Genuinely Innovative-May Be Considered Groundbreaking Don Williamson Jazz Review Inimitable PM NYC/Paper Magazine Impressive, Intense Time Out NY. Takes You On A Journey To A Place Where Anything Is Possible John Kelman, All About Jazz Another Angle On Exploring Tone Colors That You Will Not Want To Miss Grego Applegate Edwards, Cadence Virtuosic For Sure Joe Maneri. Highly Exceptional Jimmy Giuffre

One of the New York Jazz and Improvised music scene's most original voices, and one of the most innovative on his instrument to emerge during the past decade acclaimed guitar virtuoso, composer and bandleader Sten Hostfalt has for the past decade been recognized by leading international press as one of few guitarists worldwide to regularly live in concert create original music beyond the equal tempered 12-tone system using self-invented interpretative techniques for the standard 6 string/12 fret guitar. Thus contributing to expanding the vocabulary for the planets most played and most popular instrument.

Internationally introduced as an apprentice in Jazz orchestras led by Phil Wilson, Herb Pomeroy and George Russell. And through appearances on recordings initiated by masters of Jazz Paul Bley and Gary Burton, studies with legendary Icons of American Music Jimmy Giuffre and Joe Maneri and masterclasses with 20th century classical composers Toru Takemitsu and Gyorgi Ligeti. He made his initial contribution to the creative New York City music scene in the early '90s, as a member of and featured soloist in Guillermo Klein's pioneering large ensemble. Appearing alongside many of the new generations foremost improvisers, weekly during the inception of Mitch Borden's influential Jazz Club, Smalls. In a lineup that Peter Watrous of The New York Times described as Unlike Any Other, One Of The Better Continuing Experiments in New York. Jazz Times Magazine reviewed the bands debute CD "Big Van / El Minotauro" ( 1995 Beat Records/1997 Candid re-release ) enthusiastically, as did David R. Adler of All Music Guide who 4 star rated it and commended the bands Brilliant Soloists

Multiple scholarships and awards from Berklee College Of Music and New England Conservatory, meant a 1989 transplant to the USA for Swedish-born, initially largely self-taught Hostfalt who got his creative start through classical guitar studies from age 15 and an activity on the early 1980's Swedish independent progressive music scene in the municipality of Vasteras, a creative community known for producing Jazz pianists Bobo Stenson and Esbjorn Svensson. All in all, local, domestic artistic work that although mainly taking place under the radar later would prove substantial enough to generate artist grants for original projects and recordings in France, Sweden and USA, that in turn served to establish an activity as a New York City based International performer, composer and bandleader.

While current work has focused more on modern / traditional original compositions based on standard jazz songs and forms, this has not excluded frequent excursions into Electronica, Drum & Bass, Hip Hop, Soul and Pop. As a NYC based bandleader, proprietor of the independent record label Sonus Rex and with his seventh album in process, he has for the past decade fused microtonality with electronica, spoken word and a variety of instrumentations including trombone, violin, clarinet and mandolin, accordion and toy piano, freely using a mix of third stream, avantgarde and traditional/mainstream Jazz aesthetics.

A veteran music educator, with three decades in creative music education, Mr. Hostfalt that has served as a faculty member and invited clinician at leading music institutions worldwide including The Royal College Of Music in Stockholm, New World School For The Arts, University Of Florida/Miami-Dade College, Berklee College Of Music and New England Conservatory. Recently representing the faculty of NY Jazz Academy in concert at Carnegie Hall's ssac Stern Auditorium. He is the President and Director of Manhattans NYC Guitar Studio, an independent music education facilty coaching worldclass musicians. And notably known as one of few schools worldwide to offer systematic hands-on studies of microtonal music for guitar.

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