George Golla

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George Golla (born May 10, 1935) is an Australian jazz guitarist. Born in Chorzów, Poland he emigrated to Australia in the 1950s and began working in Sydney from 1957.

In 1959 he commenced a long-term working musical partnership with clarinetist/flautist/saxophonist Don Burrows that continued for almost forty years. They recorded frequently together and in quartets and other combinations; nurtured and featured many young talents including brassman/multi-instrumentalist James Morrison, drummer David Jones and countless others that they taught at the NSW Conservatorium.

He toured frequently throughout Australia including outback areas and at times with international guest support artists such as vibraphonist Gary Burton in the early 1970s; many overseas tours including Asia, Middle East and multiple visits to Brazil - including a long association with Brazilian musicians including Luis Bonfa and extensive performance of and many recordings of Latin American-/Brazilian- influenced jazz, including the acclaimed Bonfa Burrows Brazil (The Orchard); appearances at Montreux and Newport Jazz Festivals in 1972, and many Australian festivals. He has made hundreds of recordings, a popular and acclaimed recording being The Don Burrows Quartet at the Sydney Opera House (1974, Cherry Pie 1017), and Steph'n'Us (1977, Cherry Pie 1032) with Stephane Grappelli during a tour with Grappelli and Burrows.

Golla continues to perform in and around Sydney where he resides, touring interstate and internationally and recording. A much admired performer for his technical mastery of the guitar, his swinging style and his Latin influences, he has appeared at many workshops locally, nationally and overseas, and has performed and taught in the company of many internationally recognized guitarists. He is a frequent contributor at the annual Frankston International Guitar Festival.

Golla is much admired by fellow musicians for his musicianship and friendly, easy-going manner and good humour and remains one of the major figures of Australian jazz and one of its great ambassadors. Golla also currently works in Trumps music store in North Sydney.