Royce Campbell

Royce Campbell (born June 7, 1952) is a jazz guitarist from Indiana who was a member of the Henry Mancini orchestra for twenty years.

Royce Campbell
Birth nameRoyce Greer
Born (1952-06-07) June 7, 1952
North Vernon, Indiana, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsGuitar
Years active1971–present
LabelsPhilology, Moon Cycle
Associated actsHenry Mancini

Musical career

He was born in North Vernon, Indiana. When he was five, his mother married a career Navy man, and Campbell grew up in cities throughout the U.S. and the world.[1] Exposure to a variety of genres contributed to his musical style. A love for rock and roll marked his first connection with the guitar, at the age of nine, when he discovered Chuck Berry. Like many guitarists of his generation, he was influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.[2]

By the time he finished high school in Spain in the early 1970s, he had decided to pursue a career in music. His uncle, pianist Carroll DeCamp, who had done arrangements for Stan Kenton and Les Elgart, invited him to Indianapolis to live and study. His uncle provided his education in music theory and composition.[1] At 21, he toured with rhythm and blues (R&B) singer Marvin Gaye before spending twenty years as a member of the Henry Mancini orchestra. He held the job until Mancini's death in 1994.[3]

During the 1990s, Campbell recorded more as a leader. In 1993, he produced Project G-5: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery which also featured guitarists Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney, Herb Ellis, and fellow Hoosier Cal Collins. His 1994 album 6x6 featured guitarists Pat Martino, John Abercrombie, Larry Coryell, Dave Stryker, and Bucky Pizzarelli. On Project G-5: A Tribute to Joe Pass (1999) he combined the talents of Charlie Byrd, Gene Bertoncini, Mundell Lowe, and John Pisano.

In November 2010, Campbell was inducted into the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation Hall of Fame.

Discography
Year Title Label
1990 Nighttime Daydreams Timeless
1991 Gentle Breeze [rel. 1994] Timeless
1992 Vista Raised Eyebrow; Sin-Drome (1993)
1993 Elegy to a Friend Raised Eyebrow; Moon Cycle (2006)
1993 A Tribute to Wes Montgomery by Project G-5 Paddlewheel/King [Japan]; Evidence
1994 6 x 6 (Six by Six: A Jazz Guitar Celebration) Paddlewheel/King [Japan]; Moon Cycle (2004)
1995 Make Me Rainbows Positive Music
1995 A Tribute to Henry Mancini Episode; String Jazz (1999)
1998 Pitapat A Records/Challenge
1998 Hands Across the Water (with Adrian Ingram) String Jazz
1999 A Tribute to Joe Pass by Project G-5 Paddlewheel/King [Japan]
1999 Royce Campbell with Strings Chase Music
1999 Remembering Wes (with Mel Rhyne) Savant
2002 Trioing Jardis
2003 A Tribute to Charlie Byrd (with Gene Bertoncini) Jardis
2003 A Jazz Guitar Christmas Moon Cycle
2005 Plays for Lovers (with Fred Hersch) Moon Cycle
2006 Gypsy Soul Moon Cycle
2007 Get Happy Foxhaven
2007 A Solo Guitar Christmas Moon Cycle
2008 The Art of Chord Solo Guitar Moon Cycle
2008 A Jazz Guitar Christmas, Volume II Moon Cycle
2008 Trio By Starlight Philology
2008 Roses & Wine Philology
2009 Solo Wes: A Solo Guitar Tribute to Wes Montgomery Moon Cycle
2009 Solo Mancini: A Solo Guitar Tribute to Henry Mancini Moon Cycle
2009 All Standards...and a Blues Philology
2009 Movie Songs Project (with Phil Woods) Philology
2010 Concepts Moon Cycle
2010 What is This Thing Called Philology
2010 Solo Trane: A Solo Guitar Tribute to John Coltrane Moon Cycle
2011 Jazz Blues (compilation) Moon Cycle
2012 All Ballads...and a Bossa Moon Cycle
2012 The Beginning Moon Cycle
2015 Romancing the Tone Moon Cycle
2017 Tea for Three (with Hod O'Brien) Moon Cycle
2018 Duo (with Bob Bowen) Moon Cycle
2019 Organ Trio Moon Cycle

References
  1. Myers, Marc (September 14, 2010). "Royce Campbell: Playing Pretty - JazzWax". JazzWax. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  2. Heidt, John. "Royce Campbell." Vintage Guitar. July (2005): 26.
  3. Alexander, Charles. Masters of Jazz Guitar: The Story of the Players and Their Music. London, UK: Balafon Books, 1999, 185.

Additional sources
  • Benedetto, Robert. Making an Archtop Guitar. Anaheim Hills, CA: Centerstream Publishing, 1994. xiii.
  • Boyd, Herb. "CD Reviews: A Tribute to Henry Mancini". Down Beat 63.6 (June 1996): 45.
  • Cook, Richard, and Brian Morton. The Penguin Guide to Jazz. 9th ed. New York, NY: The Penguin Group, 2008. 221, 1209.
  • Ellis, Andy. "A Tribute to Wes Montgomery". Guitar Player 29.2 (Feb 1995): 146.
  • Ellis, Andy. "Hands Across the Water". Guitar Player 32.12 (Dec 1998): 139.
  • Ephland, John. "Rudy Linka-Royce Campbell". Down Beat 74.3 (March 2007): 71.
  • Ephland, John. "Traveling Guitars". Down Beat 76.2 (Feb 2009): 71.
  • Erlewine, Stephen Thomas, ed. All Music Guide to Jazz: The Definitive Guide to Jazz. 4th ed. San Francisco, CA: Backstreet Publishing, 2002. 1063.
  • Esposito, Russell R. The Golden Milestone. 4th ed. New York, NY: The New York Learning Library, 2007. 320.
  • Ingram, Adrian. Mel Bay Concise History of the Electric Guitar. Pacific, MO: Mel Bay Publications, 2006. 106.
  • Ingram, Adrian. The Gibson L5. Anaheim Hills, CA: Centerstream Publishing, 1997. 7, 68, 74.
  • Koert, Hans. "The Five Guitars". IAJRC Journal 40.4 (Dec 2007): 71–72.
  • Koransky, Jason. "Project Shopping". Down Beat 66.6 (June 1999): 53.
  • Larkin, Colin, ed. Encyclopedia of Popular Music. 4th ed. US: Oxford University Press, 2006.
  • Levy, Adam. "Royce Campbell". Guitar Player 33.12 (Dec 1999): 41.
  • Resnicoff, Matt. "Project G-5: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery". Guitar Player 29.6 (June 1995): 29–30.
  • Smith, Will. "Six by Six: A Jazz Guitar Celebration". Down Beat 72.7 (July 2005): 76.

References
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