Jake Hertzog - Guitarist, Composer, Educator

Jake Hertzog is a critically acclaimed guitarist, composer, educator, and writer based in Fayetteville, AR. where he teaches at the University of Arkansas. He has toured throughout the U.S., Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and India and performed and recorded with a diverse cadre of artists including Randy Brecker, Ivan Neville, Mike Clarke, Blondie Chaplin, Anton Fig and many others.

In 2016 Jake joined the music faculty at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. In 2018 Jake authored his first book, Guitar Sound Effects, a deep dive into the world of contemporary guitar sounds and techniques. Under the alias Hey Jazz Guy, Jake has contributed over 30 articles to Guitar Player magazine which coined him the “Jazz ambassador to the non-jazz world.”

Hertzog’s classical recording include “Well Lit Shadow” (2016) a suite for solo electric guitar celebrating themes and images in particle physics. His latest project, a guitar duo with classical virtuoso Yishai Fisher called “Stringscapes: A Portrait of the World in Nylon and Steel” (2018, Fretmonkey) is a unique combination of nylon string and steel string guitars and is inspired by the landscapes of planet earth. He was awarded a fellowship from the Arkansas Arts Council in 2018 for music composition for this project.

Jake was co-leader and co-songwriter of the rock band The Young Presidents from 2009-2016. For three years, Jake stood as musical director and lead guitarist for Nickelodeon’s The Naked Brothers Band. They concluded two national tours and have performed on national television shows including Good Morning America, The View, Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards and The Today Show.

Hertzog is a grand prize winner of the Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition, holds a performance degree from Berklee College of Music and a master’s degree from The Manhattan School of Music in New York.

Origins of Inspiration Bill Bryson A Short History of Nearly Everything Particle Physics Jake's father David Hertzog and the Muon g-2 experiment Education and Mentors "When the student is ready, the master will appear" - Chinese Proverb Mick Goodrick a mentor at Berklee who Jake called, “Master Yoda of Jazz Guitar “ and played in in Gary Burton and Pat Metheny's bands in the seventies Mike Stern John Scofield Bill Frisell John Abercrombie Miles Davis Chris Rosenburg, performed with Pultizer Prize & Grammy Lifetime winner Ornette Coleman Michael Wolff Methods of Teaching Victor Jones Michael Wolff Charlie Parker origin story Stories from the Road Chip McNeal Jon Faddis Invitation (here's Coltrane's recording from 1958) - song history Grant Green Miles Davis and Herby Hancock Charlie Parker and Miles Davis Gary Burton and Pat Matheny Genre Jeff Golub article from the Rolling Stone The Naked Brother’s Band Working Over Seas Becoming an Educator University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Jazz Concentration Degree Stringscapes Steve Vai Skys Of America - Ornette Coleman Final Thoughts and Inspirations