Live Videos

Sussy’s Song

This original Chako composition was released on the CD, "Sudden Impact" in 1996. This video clip was recorded live at JZ Brat in Tokyo, Japan, with Greg's group, "Collaboration Quintet," with Gene Jackson-dr; Greg Lyons-sax; Hiroshi Tanaka-pn & Daiki Yasukagawa-bs

Greg Chako's Collaboration Quartet Live in Japan

Greg Chako, Gene Jackson, Hiroshi Tanaka, Brent Nussey. Set 1 Live at JZ Brat, Tokyo, Japan, June 2008. Songs: 1: Cedar Walton's Hindsight; 2, 3, 4: Greg Chako's Wave of Love; Yamanashi Snow; All Roads Lead Home; 5: Billy Higgin's Marilyn's Dilemma

Greg Chako's Collaboration Quintet Live in Japan

Greg Chako, Greg Lyons, Gene Jackson, Hiroshi Tanaka, Daiki Yasukagawa. Set 3 Live at JZ Brat, Tokyo, Japan, July 2009. Songs: 1: Cedar Walton's Hindsight; 2: Greg Chako's Blues for Redd. The end of a good night - after reading my charts all night, Daiki was just about ready for the blues!

New York Jazz Ensemble HQ-full length

Guitarist and band leader Greg Chako and his trio from Raffles Hotel in Singapore play live from Lion Studios in Singapore, with informative interviews from each of the players. Songs include standards, bebop, and bossa. Bassist Tim Hauff and drummer Darryl Ervin.

Coco York & Greg Chako Live on the Silk Road, HQ-full length

Guitarist and band leader Greg Chako and his quintet featuring soul singer Coco York perform live from Somerset`s Bar in the former Westin Hotel, Singapore. Called "Coco York and Greg Chako Live on the Silk Road", the focus is on soul, R & B, jazz and blues.

World Beat HQ-full length

Greg Chako and World Beat, 7-piece band. Live latin~jazz concert at Chijmes, Singapore. Otrie Barrett-sax, Michael Stanton-pn, Edmond Branson-dr, Billy Martiez-bs, Mohamed Noor-conga, Reggie Pereira-bongo/didgeridu, Yvette Atienza-vocals

An American Cat in the Lion City (short)

The documentary film An American Cat in the Lion City is a short gaze, a palimpsest, into the life and work of the American jazz guitarist, Greg Chako. In the film we experience swinging acoustic jazz of a very high calibre indeed, the jazz that Greg and his various bands have played in Asia for over six years. This short version of the film was expanded to a full length movie of the same name a year later.

An American Cat in the Lion City, Guitarist Greg Chako in Singapore, HQ Full Version

HQ Full Version

DMA Lecture-Recital

DMA Lecture-Recital at Eastman School of Music May 2014

DMA Final Recital

Jazz Guitarist Greg Chako's final recital at Eastman School of Music for a Doctor of Musical Arts degree program. The music presented was (selections 3-7 were composed and arranged by Greg Chako): (1) Somewhere Over the Rainbow - solo guitar; (2) I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face - solo guitar plus duo with bass; (3) ThadScratch - sextet w/3 horns; (4) Walk With Me - septet w/vocals and 2 horns; (5) Voyage Down - big band; (6) Tokong Burung, Nazri's Place - big band; (7) Smooth Ride - big band

Live at Cafe Vivace 2:Star Eyes:Beatrice

This was the very first performance for my "Organized Trio" group featuring Cincinnati-based musicians Wayne Yeager on keys and Melvin Broach on drums. The show took place to a packed, and warmly receptive crowd on Sept. 17th 2018, and was recorded casually on my wife's mobile phone. We hear the very end of Star Eyes, followed by a solo guitar intro and the Sam Rivers song Beatrice. Despite the amateur vid, the fun and musical chemistry of the trio should be obvious to viewers.

Fried Curry Pies

This is my original blues from the CD, "Sudden Impact." It was inspired by Wes Montgomery's"Fried Pies," but since I was living in Singapore when I composed it, the song title was conceived to reflect the (amazing) food culture there! This performance was in Cincinnati with stalwarts on the local scene, Wayne Yeager and Melvin Broach. Good fun was had by all that night!

Walk With Me

This is my original song composed with spiritual overtones in mind. Originally recorded with singer Kaleb James in Japan in 2009, this version was part of my Final Recital at Eastman, which took place on May 4th, 2014. I was told by the authorities (Bill Dobbins) that I would not be allowed to perform any vocal songs for my recital, but he eventually let me to do only one, IF and only if I used a singer from Eastman; but of course, there is NO jazz vocal program there. Fortunately, I met an opera student who appreciated the Great American Songbook, and she lined up a second vocalist for me too, because the arrangement I wrote called for 2 vocalists and 2 horns. The 2nd never showed up so the piano player for the big band filled in at the last moment. I thought it was the best performance of the 7 songs I did that day with varied formats including big band, solo, septet and duo.

I've Never Been In Love Before

Sax man and singer Brooks Giles and I met in Singapore roughly 20 years ago when we played right across the street from one another, him with Eldee Young at Somersets Bar and me leading the Greg Chako Trio at The Bar & Billiard Room of Raffles Hotel.

