Bio
The Music
Awards
“Américas” nominated for Grammy for Best World Music Album 1992.
Their album “Primal Magic” was named Billboard”s “World Music Album of the Year” 1990.
Jorge, as part of Strunz & Farah, was awarded a Premio a la Superación by President Calderón of Costa Rica for his cultural achievements in 1991.
In 1994, Jorge was given an award from the Presidency and Ministry of Culture of Costa Rica for his work with Ardeshir Farah.
In 1995, Billboard Magazine recognizes them as among the top 10 World Music Artists overall.
In 1998, Jorge was given an award for their benefit concert for the National Children’s Hospital in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Timeline
They appeared on the PBS TV special Sound Festival with guests L Subramaniam and Luis Conte, Alex Acuña and others, as part of a bill with Jose Feliciano.
“Mosaico” released.
They played at the Ojai Festival, along with Flora Purim and Airto
“Frontera”, their second album, was released on Fantasy/Milestone Records, through the auspices of Dick Bock, who was instrumental in bringing Ravi Shankar and Jean Luc Ponty to American audiences, and which included guest musicians Stanley Clarke, and Iranian santur master Manoochehr Sadeghi.
They were featured on the “Soundboard” guitar video series of John Schneider.
They performed at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco with Larry Coryell.
They were featured and interviewed in a Guitar Player magazine article.
They were invited to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Swiss press named them the “revelation” of the Festival. Claude Nobs later invited them to perform at his chalet privately for Eric Clapton and Phil Collins.
Jorge appeared with Jackson Browne as a featured soloist at the Amnesty International concerts in Los Angeles and San Francisco, which also featured such artists as Peter Gabriel, U2, Sting, Santana, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and others.
They embarked on a tour of Peru, performing in Lima, Arequipa, and Cuzco, as a guitar trio with Ciro Hurtado, which included television appearances.
They appeared with Jackson Browne, David Crosby, and Graham Nash at the Hollywood Palace for a benefit concert.
They were invited by Leo Brouwer to perform their original music at the Havana International Guitar Festival. They were given the premier spot at the Teatro Nacional, and they played to a full and enthusiastic house, and the show was televised.
They recorded their album “Misterio” direct to 2-track in an audiophile recording.
Jorge went to Russia and Latvia with South Indian violin virtuoso L Subramaniam for concerts and recordings.
They recorded with Joan Baez on her album “Speaking of Dreams”.
Appeared at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles with Toure Kunde.
Composed and recorded the guitar music for the TV series “Drug Wars: the Camarena Story”, aired nationally on NBC in 1990, in a collaboration with Charlie Callela.
Appeared on the NBC TV movie “LA Takedown”, and performed an original composition.
They recorded their hit album “Primal Magic”, which went to the #1 position on the Billboard World Music charts for 12 weeks. It was named Billboard’s “World Music Album of the Year”, and also made Billboard’s Top 200.
They embarked on a 40 city US tour with Jackson Browne, which included an appearance with him on the David Letterman Show, as featured soloists.
Jorge appeared again as an invited soloist with Jackson Browne in the concert for Amnesty International in Santiago Chile, featuring artists such as Peter Gabriel, Sting, Wynton Marsalis, etc.
They recorded “Américas”, which was nominated for a Grammy for best World Music Album, and sold hundreds of thousands of copies. It was also #2 on the Billboard World Music chart for months.
Played at Stanford University, and the Mountain Winery again.
Played Quito, Ecuador for first time.
Performed again at the Montreal Jazz Festival.
Toured extensively in the US in September and October, including a performance at the Wadsworth Theater UCLA.
Performed in Costa Rica for the second time.
Strunz & Farah appeared in Paris, France for 10 performances over two weeks with their quintet.
They performed in Quito, Ecuador for their Fiestas Quiteñas.
They appeared in NYC at the Beacon Theater with Spyro Gyra and Bela Fleck.
They performed at the Concord Pavilion CA with Kenny Loggins.
They appeared at Los Angeles’ famed Greek Theater for the first time, with Dave Benoit.
They performed at the Russian River Festival in California.
They performed at Mexico’s world-renowned fine arts Cervantino Festival to an enthusiastic 8000 people.
They appeared with Manhattan Transfer in LA at the Wiltern Theater.
Were invited by the Dallas Classical Guitar Society to perform at the prestigious fine arts venue, the Meyerson Symphony Hall.
Performed at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in a double bill with Bela Fleck.
Performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival for the second time, where they performed in front of 85,000 people outdoors. The Montreal press called them “Irresistible!”; also in in Quito Ecuador for the second time, and Costa Rica for the third time.
