The Acoustic Jazz Quartet's FAQ Page

Acoustic Jazz Quartet
Frequently Asked Questions

• How long have you been playing together?
The AJQ has been actively working together since October of 1996.

• How did you come together?
Jamie and Dean met on several professional gigs in the LA area. While Zac was at USC he met fellow student, Dean, and Jamie who was on the guitar faculty at the time. In 1996 Jamie and Zac discussed putting a working band together. Dean was the top choice for the drum chair. Zac suggested bringing David Sills into the mix having just played a rehearsal session with he and Koba. Rehearsals began in ernest at Zac's house where Dean and David were enticed with original music and unusually good home cooked lunches. Thus was born the AJQ.

• How did your name come about?
We tried to create a name that would be immediately descriptive of the sound we make. The "jazz" and "quartet" parts are obvious and 'acoustic" is pretty straightforward - we all play acoustic instruments - but we also wanted to make reference to the "Acoustic Guitar" world which ties in with the style of Jazz that Jamie plays and writes.

• Where are you all from
David is the only real local, he grew up in Manhattam Beach, about 25 miles from Downtown LA. Jamie Grew up in the Seattle area and moved to the LA area in his late teens. Dean hails from Hawaii and came to LA via stays in Chicago and Germany. Zac, born in the US, grew up near London, England, and then lived in Eastern Washington until he moved to LA in 1992.