John Heussenstamm

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 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 DVD series Guitar Licks Goldmine, which promises to be a tremendous resource for guitarists of all levels and backgrounds.