I Want To Talk About You

Greg and his friend of 20+ years, singer and sax man Brooks Giles, 1st met while they were both touring the Far East, and they are reunited in America's Midwest for a one-niter show at The Washington Platform with Cincinnati stalwarts Wayne Yeager and Melvin Broach.

Greg Chako Trio, The Thrill Is Gone

This documents a great memory of a gig at "The Greenwich" jazz club in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was a wonderful night, featuring the outstanding sax and vocals of my very old and good friend, Brooks Giles. Brooks was featured that night with my "Organized Trio" w/Wayne Yeager & drummer Lee McKinney subbing for our regular Melvin Broach. The crowd was very receptive, with lots of dancing in the rear of the club not captured on the vid.

Misty

Original solo jazz guitar arrangement of Misty, the Errol Garner classic, by guitarist Greg Chako, performed as part of his 1st DMA recital at Eastman School of Music

All Roads Lead Home

This ballad composition is one I'm most proud of. Originally recorded with pianist Hiroshi Tanaka and released on my CD, "Everybody's Got a Name," on this performance I'm ably accompanied by Nick Weiser, as part of my first recital at The Eastman School of Music.

I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face

This was my first recital at The Eastman School of Music titled "Unique Guitar Stylings." This arrangment was originally recorded solo on my CD, "My World on Six Strings," but here I made some space for bassist Dave Arenius to accompany me on a portion of the arrangement.

Triste

This is one of my favorite Jobim songs, Triste, performed with my "Organ-ized Trio" with Wayne Yeager and Melvin Broach at the Washington Platform in Cincinnati Ohio on Oct. 14th 2019.

Four

This is a performance at a restaurant in Cincinnati Ohio called The Washington Platform which took place on Aug. 8th 2019. Most of my shows focus almost entirely on my original music, however sometimes we like to take a break from that and play something off the top of our heads, so to speak; and that's what we did here with the jazz standard, Four.

Blues For Redd

This is an original blues Greg composed for the famous drummer he worked with nightly for 3 months, Redd Holt, and its titled: "Blues For Redd." Originally released on Greg's 2008 CD "Everybody's Got a Name," this live version was performed on Aug 8th 2019 at The Washington Platform in CIncinnati Ohio with Wayne Yeager and Melvin Broach.

Back At The Chicken Shack (jazzy/long)

When ever my wife walks into the club, she likes to hear this one, the Jimmy Smith blues I recorded live on one of my first CDs, "Live at Raffles." The guys had no idea what I was going to play, but it certainly didn't take long to find a swingin' groove! This was recorded Jan 5th 2019 at the Washington Platform in Cincinnati Ohio. My capable partners are stalwarts on the Cincy scene: Wayne Yeager-keys and Melvin Broach-drums.

It's All Right With Me

Greg Chako & the "Organ-ized Trio" featuring Wayne Yeager-keys, Melvin Broach-drums; at the Washington Platform Oct 4, 2019. Having fun improvising . . .

End Of A Love Affair

This was a poignant moment (15 in fact!) where I seemed to really 'get into' this ballad . . . I took my time to be sure . . . This has always been a favorite of mine and I recorded it on my "Paint a Picture, Tell a Story" CD release in 2017 with the bassist, Lloyd Christy Smith III, in one impromtu take while waiting for the sax man who was to play my originals to show up.

Wave Of Love

This song I composed quickly while watching news reports of the worldwide humanitarian aid which came to Indonesia in the aftermath of the horrific 2004 Tsunami in Banda Aceh, and thinking that out of that tragedy came a wave of love too.

Swingin' Axes

In 2018, I composed 11 songs for two guitars, bass and drums. I chose guitarist and educator Jim Smith to collaborate with on this project. Jim touched many musicians in the Tri-State area through his teaching, and like it did many other folks, his passing last year took me aback.

Where We Find Ourselves

My original song, Where We Find Ourselves was the title track of my double CD of the same name.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

May 2014 @The Eastman School of Music, my final recital consisted of solo; duo; septet; vocal; & big band formats, seven songs in total, all original arrangements and five original compositions. This is Somewhere Over the Rainbow, the solo guitar piece that began the recital.

Back at the Chicken Shack 1 (basic/short)

Greg Chako & the Organ-ized Trio w/Wayne Yeager & Melvin Broach live at The Washington Platform in Cincinnati Ohio Oct 4th 2019, playing a closing tune that was an audience request made by Greg's wife: a Jimmy Smith song Greg recorded over 20 years ago on his CD, "Live at Raffles" in Singapore

Back At The Chicken Shack (jazzy/long)

When ever my wife walks into the club, she likes to hear this one, the Jimmy Smith blues I recorded live on one of my first CDs, "Live at Raffles." The guys had no idea what I was going to play, but it certainly didn't take long to find a swingin' groove! This was recorded Jan 5th 2019 at the Washington Platform in Cincinnati Ohio. My capable partners are stalwarts on the Cincy scene: Wayne Yeager-keys and Melvin Broach-drums.