A couple summers ago I found out about Neil Jacobs and headed to a concert he was giving in a park in Upper Arlington. He is a friend of a friend of mine so my initial reason was just to check him out. At the concert I thought, "Wow! this is a guy worth following."

Jacobs plays the 12-string guitar like nobody's business with Gypsy music as one of his current interests. The fusion of old world music with his brand of jazz, classical and modern thrown in is pure pleasure. Besides his finger strumming skills, Jacobs is fun to watch. This is a person who knows how to play to an audience. He's glad you're there and you're glad you're there. Jacobs must like playing because he's one busy guy who plays all over Ohio and once in awhile will wander outside the state's borders. He's performing at First Night in Columbus at 8 and 9:30 in the Main Lobby of One Columbus but there are chances to see him a-plenty in 2007. If you check his website, you'll see the other dates. He'll be in Bexley, Geneva, Covington, KY (close to Cincinnati), Athens, Dayton, and Cleveland before the end of February.

From his website you can also listen to his music and buy CDs.