Pursuing the Muse is back. This episode, we're featuring jazz guitar virtuoso Tim Fitzgerald. Tim and Tom go way back, so Tom can vouch for the fact that Tim's journey is incredible. He transitioned from studying physics to music mastery, learning the rules and how to break them from Barry Harris and Rodney Jones. Tim's now a scholar of Wes Montgomery and has released the acclaimed 'Full House' album, which reimagines Wes's iconic solos. Stay tuned for an inspiring conversation.

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Find out more about Tim Fitzgerald:

https://www.timfitzgeraldmusic.com

https://timfitzgerald.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/timfitzgeraldmusic

https://www.facebook.com/timfitzgeraldmusic

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00:01:43 - Intro

00:02:23 - On humor and improv

00:03:41 - The "no rim shots" rule. (Bowser DID attend Juliard!)

00:05:23 - Post-high school journey and early music aspirations

00:09:53 - Life-changing teachers: Barry Harris

00:13:04 - The cool demeanor of Jimmy Lovelace

00:14:37 - Life-changing teachers: Rodney Jones

00:19:27 - Tim Fitzgerald as an educator

00:22:46 - Discovering Wes Montgomery

00:25:00 - Wes Montgomery's commercial success and CTI period

00:27:50 - The influential "Jazz 625" video

00:30:41 - Rodney Jones's serendipitous role in the video's release

00:33:05 - Transcribing Wes Montgomery and book creation

00:38:36 - The "Full House" album concept

00:42:03 - Future recording plans and the challenges of the Hammond B-3

00:47:57 - The connection between music and dance

01:03:09 - International touring and audience reactions

01:09:33 - Improvisation as a dynamic conversation

01:14:51 - Cultivating an individual sound

01:16:48 - Comparison of Fitzgerald and Montgomery's styles

01:18:57 - The importance of personality in music

01:20:06 - Joe Satriani and Eddie Van Halen: A parallel to personal interpretation

01:21:46 - Concluding remarks