Justin King
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Justin King

Band Alternative Acoustic

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"Hotel Cafe, Los Angeles show review"

Justin King as a solo artist is widely known as the acoustic guy that taps. He is celebrated for his simultaneous percussion and guitar pair ups—footage of which is easily and frequently accessed on YouTube. No longer a solo act, Justin King as a group has been causing a stir in hearts and trousers alike. With a Jeff Buckley-esque sound and some Doves and Muse elements, Justin King is rich music for a pop-loving audience......Justin King's songs are layer-after-layer of musical savvy soaking with sophistication, it is no wonder that each show amasses a collection of wobbly-kneed, speechless, star-struck fans. - www.lataco.com


"Live show Promoter Comments following Spring 2006 tour with label mates Matt Kearney and Josh Radin"

"He was BRILLIANT! And such a great guy to work with! I would love to have him back anytime! What an amazing talent! You have complete support from me in the market, when you come back through." -Ashley Givens at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville

"I'm watching him on stage right now and if there's any justice he's going to be f**king huge." -Jeff Zuckerman at Birdy's in Indianapolis

"We were all raving about him. He's welcome back anytime. "-Guy Carson at Cafe Du Nord in San Francisco

"I did catch his set, and Justin was awesome. Crowd loved him and I think he sold a ton of merch." -Mark Adler at True West in Portland - KF


"show preview headline in magazine"

"One part guitar virtuoso and one part nascent pop star, Justin King visits from Oregon to rock out on his acoustic guitar and tap on some wicked riffs."
- San Francisco Bay Guardian
- SF Bay Guardian


"GUITAR GODS: Justin King"

Justin's official bio starts off, "Justin King has dramatically reshaped and extended the language of the acoustic guitar, introducing his own unique and outstanding techniques. With the intensity and passion with which he plays, Justin brings a quality to the music that is far beyond just his mastery of a dizzying variety of forms...". Most days, I ignore such hype, as it's easier to write a dazzling bio than to develop a dazzling guitar style, but in Justin King's case, this isn't saying nearly enough.

I first heard a gorgeous and haunting piece ("Something About Angels") from this extraordinary guitarist and mentally bookmarked his name. Then a friend sent a link to Black Albino Films, which featured a film clip of Justin playing 2 minutes of absolute acoustic frenzy combining folk, fingerstyle, flamenco, and rock techniques with utter abandon. I knew right then that if this guy isn't famous yet, he surely will be soon.

Turns out Justin is very well known in certain circles. He's been all over the US and Europe touring as both a solo act and opening for the likes of Diane Krall, B.B. King, James Taylor, and Al Green. He's also an amazing multi-instrumentalist who played ALL the instruments on his CD, "Opening" (his second of three releases), which includes various guitars, bass, lead & backing vocals, drums, saxophone, and piano. In addition, Justin holds intensive workshops at his home in Oregon every month for aspiring and advanced guitar players.

King's latest release, "Le Bleu" (editor note: see the Tinfoil review of the CD here), was recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios, and manages to cover a huge palette of musical styles while retaining something uniquely "Justin". From the opening track, "Taps" (which features not only ultra-cool backing percussion, but a steady hammer/pull ostinato with opposing bass notes, wicked 2-handed touchstyle techniques, airy synths, and sophisticated rhythmic variations) to the closing quiet strains of "Ashes" (demonstrating flawless execution of classic guitar techniques, interesting compositional shifts, and emotive vocals), Justin's work on this collection is a must-have for any serious guitarist and music lover.

If you're already a Justin King fan, you know this Guitar Gods interview is way past due. If you're not, then one listen and you will be. For more info, check out his site JustinKing.Com. - music.tinfoil.net


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

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Bio

Currently at a loss for words...