Louis Stewart

Born on 5 January 1944 in Waterford, Eire, Stewart first performed on guitar with a string of showbands operating out of Dublin. Jazz claimed his attention from the early 1960s onward. By the close of that decade, associations with leading figures such as Tubby Hayes and Benny Goodman had secured him a considerable reputation. The 1970s brought wider recognition throughout the UK and USA through performances and recordings with Ronnie Scott, Don Burrows, George Shearing, Peter Ind and further colleagues, while European tours drew strong interest at every stop. Even though he chose to devote much of his time to his native country in the 1980s and 1990s, his standing continued to rise, evidenced by well-received albums recorded with Martin Taylor, Brian Dunning and Spike Robinson. Several of his compositions drawing on the writings of James Joyce appeared on the albums Milesian Source and Joycenotes. An outstanding sound combined with crystal-clear tone has established Stewart among the foremost jazz guitarists, and his virtuoso technique fully conveys his limitless inventiveness. In 1998 Trinity College, Dublin awarded him an Honorary Doctorate.