David Cullen set to celebrate new album at Berks Jazz Fest concert
Berks County guitarist David Cullen is ready for a “Revival.”
Cullen has won a Grammy for his contribution to the 2004 compilation album “Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar,” played with the likes of Will Ackerman, Samite and both the Philly Pops and Philadelphia Orchestra and taught countless students to make their instruments speak for and with them.
But his performance Sunday at the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest will be all about sharing the joy of his journey with fans. “Revival,” the album he put out in 2021 during the pandemic doldrums, will have its official release locally.
Cullen said the CD — his first album in 15 years — is a longtime project that he’s excited to share with his fans. The album poured out of him on an afternoon in May 2021, he said.
“It was about two hours,” he said. “Some people relax by going out to the golf course. I just spent the afternoon playing my guitar.”
The result is an album that both brings him joy and promotes it.
“This is my life’s work,” he said. “But I had not put out a recording for 15 years. It is all solo instrumental tunes.”
He said the Jazz Fest show will likely contain some older hits, too.
“This recording is all new tunes,” he said. “Two of them are a little older, but they are written for this CD.”
Cullen, who began playing electric guitar when he was in elementary school, was playing in bands by the time he was 12 and doing gigs in Reading when he was 14.
He loves all the aspects of making music and has found additional success as a teacher, preparing the next generation of musicians. He teaches at West Chester University, Millersville University and Elizabethtown College. Between 1999 and 2008, he appeared on and/or released 10 albums. And in 2008, he began appearing with the Philly Pops, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra. He said the multi-pronged approach keeps him busy and keeps the creativity flowing.
Playing solo, though, remains his mainstay love.
“You can’t hide anything,” he said of the rapport that develops between his guitar and his audience. “That is why I ended up choosing this path. It is just so simple and plain. You really can’t hide anything.”
Cullen said he’s happy to tour with “Revival,” but also looking forward to finally publishing his music for others to play.
“I write down a scratch chart,” he said. “But I could never write down every note, with timing. That’s just too left brain for me. I am working from the right brain most of the time.”
Luckily, he is working with musician Eduardo Alvaraz, who is creating the sheet music to be sold through the JW Pepper website.
“They can sell it all over the world,” he said. “I am excited about that.”