John Jorgenson

Infobox musical artist | Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | Instrument = Guitar
Name = John Jorgenson


Img_capt =
Born = 1956
Died =
Alias =
Genre = Gypsy jazz
Country
Rock
Associated_acts = Desert Rose Band
The Hellecasters
Elton John
The Byrds
Label = FGM
Notable_instruments = Fender Telecaster
Takamine
Saga Gitanes
and many more
Years_active = 1970 - Present
URL = http://www.johnjorgenson.com

John Jorgenson (born 6 July 1956, in Madison, Wisconsin [ [http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1956/july_6_1956_118074.html John Jorgenson, born in Madison, Wisconsin, singer, Desert Rose Band-Love Reunited July 6 in History ] ] ) is an American musician, considered one of the world's most versatile and accomplished guitarists.fact|date=February 2008 Although most well-known for his guitar work with bands such as the Desert Rose Band and The Hellecasters, Jorgenson is also proficient in the mandolin, mandocello, Dobro, pedal steel, piano, upright bass, clarinet, bassoon and saxophone. [ [http://www.djangomania.com/jorgenson.html The Austin Django Jazz Festival - celebrating the music of Django Reinhardt ] ] While a member of the Desert Rose Band, Jorgenson won the Academy of Country Music's "Guitarist of the Year" award 3 consecutive years.

Additionally, Jorgenson has also recorded or toured with many artists including Elton John, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams Jr., Barbra Streisand, Luciano Pavarotti, Roy Orbison and Bonnie Raitt. [ [http://www.ehx.com/ehx2/Default.asp?q=f&f=%2FCatalog%2F04_Distortion%2F04_Big_Muff_Pi%2F19_John_Jorgenson electro harmonix: John Jorgenson ] ] [ [http://www.fgmrecords.com/artists/John_Jorgenson.html John Jorgenson ] ]

Early years

Although Jorgenson did not come to prominence until 1985 with the Desert Rose Band, he had been playing professionally since the age of fourteen, and had been playing both the piano and clarinet since age eight. [ [http://www.johnjorgenson.com/biography.html John Jorgenson Online ] ]

He was born in 1956 in Madison, Wisconsin, into a musical family. His mother was a piano teacher and his father an orchestra conductor and college music professor. [ [http://www.fgmrecords.com/gypsy%20jazz/jorgenson_gypsy.html Gypsy Jazz Page ] ]

Interest in the guitar

Jorgenson first became interested in the guitar after seeing The Beatles on TV in 1964, however his parents felt that a guitar would distract him from concentrating on his other instruments, and he didn't get a guitar until Christmas when he was twelve. [ [http://www.fgmrecords.com/gypsy%20jazz/jorgenson_gypsy.html Gypsy Jazz Page ] ] Jorgenson attended junior and senior high school in Redlands, California, graduating in May 1974. Moore Annual Staff, "Jester", Moore Junior High School, Redlands, California, 1970, page 32.] Redlands High Annual Staff, "Makio", Redlands Senior High School, Redlands, California, 1972, page 123.] He began playing professionally by age 14. One of his early bands in this period was named "Rocking Pneumonia".

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 comprised of the same four members, who changed costumes and music styles at intervals throughout each day.

Later years

In 1993 Jorgenson formed the guitar trio The Hellecasters, along with Will Ray and Fairport Convention guitarist Jerry Donahue. Originally intended as a temporary collaboration, the Hellecasters went on to release several albums during the 1990s. Their debut, "Return of the Hellecasters", released in 1993 won both the "Album of the Year" and "Country Album of the Year" awards from Guitar Player Magazine.

In 1994 Jorgenson was invited to join Elton John's band for an 18 month tour. Jorgenson remained with the band for the next six years performing both live and in the studio. His versatility was evident on stage, as he played guitar and saxophone for Elton in concert.

Jorgenson has played a prominent role in the re-birth of the Gypsy jazz genre. In 2004 Jorgenson portrayed the legendary Jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt for the film, Head in the Clouds.

Jorgenson continues to perform and tour with his own gypsy jazz ensemble, "The John Jorgenson Quintet".

Jorgenson is also a patron for Guitar-X in London, which he regularly vists to hold master classes for the students.

The Fender Signature Hellecaster Guitars

Best known for using a variety of G&L and other electric guitars as a solo artist and as a member of the slinging guitar trio Hellecasters, John Jorgenson got his own Fender signature models in 1997.

Fender Limited Edition John Jorgenson Hellecaster

This limited-edition signature guitar was made in Japan in 1997. It features a black sparkle-finished maple body, vintage-tinted, high-gloss maple neck with reversed large-style Strat headstock, rosewood fretboard with gold sparkle dot inlays, 22 jumbo frets and Schaller locking tuners. Refinements included three Seymour Duncan custom-voiced, split-coil, hum-cancelling pickups which allow players to get controlled feedback in distortion mode and a custom-wired, five-way pickup selector switch with an additional push/pull control allowing seven tone variations. Other touches included a custom two-pivot-point tremolo, a Wilkinson "Wilkaloid" self-lubricating nut, gold sparkle pickguard and gold hardware.

Fender John Jorgenson Signature Custom Korina Telecaster

This was Jorgenson's other Fender signature guitar, made at the Fender Custom Shop in 1998. This Tele sported a solid Korina body, a maple neck with pearloid dot inlays and a 25.5" scale length, African rosewood or an ebony on black finish fretboard with 22 Dunlop 6130 frets. Other features included dual side-by-side Telecaster humbucking pickups, a modified vintage-style Tele bridge, a special custom 5-way pickup switching featuring five different combinations (each in humbucking mode), 1.688" width at the nut and Sperzel Trimlok locking tuners.

References

ee also

*Hellecasters
*Desert Rose Band
*Gypsy jazz

External links

* [http://www.johnjorgenson.com/index.html Official John Jorgenson Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/johnjorgensonquintet The John Jorgenson Quintet on Myspace]