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Josh Workman

Josh Workman is an internationally traveled guitarist, composer, educator, journalist, and audio editor who teaches at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. Performance and recording in groups or as sideman: Josh has performed and/or recorded with Larry Vuckovich, Lynda Carter, Margaret Cho, Debbie Harry, David Grisman, John Jorgenson, The Jazz Passengers, Jon Hendricks, Maria Muldaur, Houston Person, Groove Collective/Groove Thing, Deanna Martin, Indigo Swing, The Hot Club of San Francisco, Benny Green, Harold Jones, Akira Tana, Corinne West, The West Coast Ramblers, B-Stars, and many others. Performance and recording as a leader: The release, ‘Jumpin at the Border’ reached #24 on the JazzWeek national radio charts and received critical acclaim, garnering four out of five stars on All Music Guide and receiving the International Association of Jazz Educators Blue Chip Award - among the top four instrumentals of the year. Performances in support of this release included Yoshi’s in Oakland, Jazz at Pearl’s in San Francisco, as well as the Jazz Bakery in L.A. and various venues in the Southwest. Recording for television, video games, and apps: Performed and recorded all guitar samples for the 'Archtop' sound library for Impact Soundworks. Recorded, performed and edited various guitar (electric, acoustic, lap-steel) and mandolin parts for the Dead Island2 video game. Performed various guitar parts for production house, Music Orange, including Garageband (Apple app); Ubisoft and El Pollo Loco TV commercials. Teaching: Has taught privately for thirty years plus guitar, composition, theory, and jazz/rock band classes at San Francisco School of the Arts, Marin School of the Arts, San Francisco State University, Jazz Camp West, Blue Bear School of Music, Marin Community Music, and for music clinics while on tour. He currently teaches various guitar and recording classes at Musicians Institute in L.A. Journalist: Has written many articles and done video and audio lessons for Guitar Player, Acoustic Guitar, and other publications since 1999. He is currently awaiting the release of his first instructional book from Stringletter Publishing. Composition/arranging/audio editing/app development: In addition to writing his own jazz and World Music originals, Workman has been working as a composer and audio editor, primarily for the creative wing of The Elfenworks Foundation (since 2009). His work can be heard on ‘Ireland, The Celtic Way’ (winner of best documentary at the L.A. 3-D Film Fest), ‘What Green Can Be,’ (official selection of The Sedona Film Festival) and a wide variety of audio and video projects that benefit clients of the foundation.

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245
Album Review

Josh Workman: Jumpin' at the Border

Read "Jumpin' at the Border" reviewed by John Kelman


Guitarist Josh Workman may have spent his time on both the New York and Bay Area scenes, and has honed a fine mainstream sound in the ensuing years, but what separates him from the plethora of mainstream guitarists out there trying to make a mark is his remarkable breadth of style. Jumpin' at the Border is nothing short of an entertaining history lesson, with Workman and a host of supporting characters taking the listener across a number of borders and ...

221
Album Review

Josh Workman: Jumpin' at the Border

Read "Jumpin' at the Border" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Guitarist Josh Workman's Jumpin' at the Border swings into that rare “I don't get enough of..." category. I don't get enough of his gypsy style with the Hot Club of San Francisco ("Kali Sara"); I don't get enough of his boppin' (Sippin' at Bell's); I don't get enough of Kim Nalley's bluesy and seductive vocals ("I Can't Face the Music/I Want a little Boy" and “You're Drivin' Me Crazy"); I don't get enough of his Brazilian sound (Andre de Sapato ...

127
Album Review

Josh Workman: Jumpin

Read "Jumpin" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone


The debut recording of the aptly named guitarist Josh Workman is indeed a highlight of this year. There are endorsements on the cover by jazz plectrists Jim Hall, Gene Bertoncini, and Peter Bernstein, some of the best guitarists on the scene. Josh Workman is a Bay Area resident who returned to San Francisco in the mid-'90s after spending time in the New York area. He has previously recorded with Larry Vuckovich, Indigo Swing, and the Jazz Passengers.

Jumpin' ...

119
Album Review

Josh Workman: Jumpin' At the Border

Read "Jumpin' At the Border" reviewed by Mark F. Turner


From the sounds of Josh Workman's debut release, he could very well be a guitar Renaissance man. His new release covers a lot of ground in jazz styles ranging from bop, Latin, and Brazilian to gypsy and even blues. The music recalls the greats--Django, Bandolim, Dizzy, Ella, Pass, Vaughan, Ellington, Bird, and others. While it might sound like a bit of a stretch, the California based guitarist's new CD, Jumpin' At the Border, is an extremely rewarding release that incorporates ...

