Emily Remler, born September 18, 1957 and died May 4, 1990 in New York City. She was an American jazz guitarist who became well-known during the 1980s. She recorded seven albums, including jazz standards, hard bop and fusion. Remler was born in New York City and began playing the guitar when she was ten years old. She was initially inspired by rock musicians like Johnny Winter and Jimi Hendrix, but she also discovered other styles of music during her time at Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts. After listening to jazz legends like Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass and Pat Martino, she began to practice jazz almost daily and has never stopped. She began touring the USA after graduating from Berklee when she was 18. Remler’s first step in her professional career as a musician was to move to New Orleans. She played in jazz and blues clubs, and worked with bands like FourPlay and Little Queenie. Her recording career began in 1981. Herb Ellis, a guitar legend, called her “the new star of guitar”. Ellis introduced Ellis to the world in 1978 at the Concord Jazz Festival, CA. She once stated that she looked like a New Jersey-born Jewish girl, but was actually a heavyset, black man of 50 years with a large thumb, much like Wes Montgomery. ~People Mag. 1982 Remler’s recordings were recorded for the Concord label. They showcase the many influences of an artist in rapid development who quickly developed a unique jazz style on the guitar through both her interpretations and her own compositions. Firefly was her first album as a leader of a band. Take Two saw an equally enthusiastic reception for her bop guitar. Transitions and Catwalk were the first signs of her becoming a more distinctive voice. She had many original songs and her love for Wes Montgomery was evident on the East to Wes. If the rhythm section is bouncing, I will float along with them, which gives me a wonderful feeling in the stomach. It’s a wonderful feeling to feel like you are floating when the rhythm section is swinging. –Emily Remler Remler has worked with many artists, including Larry Coryell (with whom she recorded the album Together) and Rosemary Clooney. From 1981 to 1982, she was a Broadway performer for the Los Angeles production of ‘Sophisticated ladies’. She also produced two popular instructional videos for guitar. In the early eighties, she toured extensively as a guitarist with Astrud Gilberto. She was awarded Down Beat’s International Guitarist of the Year award in 1985. She was Duquesne University’s Artist in Residence in 1988. In 1989, she received the Berklee Distinguished Alumni Award. In 1981, she married Monty Alexander, a Jamaican jazz pianist. The marriage ended in 1984. She was a Gibson ES-330 elder brother’s guitar, and in the late 1980s she also had a Borys B120 hollow-body electric. She also owned a 1984 Collectors Series Ovation as well as a nylon-string Korocusci classical instrument that she used to play bossa nova. When asked how she would like to be remembered, she replied: “Good compositions and memorable guitar playing and my contributions in music …..” But music is all, and it has nothing do with politics or women’s liberation movements. With her vast knowledge of all types of jazz, she appealed to all kinds of audiences. Because of her enthusiasm, dedication and extraordinary skill, she earned the respect of fellow musicians and critics. Remler, a heroin addict, was killed in heart failure while on tour through Australia at 32. After her death, Just Friends volume 1 and 2 were released. They featured contributions from Herb Ellis and David Benoit as well as Bill O’Connell, David Bromberg, David Bromberg, and Bill O’Connell. In her honor, the Skip Heller Quartet recorded “Emily Remler” in 2006. From Wikipedia