Released “Heat of the Sun”, which spent 4 months on Billboard’s World Music Chart, mostly in the top 10. Billboard recognized it as among the top 5 World Music Indie records, and Strunz & Farah as among the top 10 World Music artists overall. Their label Selva was among the top 5 World Music Indie labels that year.
Recorded “Joseph and his Brothers” for children’s label Rabbit Ears with Ruben Blades.
Performed at the Greek Theater LA for the second time, with John Tesh.
Played at the House of Blues LA for first time.
Recorded the guitar parts for Sting’s IMAX Living Sea movie and album.
Tour of Canada.
Pasadena, Long Beach, and San Jose Jazz Festivals.
Played in Puerto Rico again, at the Salon de Bellas Artes, to critical acclaim, and again in Costa Rica.
Were invited to perform at the U.S. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington DC, with President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore in attendance.
Played again at the Concord Pavilion CA, with George Benson and David Sanborn. Also performed at the Villa Montalvo in CA.
Released their first live album, “Live”, recorded in front of a studio audience in Los Angeles.
Performed in Panamá for the first time at the Balboa Theater to a capacity crowd, returning also to play yet again in Puerto Rico, and in Costa Rica performed a benefit concert for the Children’ Hospital at the Teatro Nacional.
Released their album “Wild Muse”.
They appeared with Jackson Browne as featured soloists in a concert at the Santa Monica Civic Center which included Bonnie Raitt, Sarah McLachlan, and Los Lobos.
Recorded as special guests with flamenco master guitarist Gerardo Núñez on his album “Calima”.
Performed at the prestigious Martinique International Guitar Festival.
Toured Texas and Florida
Performed at the Skirball Center, Los Angeles, plus many other dates in CA, including the Villa Montalvo again, and played Las Vegas.
Jorge went to India with L Subramaniam for concerts and recordings.
Appeared on BET Jazz national TV show; toured in the US.
Appeared as featured soloists on Cyrus Chestnut’s album “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on the track Für Elise.
Released their first compilation CD, “Best of Strunz & Farah”.
Released their “Stringweave” album, featuring guests L Subramaniam, classical guitarist Liona Boyd, and Puerto Rican cuatro virtuoso Edwin Colon Zayas, among others.
Played again in Puerto Rico at the Heineken Festival, toured the eastern US and Texas, as well as dates on the West Coast and Las Vegas.
Performed in Chico CA for the Sierra Nevada Brewery PBS TV shows.
Toured US East Coast, and presented again in Costa Rica
West Coast tours, including the Villa Montalvo again.
Released their DVD “In Performance”
Released their “Rio de Colores” album.
Dates in Texas and California; East Coast tour again.
Performed at the Freer Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian in Washington DC
Released their “Zona Torrida” album, which included guests Jihad Racy, Carlos del Puerto, and Charlie Bisharat.
Were featured on Woodsongs national radio show, from Lexington KY.
Other Texas and West Coast dates.
Performed at the Rochester Jazz Festival, appearing with Chick Corea.
West Coast performances.
Released “Desert Guitars”, their second compilation.
Released “Fantaseo”, their 13th studio recording, which included guest artist Hubert Laws.
Gave concerts in Florida, and returned yet again to Costa Rica. More West Coast dates, including the Herbst Theater in San Francisco, also Texas and Las Vegas, and Vancouver Canada.
Returned to Quito, Ecuador to play the Teatro Sucre.
Tour of Western Canada. Dates in Florida.
Performed at Cornell University, Statler Auditorium
Played the Mehregan Persian Festival in CA
Performed as invited guests with Rodrigo y Gabriela in LA at the Fonda Theater.
Are invited to return to the Herbst Theater in San Francisco.
Tour of Eastern Canada, including another appearance at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and the Rouyn Quebec Festival.
Played at the Hochstein Theater, Rochester NY.
Texas and West Coast dates.
Performed in Sofia, Bulgaria, National Palace of Culture.
Jorge is invited to accompany Sting on his remix of “Send Your Love” for the “Songs for Tibet” project recording.
Jorge released his first solo recording, “Neotropical Nocturnes”, with Ardeshir appearing on the piece “Idilios” as a special guest.
East Coast Tour.
Were invited by Rodrigo y Gabriela to play a piece with them on their album 11:11
Played at the Nashville All Star Guitar Night at the Ryman Auditorium with Tommy Emmanuel and others.
West Coast dates.
Texas, Arizona, and West Coast appearances.
East Coast, including a show at BB King’s Blues Club in Manhattan, and Canada tours, including yet another appearance at the Montreal Jazz Festival.