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113

Event

Versatile, Swinging Guitarist Josh Workman to Play Jazz at Pearl's on Thursday, January 11

Versatile, Swinging Guitarist Josh Workman to Play Jazz at Pearl's on Thursday, January 11

Source: Rocket Words

Guitarist Josh Workman will give San Francisco music fans a taste of his versatile, effervescent talent when he plays Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood this Thursday night, January 11. (Shows start at 8:00 and 10:00 pm, with doors opening at 7:30.) Workman has been burning his way to just about every spot on the jazz/swing map since he first started performing in North Beach bars at the tender age of ten, hiding in back rooms when ...

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Performance / Tour

Josh Workman Southwest Tour Dates

Josh Workman Southwest Tour Dates

Source: All About Jazz

Come check out the flavorful jazz stylings of guitarist Josh Workman during his mini-tour of the southwest. The following dates are for the Arizona/New Mexico area:

Tuesday, March 29 at 7PM The Rhythm Room, 1019 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix (602) 265-4842 www.rhythmroom.com

Wednesday, March 30 at 8PM Zinc, 3009 Central Ave. NE, Albuquerque (505) 254-ZINC

Thursday, March 31 at 9:30PM Swig, 135 West Palace, Santa Fe

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Performance / Tour

Josh Workman at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles 3/28

Josh Workman at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles 3/28

Source: All About Jazz

GUITARIST JOSH WORKMAN IN CONCERT Monday, March 28th The Jazz Bakery, Culver City *Josh will be joined by the Josh Nelson Trio* Show times: 8PM & 9:30PM Admission: $18 3233 Helms Ave. Culver City, CA 90034 310-275-9931 www.jazzbakery.org “...a guitar Renaissance man." - Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz “**** Four stars. There are lots of jazz guitarists out there who can play in a Django/Grappelli style, and many who can play bop or Latin jazz. But not many of ...

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Performance / Tour

Josh Workman Brings His Quartet to the Downtown in Berkeley

Josh Workman Brings His Quartet to the Downtown in Berkeley

Source: All About Jazz

Jazz guitarist Josh Workman and his quartet comes to the Downtown Restaurant in the heart of Berkekley (CA) on Saturday, November 27th. Josh is an outstanding talent backed by some of the finest musicians in the Bay Area. His recently released CD, “Jumpin' At The Border" has been receiving heavy national radio airplay and garnering rave reviews everywhere. Come check out why Josh is currently in the top 40 on the JazzWeek charts and why All About Jazz called this ...

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Performance / Tour

Josh Workman's "Jumpin' At The Border" CD Release Concert at Yoshi's

Josh Workman's "Jumpin' At The Border" CD Release Concert at Yoshi's

Source: All About Jazz

Josh Workman “Jumpin' At The Border" CD Release Concert Wednesday, October 20, 2004 Yoshi's at Jack London Square 510 Embarcadero West Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 238-9200 www.yoshis.com “The California based guitarist's new CD, 'Jumpin' At the Border', is an extremely rewarding release", “...the music is refreshing yet holds a timeless quality." and, “Workman speaks the blues with a BB King-like sound, in contrast to his authentic gypsy performance..." - Mark Turner, All About Jazz “Whether picking an old archtop or ...

"There are lots of jazz guitarists out there who can play in a Django—Grappelli style, and many who can play bop or Latin jazz. But not many of them are equally comfortable in all of those styles, and that's just part of what makes Josh Workman very special as a guitarist and bandleader." —Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

"...genuine integrity and soul on each and every track...['Jumpin' At The Border'] is one of the most enjoyable albums I have heard so far this year and I would recommend it to anyone." —Joe Knipes, Jazz Improv Magazine

"An ambitious effort...some well—played jazz." —John Ephland, DownBeat Magazine

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Primary Instrument

Guitar

Location

Los Angeles

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Credentials/Background

I have been teaching for twenty years, back in New York and here in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to my own studio, my teaching includes classes at San Francisco State, Jazz Camp West, Blue Bear School of American Music, clinics all over the U.S. w/ the Hot Club of San Francisco, and about seven years worth of lesson articles for Guitar Player and other magazines.

Clinic/Workshop Information

A couple of the classes that I enjoy teaching are: BEBOP SOLOING FOR GUITAR, Josh Workman, beg-int; This class introduces a set of tools that, though rooted in bebop, will help students develop strong phrasing in any musical style

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Jumpin' At the Border

Tetrachord Music
2004

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Jumpin

Tetrachord Music
2004

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Videos

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Hot Club Of Detroit
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