Guitar Elation takes the classic organ jazz trio format of organ, guitar, and drums and supercharges it with a second guitar to celebrate the magic of jazz guitar and organ jazz in one dangerously powerful quartet.

While Guitar Elation is a relatively new band, the members are all music veterans who have worked with each other and a variety of headliners for decades. Danny Embrey’s vast experience includes stints with Sergio Mendes, Clare Fischer, Karrin Allyson, and many other top jazz artists.

Todd Strait has toured with Marian McPartland, Eldar, Kevin Mahogany, and Karrin Allyson. Todd has recorded over 100 records including 4 Grammy nominated albums. Todd and Danny have worked together in numerous bands including the highly regarded Interstring.

Brian Baggett and Ken Lovern have been working together for over 16 years in the band OJT. Their latest release, New Originals for the Green Lady, spent several weeks in the top 50 Jazz Week charts in early 2019. Todd Strait was the drummer in the formative days of that group, and he is on the first OJT record that was issued in 2005.

All of the members of Guitar Elation are composers, and their newest release, Double Live at Green Lady Lounge, features compositions from three band members, with Danny Embrey’s tunes making up the majority of the selections. The group has been playing Thursday nights at Green Lady Lounge in Kansas City for several years now, and this recording is from one of those epic nights. Come hear the band from 8 to 11pm every Thursday in 2020.

Guitar Elation album cover photos and all performance photos by Brian Turner.