West Coast performances, including Grand Performances in LA, Herbst Theater in San Francisco.
Panama invited them back for another concert.
Were invited to present two concerts in India, one in Mumbai, the other in Delhi, to great reviews.
Were invited to the Heineken Jazz Festival in Puerto Rico.
Various West Coast performances.
Released their album “Moods and Visions”, featuring the percussion of Luis Conte.
Performances in Canada, and the Northeast US Coast; twice in NYC. Numerous West Coast shows.
East Coast tour, West Coast and Arizona dates.
Invited to play at the Maui Blues and Jazz Festival.
West Coast and AZ dates.
They were featured on Troy Grady’s “Cracking the Code” Youtube Channel.
Played two concerts in Merida, Mexico: at the Teatro Peon Contreras, and in the Atrio de la Catedral.
Tour of Texas; perform in Las Vegas again. Various West Coast appearances.
Released their album “Tales of Two Guitars”, which was rated #3 in Amazon’s Hot New Releases in the Fusion category.
Toured Texas; numerous West Coast appearances, and performed at MIM in Phoenix AZ.
West Coast and Arizona performances
Performances in Vancouver and Seattle, as well as an East Coast Tour, and the release on Youtube of “Just Jams” 1 through 4.
Working on a new album recording during Covid.
The release of a new studio album, “Syncretic Strings”.
Some Artists S&F Have Shared The Stage With:
- MILES DAVIS – CONCORD JAZZ FESTIVAL CA
- GEORGE BENSON – CONCORD JAZZ FESTIVAL
- CHICK COREA – EASTMAN THEATER ROCHESTER NY
- JEAN-LUC PONTY – CHAVEZ THEATER, EL PASO
- RAY CHARLES – DETROIT MOTOR SHOW
- BELA FLECK – MOUNTAIN WINERY, BEACON THEATER, SCOTTSDALE PAC, CERRITOS PAC
- JACKSON BROWNE – MANY TIMES, INC TOUR, ALSO AS FEATURED WITH HIM + CROSBY, STILLS & NASH, EMMY LOU HARRIS, LOS LOBOS, SARAH MCLACHLAN, PETER GABRIEL
- KENNY LOGGINS – CONCORD PAVILION
- SERGIO MENDES – CHAVEZ THEATER, EL PASO
- JOSE FELICIANO -K CET TV SOUND FESTIVAL
- RAY CHARLES – DETROIT MOTOR SHOW
- SPYRO GYRA – THEATER IN THE ROUND HOUSTON, CONCORD JAZZ
- DAVE SANBORN – CONCORD JAZZ
- KEIKO MATSUI – NUMEROUS, INC TOUR ALL CO-BILLS
- JOHN MAYALL – MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL
- CHRIS BOTTI – THORNTON WINERY
- LEE RITENOUR – VARIOUS, INC IRVINE MEADOWS AMPHITHEATER
- LARRY CARLTON – VILLA MONTALVO CA
- HIROSHIMA – RODNEY STRONG WINERY, OTHERS
- RIPPINGTONS – LONG BEACH JAZZ FESTIVAL
- YELLOWJACKETS – CONCORD JAZZ FESTIVAL
- SIMPLY RED – MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL
- TOURE KUNDA – WILTERN THEATER LA
- MANHATTAN TRANSFER – WILTERN THEATER LA
- BONNIE RAITT – POPLAR CREEK PAVILION IL
- FLORA PURIM & AIRTO – ROYCE HALL UCLA, OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL
- STOCHELO ROSENBERG – MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
- RODRIGO Y GABRIELA – HENRY FONDA THEATER LA, AS SPECIAL GUESTS LIVE
- TOMMY EMMANUEL – RYMAN AUDITORIUM NASHVILLE
- NORMAN BROWN – VILLA MONTALVO
- PONCHO SANCHEZ – HYATT NEWPORTER, US CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS WASHINGTON DC
- DAVE BENOIT – GREEK THEATER HOLLYWOOD
- JOHN TESH — GREEK THEATER, HOLLYWOOD
- LARRY CORYELL – GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL SF
- DAVE MASON & TRAFFIC, GARY WRIGHT – PASO ROBLES CA AUTUMN FEST
- ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY – HOUSE OF BLUES SAN DIEGO, HUMPHREY’S BY THE SEA SAN DIEGO
- BILL KANENGISER – COUNTRY CLUB RESEDA CA
- FOURPLAY – THORNTON WINERY CA
- HALL & OATES – BLUE SUN FESTIVAL WESTLAKE VILLAGE CA
- MIKE MCDONALD – BLUE SUN FESTIVAL
- CRAIG CHAQUICO – VILLA MONTALVO