Curtis Jones and Mountain Gypsy Project, which will include renowned jazz fiddler Martin Norgaard, will be featured at this year's Bear on the Square.  Curtis (aka Cortini) has traveled the world for the past 20 years performing his original music and amazing crowds with his phenomenal guitar playing. Often referred to by fans and critics alike as the “fastest acoustic guitarist in the world," he is a very influential guitarist in the world of bluegrass and new acoustic music and has toured and/or recorded with some of the biggest names and best artists in the genre.

It is impossible to put a label on Curtis’s music, which stems from the fact that he is such a versatile musician with elements of flamenco, gypsy, bluegrass, jazz, classical and so much more in his music. Curtis is also a very prolific composer and songwriter, composing around 800 pieces of music to date. He composed and performed most of the music heard on the Roland Martin and Orlando Wilson fishing shows on TNN. Serious Guitar Radio on live365 said of him, "Curtis is the most original guitarist since Django Reinhardt and the most technical since Al Di Meola. In short, Curtis is one of the best guitar players on the planet:”

He does much more than just play guitar, he also teaches music in the public schools in North Georgia for the Georgia Pick and Bow Traditional Music School,  as well as instructing many private students. Curtis also produces projects and musical directs theatre productions including shows for the acclaimed Alliance Theater in Atlanta. Curtis has released nine all original CD'S to date and scored hundreds of television shows and films.