A matinee of world-class jazz at Stage 33 Live in Bellows Falls, Vermont, with guitarists John Stowell and Draa Hobbs performing as a duo on April 27, 2025, at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $15 in advance through stage33live.com or $20 at the door as available. Advance tickets guarantee entry. Only 40 tickets will be sold. The performances will be recorded and filmed. Read the press release.
John Stowell and Draa Hobbs at Stage 33 Live
BELLOWS FALLS — A matinee of world-class jazz at Stage 33 Live in Bellows Falls, Vermont, with guitarists John Stowell and Draa Hobbs performing as a duo on April 27, 2025, at 3:00 PM.
John Stowell’s original take on harmony, chords, and improvisation sets him apart — a jazz guitarist influenced as much by pianists and horn players as he is by guitarists. Based on the West Coast, Stowell has been Artist-In-Residence at centers in Germany, Indonesia, Argentina, the United States, and Canada, and has been a contributing columnist for a number of magazines, including Downbeat, Guitar Player, Canadian Musician, Soundcheck (Germany), and Guitar Club (Italy).
In 1983, John joined flutist Paul Horn, bassist David Friesen, and Paul’s son Robin Horn for a historic tour of the Soviet Union… the first time in forty years that an American jazz group had been invited to play public performances in Russia. With bassist David Friesen, John was featured on the soundtracks of two Academy Award Nominated shorts, and the album Through the Listening Glass with David Friesen was chosen of the “Ten Best Jazz Albums of the Decade” by the Los Angeles Examiner. He’s had several appearances on BET Jazz Discovery and Guitar Series television shows. He has recorded and performed with Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Art Farmer, Herb Ellis, Bill Watrous, and many more. John maintains a robust live performance schedule.
“In the age of mediocrity and clones, John Stowell’s uniqueness and originality are a breath of fresh air. I love playing with him.” — Paul Horn
“John Stowell plays jazz, but he doesn’t use any of the clichés; he has an incredible originality. John is a master creator.” — Larry Coryell
“More guitarists would play like John Stowell if they knew how.” — Herb Ellis
“Guitarist John Stowell’s style with standards is a delightful departure from the road well traveled. He transcends the label of jazz guitarist.” — Los Angeles Times
“He plays his amplified guitar as if he were surrounded by fine crystal… the type of slow burning, sustained energy that you hear in players that practice all the time.” — Downbeat
Draa Hobbs grew up in Chicago and has made his home in Southern Vermont since 1980, teaching and performing. He studied music with the legendary Jimmy Raney, Attila Zoller, Gene Bertoncini, and Peter Lietch. Attila ended up inviting Draa to perform in clubs, concerts, and radio with him and his high-profile peers, including pianists Roland Hanna, Don Friedman, and Larry Willis; bassists George Mraz, Ron McClure, and Michael Formanek; and saxophonists Lee Konitz and Nick Brignola, to name a few. Draa and pianist Eugene Uman a duet for the German label ENJA’s CD Message To Attila that also had tracks by Pat Metheny, Jim Hall, John Abercrombie, Peter Bernstein, and others. He regularly performs with many of the region’s best players, and has enjoyed more than a decade of collaboration with John Stowell.
“Draa hobbs plays in the tradition of classic jazz guitar, but he has found his own voice. He’s a player in the moment, creating melodies and avoiding cliches. he has a warm dark sound and swings with the best of them. I love playing with him.” — John Stowell
“It’s rare to find someone so passionate about music that it serves as both their spiritual nourishment and their unfettered gift to others… one of the most respected guitarists and teachers in New England.” — Eugene Uman, Director of the Vermont Jazz Center
John Stowell and Draa Hobbs will play the Stage 33 Live listening room at 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, Vermont, on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $15 in advance through stage33live.com or $20 at the door as available. Advance tickets guarantee entry. Only 40 tickets will be sold. The performances will be recorded and filmed.
Stage 33 Live is a casual and intimate industrial-rustic listening room in a former factory hosting local, regional, and national performances and presentations of original material. No bar or kitchen, the stage is the mission; coffee / soda / juice / water and weird snacks available by donation. More information about the nonprofit, all-volunteer project, and this and other upcoming events, online at stage33live.com
Stage 33 Live gratefully acknowledges the help of so many individuals without whom none of this would be able to happen, and institutional support this season from The Island Corporation, the Vermont Arts Council, Guilford Sound, WOOL-FM, the Rockingham Arts & Museum Project, and Chroma Technologies to help fund improvements and maintenance, and generally smooth out a lot of the rough edges. Stage 33 Live is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are deductible to the fullest extent. Volunteers run the thing from stem to stern.
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