It’s more than a little ironic that some of San Diego’s best musicians have a bigger audience for their anonymous jingles and background music than for their own material.
Such is the case with acclaimed jazz guitarist Patrick Yandall. Although featured in Guitar Player magazine, a session player alongside the likes of Randy Brecker and Will Lee and a multiple San Diego Music Awards nominee, it’s as a producer of music for The Weather Channel or Jazz Muzak that most listeners are exposed to his work.
Yandall, who appears at Humphrey’s Backstage Lounge on Dec. 23, has released eight albums to date, seven falling under the banner of contemporary jazz. He was born in Bay City, Mich., to a military family, relocating to San Diego in 1982 when his father was stationed here. He cites his father as a primary influence on his musical development.
“He was a musician and he had instruments around the house. Plus, I had older brothers who were into different types of music growing up,” he said.
He started out on trumpet before switching to guitar.
“Once I heard Eric Clapton I was sold,” he said.
His love of jazz came after his initial explorations into rock music.
“I came to jazz in a roundabout way,” he said. “I found that I had a really good ear and picking up tunes by ZZ Top, Boston, Aerosmith, et cetera had become kind of easy.” Looking for more challenging music led him to a mix of bands, including King Crimson and the Allman Brothers, “where the improv was an important part of the music.”
Like many young musicians, Yandall’s first performances were at his local church and family functions. However, he went “professional” before most.
“I started playing in 21 (age) clubs at 13 in Michigan,” he said. “I joined a band with older guys that went to school with my older brothers. They put a hat on me and I grew a weak mustache to pull it off,” Yandall said.
He got his local start in 1984 as a member of funk and soul group Devocean, going solo in 1989. His first album, “That Feels Nice,” was released in 1990, firmly establishing Yandall as a jazz player. However, his most recent album, “New York Blues,” falls just outside that genre.
His reasons for the temporary career detour are succinct.
“When I started playing and recording instrumental music in 1989 in San Diego, it was called contemporary jazz. You could include all styles of music on your projects. Straight ahead, Latin, blues, rock, et cetera,” he explained. “When I was signed to my second record label in 1997, the term “smooth jazz” had started to get thrown around.”
The effort by radio programmers to brand a whole wave of artists may have proven to be a winning marketing ploy, but most musicians dislike the tag. Yandall is among them.
“I hate that term. Along with it came a lot of negative vibes,” he said. “I think Polka players in Michigan get more respect than smooth jazz players.”
Wanting to break out of a perceived mold, he opted to shift gears momentarily.
“Here I was studying my instrument, trying to compose pieces of music that had some depth, and smooth jazz comes along and takes over the contemporary jazz format,” he said. “After 7 contemporary/smooth releases, I really wanted to get back to my roots, which is blues/rock.”
Though the album was a success, his next album, “Laws of Groovity,” due for release early next year, returns Yandall to contemporary jazz.
Despite his considerable successes and talent, it’s surprising to learn that he had considered giving up music in the past.
“I thought about it for a while, but for better for worse, it is what I was meant to do,” he said. Life as a working musician can be a tough road to follow, but Yandall is happy with his chosen career.
“If I didn’t have my wife and son I would probably go mad, but even a bad gig, and there are many, is a good thing. Because it’s music,” he said.
Patrick Yandall performs at Humphrey’s Backstage Lounge, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, on Sunday, Dec. 23. Tickets are $12 for the 8 p.m. performance. For more information, visit www.humphreysbythebay.com.