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Dave Berry
- Los Angeles, CA
- Guitarist
- Travels up to 120 miles
- Contact for rates
Overview
Dave Berry is a professionally trained and seasoned classical and jazz guitarist located in Los Angeles, CA. He has toured Europe as a classical guitarist, performed with multiple rock/pop bands, and shared the stage with national acts. He also plays piano, bass, banjo, ukulele, viola, and is a prolific composer/songwriter.
Often referred to as the "Chemist of Music," Dave combines his extensive training, unique experiences, and eclectic style, to create the perfect musical atmosphere for your event. No matter the genre, be it jazz or classical… blues or pop… Dave specializes in creating soundscapes that set the stage and add a whole new dimension to your event!
12 Reviews
My friends and family raved about Dave. Will call again and recommend to all. He adds class to any event.
Classical Guitarist, Jazz Guitarist, Guitarist
Provided background music. Very professional & well received.
Classical Guitarist
Dave was on time to our event in Santa Ana. He was talented, professional and provided exactly the right atmosphere. Several people at the event say they would like to hire him for events they are planning soon. We will certainly have him back in the future!
Jazz Guitarist
Dave was absolutely amazing. He never hesitated between songs and kept us entertained for hours. We wanted background music because there were eight women chatting and he filled the bill.
Everyone in our group has asked for his information for future events. I am delighted to know that he can perform at Christmas.
Classical Guitarist, Jazz Guitarist, Guitarist
We hired Dave to play at our 25th wedding anniversary party and we could not be happier with our choice. Dave arrived on time, was extremely polite and respectful of our home, and played for a longer time than he was contracted. His musical selections were perfect - they set the mood without drawing strong attention. Our guests, including the lead singer of a well known musical group, had nothing but glowing comments regarding Dave's talent. We would happily hire Dave to play our next party and will recommend him to our friends and family.
Guitarist
Dave played for our J. Lohr wine club event at Mastro's Ocean Club in Newport Beach. He had a great vibe and everyone loved his music! He was very professional in everything he did. I highly recommend hiring him!
Guitarist
I booked a David to play at my wife's surprise birthday party. He was the greatest! Such a pleasant person to deal with from the very beginning. David arrived early to set up and started to play as our guests arrived. His playing was perfect and his music choices were spot on. I heard a lot of compliments from the guests about his playing. He helped make the party a huge success. I wouldn't hesitate to have him play at another event and recommend him to others looking to have music at their party, wedding or just a simple gathering that you'd like to add a touch of class to.
Jazz Guitarist, Ukulele Player, Guitarist
I was looking for instrumental music for a wedding rehearsal dinner party held in a hotel ballroom and came across Dave Berry online. I listened to some of his music clips and decided immediately that this would be perfect for the occasion. Dave was very professional and showed up to the event well ahead of time and was well prepared with equipment. He will really impress you with the depth of his musical expertise as well as his amazing arrangements. Everyone at the party loved him and couldn't stop talking about him. He really made the rehearsal dinner night memorable!
Guitarist
A milestone birthday party held at home was greatly enhanced by the presence of David Berry and his music. From our initial meeting to discuss the set-up, through to the delivery if an evening's entertainment, David was totally professional and a pleasure to work with. With 50 guests ebbing and flowing through the rooms during the evening, there was a need to temper the type and volume of the music to meet the situation. David was always on the ball, playing the right stuff at the right volume throughout. As the evening drew to a close, he was kind enough to sit with a couple of aspiring guitarists and shoot the breeze on equipment and techniques. If you want to add an edge to your event, book David Berry; you will not be disappointed.
Jazz Guitarist
I booked David to play at our wedding cocktail hour last year, and I'm really glad I did. His playing set the perfect tone for the transition from a formal ceremony to a relaxed reception. We received lots of compliments about him from our guests. Also, he made a point to arrive early, and was completely professional from our initial contact straight through to the day of the event. On top of all that he's a super-nice guy - highly recommended!
Jazz Guitarist
I booked Mr. Berry to play solo at my organization's (Hope House Foundation) Annual Dinner. Mr. Berry arrived early and came prepared with his equipment and an assortment of music. I gave him the basics, that I was looking for low-key background music for approximately an hour during cocktails. Mr. Berry took this information and ran with it, in the best possible way. His music selection suited the occasion perfectly, never too loud and certainly never inappropriate, and made all the difference in the event's ambiance. Mr. Berry also carries himself very professionally and was a pleasure to deal with during the booking process and at the event itself. All in all, I was thoroughly pleased with my experience with Mr. Berry and I will absolutely book him again in the future.
Guitarist
Dave was such a pleasure to work with. After doing extensive research on entertainment for my wedding, I finally ran across Dave's page on here and reviewed his work on his website and loved what I heard. I had a small wedding of about 22 close family guests but I wanted it to be special and he was very accommodating. He brought different instrtuments to set different settings for my party. I like to think of my wedding as a very glamorous party for close friends and he was such a pleasure. All my guests loved our entertainment...we had him for our ceremony and cocktail hour, during dinner and a wine tasting and a dance. When I met with him.....I requested him to play 3 songs and asked him to set the settings for the events that were taking place and he was fantastic all around...after trying to work with others, Dave was so great compared t the demands of other entertainers. He was great and very reasonably priced for the work that he provides....he such a talented man and am so thankful to have come across him and have him play for us.
