The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
John Jorgenson Quintet open season
John Jorgenson Quintet: Group opens the Oneida Performing Arts season on Saturday
ONEIDA, N.Y. » The John Jorgenson Quintet will kick off the 2018-19 season of the Oneida Performing Arts on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Oneida High School auditorium.
Founded on 2004, The JJ Quintet (violinist Jason Anick, guitarist Max O’Rourke, bassist Simon Planting and percussionist Rick Reed) aids Jorgenson in translating the music of gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Jorgenson, a worldclass musician and multi-GRAMMY-winning artist, is also leader of the J2B2 (John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band) featuring Herb Pedersen, Jon Randall and Mark Fain. Jorgenson is currently touring with three separate award-winning configurations, the third being the John Jorgenson Electric Band.
Jorgenson’s career has been wide-ranging. Joining the Desert Rose Band in 1985 -- with guitarist Chris Hillman, who had been a member of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, and banjoist-guitar- ist Herb Pedersen — exposed his talents nationally. Jorgenson signed up for a tour with Elton John in 1994 and ended up touring and recording as Elton John’s lead guitar for seven years. He is a co-founder of both the groundbreaking The Hellecasters and The Desert Rose Band.
Widely considered the preeminent American ambassador of gypsy jazz, he portrayed Django Reinhardt in the Holly- wood feature film “Head In The Clouds.” Jorgenson put together the John Jorgenson Quintet for the release of soundtrack album, “Franco American Swing.” But rather than a col--
lection of remakes of famous Reinhardt recordings, Jorgenson wrote a number of originals with his partner, violinist Stephane Grappelli.
Jorgenson has recorded or toured with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, The Byrds, Johnny Cash, Bob Seger, Willie Nelson and many others.
Jorgenson has played professionally since the age of 14, and had been playing both the piano and clarinet since age 8. He was born in 1956 in Madison, Wis., into a musical family. His mother was a piano teacher and his father an orchestra conductor and college music professor. In his early 20s, he played full-time at Disneyland, playing clarinet with the Main Street Maniacs (Dixieland), mandolin with the Thunder Mountain Boys ( bluegrass) and guitar with the Rhythm Brothers ( Django Reinhardt style swing). These three groups were com- posed of the same four members, who changed costumes and music styles at intervals throughout. Today Jorgenson is considered a virtuoso of the electric and acoustic guitar, although he is also accomplished on a number of other instruments.
Jorgenson’s stringed arsenal includes mandolin, pedal steel, Dobro and bouzouki, as well as guitars of the plugged and unplugged persuasion. He also tosses piano, sax and clarinet into the mix as well.
Jorgenson has won the Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance (2009); Academy of Country Music Award for Guitar Player of the Year (1993, 1992, 1991); and been nominated for the Academy of Country Music Award for Guitar Player of the Year (2005, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989).
For more information on the Oneida Performing Arts or to purchase tickets, visit www.oneidaperformingarts.com.
For more information about Jorgenson, visit johnjorgenson.com