GUITARIST and singer Mike Relf is bringing his unique style to the Bridport Arts Centre Jazz Café tomorrow.

Mike has around 20 years’ performance experience as a guitarist, singer and drummer but is mainly known as a guitarist since actively choosing to concentrate on the instrument some years ago.

Mike has worked in many studios and has a diverse background that covers varied musical styles and skills including jazz, pop, rock and more.

He produces, writes and performs in scenarios ranging from solo performances through to big band and orchestral work and is also a studio engineer, producing music for other musicians or clients.

Mike started playing music at school and took some grades in trombone but found the guitar at around 12-years-old.

With his dad having been a professional drummer, he also learned to play some kit which helped the transition into music production and performance whilst studying at Bournemouth and Poole College.

Mike studied with experienced professional tutors who had played with the likes of JTQ and Courtney Pine and soon gained an interest in jazz guitar styles.

He went on to have tuition with notable guitar players like Mike Outram (Tim Garland, Robert Fripp), Chris Montague (Troyka) and Nir Felder (Greg Osby, Mark Guiliana).

Mike currently plays around 150 gigs every year, teaches around 50 students a week and examines for the international exam board, Rockschool Limited.

He is also the author of The Electric Guitar Workbook series and regularly travels around most of the UK and Europe. Mike has worked at venues and festivals as a musician and engineer and has had work included in independent films and animations.

He runs his own groups and has a keen interest in modern styles of electric guitar playing that focus largely on the use of effects and looping techniques to create textures.

His most notable influences are Bill Frisell, Tim Miller and Nir Felder.

He will be performing both original compositions and jazz classics, accompanied by the internationally renowned pianist Philip Clouts.

For more information visit bridport-arts. com/events/ jazz-cafe-september