JOHN HEUSSENSTAMM is not only known for his monstrous jazz and
blues chops, he is also acclaimed for his refreshing and highly
entertaining stage presence. On any given night, as the OC Register
describes, one can find him “strolling wireless through the crowd…
tossing out licks with craft and showmanship.” Mastering the
dynamics of the guitar trio, Heussenstamm has shared the stage with
rhythm section virtuosos such as Jan Ashley, Kofi Baker, Alan Diaz,
Baba Elefante, Tom Fowler, Jimmy Haslip, John Heard, Vail Johnson,
Matt Marshall, Lester McFarland, Vernon Porter, Mike Price, Lee
Rocker, Dave Spurr, and Leo Vigil.
Heussenstamm’s diverse musical background is stacked with both
professional and artistic experiences. He studied with Bob Conti, Ted
Greene, Tito Guidotti, Joe Pass, Tony Rizzi, and Ali Akbar Khan at the
Ali Akbar College of Indian Music. Early in his career, he toured with
soul and gospel artist Deniece Williams ("Let's Hear It for the Boy",
"Neither One of Us", a duet sung with Johnny Mathis). In contrast, he
was the original lead guitarist for 1970’s satirical, punk rock band,
the Surf Punks. Under the alias of Johnny Malibu, Heussenstamm
performed and was a contributing songwriter on their cult-classic debut
album titled Surf Punks. A few years later, he performed fusion
and jazz regularly in Venice Beach at the Come Back Inn with trombone
heavy-weight Glenn Farris' band. Heussenstamm took a 10-year hiatus from
the American scene in the 1980’s when he toured the Australian outback
with his own jazz, blues, and fusion guitar trios. While in Australia
he recorded and released three instrumental albums, as well as a blues
album titled The Alligators Live, which showcased an
exceptionally entertaining stint of performances at the Great Western
Hotel in Perth, West Australia.
Putting on the guitar pedagogue hat, Heussenstamm wrote Hal
Leonard’s 2010 release Guitar Workout. This instructional book
combined mastering speed picking with melodic theory applied
specifically to the geometries of the guitar. Most recently,
Heussenstamm contributed to Hal Leonard’s new DVD series Guitar Licks
Goldmine, which promises to be a tremendous resource for guitarists
of all levels and backgrounds.
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