Lee Barbour
Lee Barbour | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Lee David Barbour January 19, 1977 Davenport, Iowa |
| Citizenship | U.S. |
| Occupation | |
| Years active | 30 |
Lee David Barbour (born January 19, 1977) is an American jazz guitarist, composer, educator, and music entrepreneur. He is known for his work as a performer and teacher, as well as for founding the music production company Avant Garage and the booking agency Black Label Event Music. His career spans performance, recording, film scoring, and arts education.
Early Life And Education
Barbour was born in Davenport, Iowa, and raised in Summerville, South Carolina. He grew up in a musically influenced household, with his father playing guitar and his mother working as an elementary school music teacher. He studied piano in childhood and later transitioned to guitar during high school.
He attended Summerville High School and Green Sea Floyds High School. After a brief gap year following graduation, he enrolled at the University of South Carolina (USC), initially studying journalism before changing his major to music. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Guitar Performance. In 2014, he completed the Berklee Online Music Licensing course.
Career
Teaching and Early Career
After graduating from USC, Barbour began his professional career as a performer and educator. At the age of 22, he became an adjunct professor of jazz guitar at the College of Charleston, serving in that role for six years. During this period, he recorded early albums and performed with regional jazz musicians.
In the early 2000s, he toured nationally with Cary Ann Hearst and the Gun Street Girls and opened for Band of Horses on a regional tour. He also became a member of Gradual Lean, a modern jazz project led by Quentin Baxter, with whom he has collaborated for over two decades.
New York and Charleston Period
In 2008, Barbour relocated to New York City, where he taught at the NYC Guitar School and performed with various artists. After approximately one year, he returned to Charleston, South Carolina, where he focused on private instruction, studio development, and composition.
He established Avant Garage, a production and licensing company specializing in custom composition and music for media. Through this venture, he contributed to feature films, television pilots, documentaries, and independent film projects.
Recording and Performance
Barbour has released multiple albums as a solo artist and collaborator. His recordings reflect a range of jazz and contemporary influences. He has toured extensively with the ensemble Jazz is Phish, a collective featuring rotating jazz musicians.
He has collaborated with artists including Joe Beck, John Ellis, Kebbi Williams, Quentin Baxter, Jeff Sipe, and members of Snarky Puppy. In 2017, he performed with Ellis Hall at the Gaillard Center in Charleston. In 2023, he performed with the Charleston Jazz Orchestra featuring saxophonist Melissa Aldana.
In 2020, Barbour co-founded the organ trio Polyverse with Ron Wiltrout and Jonathan Lovett. The group performed at the Charleston Jazz Festival.
Business Ventures
In addition to his performance career, Barbour founded Black Label Event Music in 2022, a boutique booking agency specializing in jazz and related genres for private and corporate events.
In 2023, he launched Jazz Adjacent, a weekly music series at The Dewberry in Charleston, featuring collaborations between jazz, funk, and popular music artists.
Discography
- Caravan – A Night in Samois (2004)
- Joe Beck / Lee Barbour – Songs for Singing (2007)
- Nonfiction (2012)
- Ultrasound (2018)
- Influencers, Vol. 1 (2022)
- Rhea’s Naptime Mixtape ’89 (2026)
Film and Media Work
Through Avant Garage, Barbour has composed and licensed music for film and television. His credited projects include feature films, television pilots, and documentaries. His filmography is listed on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb).
Public Appearances and Recognition
Barbour was featured in The Encyclopedia of South Carolina Jazz and Blues Musicians. He has participated in public arts programs and events, including PechaKucha 48 at the Charleston Music Hall in September 2025.
In May 2024, he performed and collaborated with guitarist Adam Levy. In October 2024, he performed with pianist David Cook in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Affiliations
Barbour has professional affiliations with the University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston. He is a co-founder of Ohm Radio, a low-power FM community radio station in Charleston, which he established with his wife, Vikki Matsis.
Personal Life
Barbour is married to Vikki Matsis. He has been involved in community media initiatives supporting locally owned broadcasting. He is a member of the Mankind Project and participates in men’s leadership and development programs. Outside of music, he is a competitive amateur table tennis player and has competed in tournaments sanctioned by USA Table Tennis.