Brian Baggett (guitar); Luke Stone (drums); Chris Handley (bass).
2008 release from Lawrence, Kansas based heavy fusion trio DOJO. Studiojo is the third album by DOJO and it showcases the band's unique sound and advanced musicianship. DOJO stays close to it's roots here with big chord melody and sheets of sound improvisations. The many overdubs give meaning to the albums title Studiojo. DOJO is a refreshing sound in the world of fusion guitar.
Since it’s inception in Lawrence, KS in 2004, the progressive fusion band DOJO has been steadily working their way to the surface by striving to produce technical music that has soul or meaning. Named after the term used in Zen Guitar, DOJO is a special place for three gifted musicians to grow. In addition to a healthy diet of gigs, they have played several festivals including the 2006 and 2007 Wakarusa Music Festivals and BrewGrass Music and Brewery Festival. In 2006, the group performed in Favored Nations “Night of Pure Guitar” concert featuring members of Steve Vai’s band and NYC guitar wizard Rob Balducci. DOJO has also held the opening slot for ALO. DOJO has three records out including Live at the Jazzhaus recorded at their favorite hometown venue. DOJO’s music has been described as Van Halen meets Coltrane. The band’s latest release Studiojo would be a great way to introduce the band to you.
Brian Baggett is one of the most visible jazz guitarists on the Kansas City scene; he played well over one hundred gigs in 2007. He has worked with some of KC’s finest including Kerry Strayer, Bobby Watson, Todd Strait, Stan Kessler and OJT. He played on Bill McKemy’s release Om Nidrah which was Pitch Weekly’s Best Jazz Album of 2003. Brian has been a jazz guitar teacher since 1994 and a guest artist/clinician at several jazz festivals. He is the faculty guitar instructor for the University of Kansas Jazz Workshop since 2006. Brian has produced music for both television and videogames. In print, Brian has been featured in Guitar Player Magazine, Abstract Logix and JAM magazine’s cover story “Guitars Galore”. Brian recently studied with guitar master Reggie Wooten and he can currently be seen working in several groups including Ken Lovern’s O.J.T. and Alphabet.
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Luke Stone has been an active member of the Kansas City/Lawrence music scene for over 15 years. Luke has shared the stage with many prominent musicians, including Jazz Mandolin Project, Karl Denson, and others. Luke has three studio releases under his belt in which he did all of the playing and production. He is a very talented musician and a skillful drummer who honed his skills studying with Doug Auwarter (Danny Carey) and Jeff Sipe. In addition to playing drums on Studiojo and the first DOJO album Place of the Way, he also engineered and produced both albums. In 2006, Hummer licensed Luke’s song No Backpacks Allowed for use in a training video. Luke is currently the drummer and general all around guy for Cosmopolitics.
Chris Handley gained a strong reputation as the bass player for Space Pocket in 1999. They did shows with the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Robert Walter's 20th Congress and others. He spent several years studying with Kansas City bass player and technique wizard Bob Blount. Chris has been a bass teacher himself for over ten years. As a very versatile bassist Chris works with several artists around the Midwest from singer/songwriter Tanner Walle to rappers like MC Approach. In 2007 Chris opened for BB King in Kansas City with the Brody Buster Blues Band. Chris can usually be seen playing around Lawrence with area jazz musicians and he was the house bass player at the Jazzhaus in 2006 and 2007. In 2008 Chris enrolled at the Player’s School of Music in Clearwater, Florida to study with bass legend Jeff Berlin.
For booking or more information on DOJO, visit www.dojoband.com
“Baggett’s incredible guitar playing falls somewhere between Holdsworth and Alex Lifeson, yet with a sound of its own.” - Guitar Player Magazine
“Brian Baggett gives you doses of Cream-Era Clapton intensity and then ups the ante by displaying lethal legato lines.” - Abstractlogix.com
