Jazz Violin Studies

Usher Abell received degrees in violin performance from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky and the University of Colorado in Boulder. Usher retired in 1976 from the University of South Dakota after 31 years of teaching. In 1982, he took his violin, joined with a boyhood musician friend, sailed for seven weeks on a freighter to South America and finished the first of three books on jazz violin for Mel Bay Publications: Jazz Violin Studies, Jazz Violin Solos and Swing Fiddle Solos. Performing his swing style of playing on the book's recordings, he became in demand as a jazz violinist with area groups and radio.