Multi-Instrumentalist
Booking Info
Price Range: Contact for rates
Gig Length: 30 - 240 minutes
Languages: English
What to Expect
I specialize in background instrumental music and, depending on what is requested, I can perform covers and/or originals, and can perform a specific genre of music, or a combination of genres. Furthermore, I can perform as either a solo guitarist, or a one-man band. As a one-man band, I occasionally incorporate other instruments into my routine, such as piano, ukelele, banjo, and bass...
If you would like more information regarding my music or services, please feel free to contact me!
About
Dave’s first musical experience began when he started playing the viola around the age of 10 and then guitar around the age of 12. During high school, he attended the Governors School for the Arts for viola and classical guitar performance where he extensively studied music theory, music history, musical composition, conducting, and jazz guitar, as well as performed in various chamber music groups and the Governors School symphony, for 4 years.
Dave is an accomplished violist and guitarist, and studied under renowned classical guitarist Sam Dorsey, head of the Tidewater Classical Guitar Society. During this time, Dave was fortunate to perform in master-classes for the world renowned classical guitarists David Starobin, Manuel Barrueco, and Ana Vidovic. Additionally, as part of the Governors School touring musical program, Dave travelled to Poland and Prague in 2003 to perform solo classical guitar as well as viola with the Governors School chamber orchestra.
While attending college at James Madison University, Dave co-founded the band, Electric Baby, which played extensively around the Harrisonburg, VA and Tidewater circuits. In 2007, Electric Baby was signed to the student run music label EightyOne Records, and opened for the band Say Anything as well as produced a full length album "For Your Ears" at JMU’s Studio A. In 2010, Dave was cofounder of the jazz-rock group, The Loud Shapes, performing all over the Hampton Roads area. In June 2010, The Loud Shapes opened for the jazz group Medeski, Martin, and Wood at The Norva.
As of August 2014, Dave resides in LA where he works full-time as a research chemist, and part-time as a freelance musician. Prior to his arrival in LA, Dave lived in Virginia Beach, VA, where he worked as a research chemist, part-time music instructor, and freelance musician. To date, he has performed for a wide variety of events including weddings, private parties/events, art festivals, and restaurants/bars.
Additional Booking Notes
Instruments:
-Fender Stratocaster
-Ibanez Artcore
-Jasmine Takamine Acoustic
-Casio Privia PX-130 Digital Keyboard
-Alesis Q49 MIDI Keyboard
-Deering Banjo
-Cordoba Ukelele
-William M. Henderson Classical Guitar
Amplifier:
-Fender Bassman 1959 Vintage Reissue
PA/Sound/Stage:
-2 Powered Mackie TH-12A Speakers
-Mackie 802-VLZ3 8-Channel Mixer
-Shure SM-58 Dynamic Microphone
-MXL 440/441 Condenser Microphones
-2 Music Stands
-2 Microphone Stands
Effects/Sampling:
-Boss RC-50 looper
-Boss RC-20 looper
-Roland SP-404 SX Linear Wave Sampler
-Novation Launchpad/Ableton Live
-Electro-harmonix Cathedral Stereo Reverb
-Digitech Whammy
-Boss Super Octave
-Ibanez Delay/Echo
-Fulltone OCD
-Ibanez Tubescreamer
-Boss VE-20 Vocal Performer
Services Offered
Past Booked Events
August 22, 2017 • 5:00pm - 7:30pm | Cocktail Party |
June 21, 2017–June 22, 2017 • 7:30pm - 12:30am | Dinner Party |
June 18, 2017 • 11:00am - 1:00pm | Holiday Party (Other) |
October 22, 2016 • 5:30pm - 6:30pm | Nonprofit Event |
August 19, 2016 • 6:30pm - 9:00pm | Dinner Party |
July 18, 2016 • 6:00pm - 8:00pm | Corporate Event |
June 03, 2016 • 6:00pm - 8:30pm | Dinner Party |
May 21, 2016 • 10:00am - 3:00pm | Grand Opening |
November 26, 2015 | Holiday Party (Other) |
October 17, 2015 | Cocktail Party |
Set List
My setlist varies depending on the venue and event. For example...
For weddings, I cater to the clients request, whether it be ceremony music, classical songs, jazz standards, or original compositions, or a mixture.
For a freelance private party event, with no requests by the client, I will generally (depending on the venue setting) perform a mixture of jazz standards and pop/blues original compositions.
Team
Dave Berry | Guitarist/Multi-Instrumentalist/Composer |
Influences & Inspiration
J.S. Bach, Maurice Ravel, Augustin Barrios, Andres Segovia, Paco Pena, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, George Gershwin, Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, Art Tatum, Joe Pass, Ted Greene, Mulgrew Miller, John Scofield, Paul Simon, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Steely Dan, The Killers, The Allman Brothers Band, The Strokes, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin.
Setup Requirements
The only requirement I have is that for outdoor gigs, a tent be provided in the event of rainfall.
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