In this week’s installment of our live streamed series “Live Dispatch from Home,” ArtistWorks’ CEO and Co-founder Patricia Butler will host ArtistWorks blues guitar instructor, Keith Wyatt, and electric bass teacher, Nathan East, for an evening discussion, “Exploring the Styles of Blues,” on Wednesday, April 14 at 4:30 PM PST.

Joining them will be special guests Scott Henderson, Josh Smith, and Mike Clark. Together, these five master musicians will be diving into the complex history of the blues, discussing how the genre has grown and evolved since its inception, and outlining the intricacies of its various sub-genres. Plus, they’ll be rounding out the discussion with some amazing live musical performances that you won’t want to miss!

Master guitarist and our premiere blues guitar instructor here at ArtistWorks, Keith Wyatt has had an extensive 40+ year career as both a performing guitarist and educator. After graduating from the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT—now the Musician’s Institute) in Hollywood in the early 1980s, Wyatt quickly went on to become the Director of GIT and eventually the Director of Programs at the Musician’s Institute, a position he held until 2014. Shortly after departing from MI, Wyatt decided to bring his decades of experience as a performer and educator to ArtistWorks.

Wyatt will be joined by ArtistWorks master teacher and bass guitar virtuoso, Nathan East. A Grammy nominee and recipient of the 31st Ivor Novello Award, East has performed worldwide and written and recorded on the record-breaking albums of some of the most prolific artists of all time, such as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Quincy Jones, Barry White, Barbara Streisand, Stevie Wonder, and more!

Joining the conversation alongside ArtistWorks master teachers Keith Wyatt and Nathan East will be special guests Scott Henderson, Josh Smith, and Mike Clark.

Henderson, one of the most prolific blues/rock fusion guitarists performing today, has toured the globe with some of the biggest names in blues and jazz, including Chick Corea, and was named Jazz Guitarist of the year by Guitar World and Guitar Player magazines in 1991 and 1992, respectively. Henderson is also a member of the respected guitar faculty at Musician’s Institute, the leader of progressive fusion band “Tribal Tech” with bassist Gary Willis, and has released many critically acclaimed solo records.

Born in 1979, Josh Smith has been playing guitar since the age of six, and was recently named the 16th best living blues guitarist by Guitar World magazine. As a guitarist, singer-songwriter, and producer, Smith’s style bridges the gap between traditional blues, rock, and jazz. He’s performed around the world and shared the stage with legends like Mick Jagger, Eric Johnson, Joe Bonamassa, and others, has been featured as a guest artist and producer on countless records, and has released five amazing solo records under his name as well.

Often referred to as the “Tony Williams of funk,” Mike Clark gained initial notoriety as the drummer for Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters in the early 1970s. Since then, Clark has performed and shared the stage with countless musical greats, from John Scofield to Robben Ford, to Gil Evans, to Tony Bennett and beyond. And, a fun fact—along with James Brown's drummers Clyde Stubblefield and Jabo Stark, Clark’s funk beats with The Headhunters (most notably "God Make Me Funky") include some of the most sampled in hip-hop history!

Join us for a great conversation on all things blues and, of course, fantastic musical performances this Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 4:30 PM PST on our Facebook page.