’ skill in making a technically perfect master and expertly “editing out” the crowd’s background noises while capturing the “live” sound of the venue, but more than anything I marveled at this phenomenal guitarist (and his bass accompanist). I wondered if this guy was still playing around town. (Back then I wasn’t fully hip to the jazz scene here having just moved here.) I looked in the phone book for a “Contemporary Café” but alas, found none. No longer in business I surmised. Finally, as I began to learn my way around the scene here, I discovered that the venue is at the café at the Contemporay Museum! And Shoji still plays there every other Sunday. I’ve since had the pleasure of hearing him at other venues (like the Brew Moon) as well and am the proud owner of an autographed copy of his CD. I can’t wait for his next one. I have since bought no fewer than 10 copies of this CD which I have sent to friends of mine. Whenever & wherever you see him listed on the jazz calendar, go listen to him. I guarantee you’ll not be disappointed.

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