Guitar Players in Columbus, Ohio » Ken Weaver

Guitarist Ken Weaver has been a mainstay in the local jazz scene since 1974 when he moved from Wilmington, Ohio to Columbus to pursue a job with the Department of Defense. At the time, he had already been performing for ten years with local bands and musicians in the Xenia, Dayton and Cincinnati areas.

The first musical group he hooked-up with in Columbus was with organist Alvin Valentine and his group which featured Bobby Alston (trumpet), Gene Walker (sax) and Joe Ong (drums). During that time, many national acts would come to town and set-in with the group as they played weekly gigs at the Club Faces, the Jazz Living Room and Stardust Lounge. Next, he landed a weekly gig at the Kahiki restaurant with organist Hank Marr which lasted two years. For the next three years, he became the lead guitarist for the blues-based Wiley Pooch Band which traveled throughout Ohio playing clubs, festivals and corporate events.

Ken also performed as a side-man with such local and national artists such as Bobby Floyd, Rusty Bryant, Hank Marr, Tony Manaco, Jeanette Williams, Mary McClendon, Dave Powers and Grover Washington, Jr., and guitarist Wilbert Longmire. He has also performed locally with groups such as 30 East, Jazz Patrol, Urban Jazz Coalition and Fo/Mo/Deep.

In 1992, he formed his own group (the Ken Weaver Trio) with Neal Cobb (drums) and Otis Davenport (Keyboards) and played weekly gigs over the next twelve years at several Columbus restaurants including The Clock and Courthouse Square (downtown), Olivia’s of New Albany, Fisherman’s Wharf (Upper Arlington), They played at Lindey’s (German Village) for three years. During 1996, the trio became a quartet (adding bassist Dwight Bailey) and has been performing since at weddings, receptions, corporate events, festivals, and private parties. The group specializes in straight-ahead jazz, rhythm and blues, smooth and contemporary jazz, and funk styles of dance music.

The Ken Weaver Quartet can be seen and heard throughout Central Ohio playing at numerous festivals such as the Gahanna Creekside Jazz and Blues Festival, the Wooster Arts & Jazz Festival, Columbus Arts Festival, and Columbus State Jazz in July event and Ohio Wine Festival. Today he can be seen playing regularly at the premier jazz clubs in Columbus, Ohio; and has performed at venues such as Vonn Jazz, Zydeco on High, The Venue and other clubs, restaurants, festivals, and private functions throughout central Ohio. The quartet was featured at the 2011 Jazz & Rib Festival and the 2011 Heritage Concert Series at the King Arts Complex.

Ken Weaver
kenguitarman@embarqmail.com
https://kenweaverguitarist.com/
740-965-5448