Andy McKee

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Andy McKee (born April 4, 1979 in Topeka, Kansas) is an American fingerstyle guitar player who has released several solo albums and been the subject of several popular YouTube videos.

Nocturne (2001)

In 2001, McKee independently released his first album, Nocturne. That same year, he was placed third at the National Fingerstyle Guitar Competition in Winfield, Kansas. In 2003, McKee toured in Taiwan with Jacques Stotzem, Isato Nakagawa, and Masaaki Kishibe, and earned first place in the Miscellaneous Acoustic Instrument contest of the New Jersey State Fiddling and Picking Championships with a Ron Spillers harpguitar he purchased from Stephen Bennett in 2002.^, The instrument can be heard in a number of his songs on later albums, such as "Into The Ocean" and "Gates of Gnomeria". Only 1,000 copies of Nocturne were ever produced and the album is now out of circulation.

Dreamcatcher (2004)

McKee released his second album, Dreamcatcher, in 2004. The album includes his cover of Toto's "Africa" and "Theme from Schindler's List," as well as a harp guitar tribute to Michael Hedges entitled "The Friend I Never Met." McKee used the title track to win the opportunity to perform with bassist Michael Manring, with whom he has since toured. Additionally, he placed second in the Fingerstyle Guitar Competition of the Canadian Guitar Festival that year. The album was later re-released by McKee's label in response to the popularity he garnered on YouTube.

Andrew McKee (disambiguation)

Andrew McKee or Andy McKee may refer to:

Andy McKee (bassist)

Andrew G. "Andy" McKee (born November 11, 1953) is a New York-based, American bassist who has been performing and recording in North America, Europe, and Japan since 1978. McKee's most important rhythm section mentors have included Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones and Idris Muhammad. He travelled widely in Europe with both Elvin Jones and with French pianist Michel Petrucciani. He played for about a decade with the Mingus Big Band and has had his own groups. He is the author of two books on upright bass technique and has taught at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music for 22 years.

Life and career

Born in Philadelphia, McKee first studied piano and alto saxophone before turning to the double bass at age 14. Among his teachers were Homer Mensch, Richard Davis and Al Stauffer. McKee's first significant jazz mentor was drummer Philly Joe Jones. McKee joined the Philly Joe Jones Quartet, performing and touring the US and Canada in 1979-80.

McKee's first European tour was of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany with the Walt Dickerson Trio in the late 1970s; he is heard on two live recordings released after the tour by Steeplechase in 1978 and 1980. In 1980, McKee moved to New York City, and his long partnership with master drummer Elvin Jones began. McKee's first major engagement with the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine was in April 1983 at the Village Vanguard. He went on to be the staff bassist with the Jazz Machine, touring all over Europe and the US from 1986-91.