Carl Dewhurst jazz guitarist and improviser hails from Sydney, Australia

Carl is considered one of Australia's most creative and versatile guitarists and he has played in virtually every contemporary idiom.

Carl was born in 1969 in Blacktown, Sydney. He started playing guitar at age nine after moving to Canberra. He obtained his first electric guitar when 12 years old. Early influences include Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Andy Summers, George Benson, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Chet Atkins.

Carl’s eclectic musical tastes were developed early. He played in many bands throughout high school, exploring the plethora of styles prevalent in the 1980’s. Punk, Ska, Pop, Heavy Metal and Rock were commonplace. He developed a love of electronic music and was introduced to Jazz.

He soon discovered the playing of Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass and Kenny Burrell all of whom became major influences.

By age 16 Carl started playing gigs around town. He was accepted into the Canberra School of Music prepatory Jazz studies program during year 12. He commenced lessons with Dave Kain.
During this time he and fellow student Cameron Undy started to listen to the Free Jazz of Ornette Coleman. They made their first attempts at free improvisation after an inspiring local performance by Peter Brotzmann and Peter Kowald.

Carl commenced tertiary music studies in 1988 and soon after started to work professionally. He was hired to play with the Moscow Circus, James Morrison and Bobby Shew. He led his own groups and performed solo gigs.
John Scofield and Pat Metheny became very influential on his playing at this time.

In 1990 he and Undy reunited in Sydney and formed the improvising ensemble “The Ghosts of Saturn” with pianist Adam Ponting and drummer Andrew Dickeson. These provided Carl his first major performance opportunities outside of Canberra and the Sydney Morning Herald described him as “ a newcomer of outstanding promise”.

Carl moved to Sydney in 1991 and was soon hired by Jackie Orszacsky to play with the “Godmothers”. He played in the improvising ensemble “Happy Tribe” with Undy, Lisa Parrott, Oren Ambarchi and Robbie Avernaim. He also performed in the “Hungarian Rap Sadists” led by Orszacsky with the Undy-led quartet “Primal Voices” featuring fellow ex-Canberra Andrew Robson.
He studied the playing of James Blood Ulmer and Sonny Sharrock.

In 1993 Carl travelled to the U.S. After a chance meeting in NYC the group “Nude” was formed with Undy, Parrott and Burdett and they recorded the harmelodically inspired “Side of Clues”, Carl’s first major recording.

Nude performed regularly around Sydney and had a residency at the Strawberry Hills. The group eventually imploded and was disbanded in 1995. Carl also formed the improvising noise – grindcore group “Dead Spot” with Stu Hunter, Oren Ambarchi and Robbie Avernaim. Dead Spot subsequently succeeded in being banned from most venues in which they performed..

Carl returned overseas to London in 1995 and there led his own group “Burnt Orange”. He performed regularly and played at all major venues including Ronnie Scotts, 606 and the Vortex. He taught Jazz studies and guitar at Brunel and Thames Valley universities. He played with British Jazz guitarists Dave Cliff and Cedric West in the Cedric West guitar quartet.
He linked up with Undy again in Amsterdam where they started to work on music derived from numbers and professional busking.

By 1997 Carl had returned to Sydney where he took up being a freelance guitarist playing any gig that came along. He started working with Undy in the first incarnation of the group “20th Century Dog”.

In 1998 Carl won the Ike Issacs International Guitar competition and subsequently recorded his first album as leader for ABC Jazztrack.
He also started to perform in the experimental ensembles “The Very Interactive Band” and “Strobe Coma Virgo” led by trumpeter Phil Slater.
He discovered the playing of Derek Bailey who became a major influence.

Carl was instrumental in founding the Jazzgroove association 1998 and helped run the initial residencies at the Landsdown Hotel.

In 2000 Carl started performing improvised duets with drummer Simon Barker and formed the group “Showa 44”
He also started to perform with award winning trumpeter Scott Tinkler in the improvising group “Drub”.
Carl came runner up in the National Jazz Awards at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival and released his first quartet album “Put Put Put”.

He became a member of the Australian Art Orchestra led by Paul Grabowsky in 2000 and has since performed works such as “Testimony”, “Love In The Age of Therapy”, “Passion”, “Into The Fire” and most recently the celebrated “Ruby’s Story” featuring Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach. He was an inaugural member of the project “Crossing Roper Bar”, collaboration between AAO members and traditional indigenous musicians from Arnhem Land.

He released a second quartet album: “Live” in 2004.

Showa 44 have released two albums since 2005: “Showa 44” & “Ormus” and have performed at major festivals both in Australia and abroad. Their music has featured in two feature length films: Intangilble Asset No.82 & Missing Water.

In 2008 he co-composed (with Alan John) and performed the music for the Company B production of “Scorched” directed by Neil Armfield.

He continues to perform and record with Scott Tinkler, Numerology, Band Of Five Names, AAO, Phil Slater’s Sculthorpe Songlines and Gest 8.

Carl’s talents as a versatile and flexible musician have seen him perform and record as a sideman with a wide range of jazz, rock and pop artists including:
James Morrison, Mike Nock, Jim Black, Dale Barlow, Bobby Previte, Terumasa Hino , Peter Scherr, Vince Jones, Susan Gai Dowling, Bernie Mc Gann, Katie Noonan, Tim Freedman, Paul Capsis, Marcia Hines, Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Mose Allison, Michelle Nicolle, Andy Bey, Jackie Orzacsky, Tony Buck, Phil Treloar, Lily Dior, The Catholics, The Young Wagilak (Arnhem Land) and the Sruti Laya Ensemble (India).

Carl has been a guest lecturer at several universities and was on the judging panel for the 2006 Music Council of Australia Freedman Fellowship. He is currently the president on the Jazzgroove association.

Carl is recognized as one of Australia’s most creative and versatile contemporary guitarists whose talents in demand both at home and abroad. He is a leading figure on the experimental scene and is considered one of the best improvisers in Australia. His use of extended guitar techniques and electronics have resulted in some of the most original sounds and textures being produced today.
He equally at home playing within traditional confines and continues to perform professionally in a multitude genres.