Widely heralded as one of the finest steel-string fingerstyle guitarists in the world, Alex de Grassi has won thousands of fans over the past three decades with his masterful technique, inspired compositions, and distinctive, beautifully orchestrated sound.

Raised in the San Francisco area, Alex drew on his family's rich musical tradition throughout his formative years: his mother loved jazz, his father studied classical piano, and his grandfather was a violinist with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. While the trumpet was his first instrument, Alex switched to guitar in his early teens, inspired by acoustic performers such as John Renbourne, Leo Kottke and Ralph Towner along with rock, pop and jazz artists of the day.

Primarily a self-taught musician, Alex studied jazz guitar with Bill Thrasher at UC Santa Barbara before transferring to UC Berkeley, where he took music courses while earning a degree in economic geography. Never complacent with his professional achievements, he has continually sought opportunities to expand his musical experience. He studied jazz piano with Mark Levine and composition with William Mathieu and has enlisted a broad spectrum of artists for his collaborative projects, including Luis Conte, Michael Manring, Chris Garcia, and Zakir Hussein.

Alex released Turning: Turning Back in 1978. The first entry in his impressive discography, the album was selected by Acoustic Guitar Magazine as one of ten essential fingerstyle recordings. The Water Garden received GRAMMY® and Indie Award nominations and was named Best Acoustic Instrumental Recording for 1998 by Crossroads Magazine, and Shortwave Postcard was selected as one of the top CDs of 2002 by Acoustic Guitar Magazine.

Alex has performed throughout the world, including appearances at Carnegie Hall, the Interlochen Festival, and the Montreux Jazz Festival. In 1999 he was featured in Alex de Grassi: The Artist's Profile, a concert / interview program on PBS.

Released in 2007, Alex de Grassi in Concert is Alex's latest DVD and his first project for Mel Bay Records.

Visit Alex online at www.degrassi.com