Jacques Stotzem

Jacques Stotzem is a preeminent Belgian fingerstyle guitarist whose career spans over four decades. Self-taught after being inspired by Stefan Grossman, Stotzem evolved from a band accompanist to a world-renowned solo artist.

His sound identity is built on a sophisticated fusion of blues, jazz, and rock, executed with a highly refined fingerpicking technique using a thumb-pick and two fingers. This setup allows him to maintain a driving rhythmic foundation while weaving complex melodic lines and percussive accents. F. Martin & Company, who produced a signature model in his name. Critically, he is praised for his harmonic depth and dynamic control, often compared to legends like Leo Kottke but with a distinctly European melodic sensibility. His work on 'Catch the Spirit' brought him wider acclaim for his ability to adapt Jimi Hendrix and Irish traditional music into a cohesive acoustic vocabulary. He remains a central figure in the global guitar community as a performer and co-founder of the Verviers Guitar Festival.