James Wengrow
James Wengrow is a Brooklyn-based guitarist, improviser, composer, and educator. Originally from Brisbane, Australia, he resided in NY from 2013 to 2020 before returning to the US in mid-2022.
James has taught guitar privately for 20 years, currently privately and for Hudson Classical Music, has instructed for NYC Guitar School, The Midori Foundation, and has conducted workshops at the QLD Conservatorium. |
Fusing idioms while maintaining a distinguishable sonic personality, James’ music has been described as “delving deep into territory that is as much Fugazi as it is [Miles] Davis; James’ guitar harboring considerable bite…a blazing intensity to the heavier passages neatly offset by occasional moments of shimmering beauty.” (Sonic Abuse). Similarities have been drawn to “Ornette Coleman. Always…[James’] music summons the same tumult, or at least the same clamor felt in the early 1960s. Sure, the revolution's over, but the spirit and energy of those times is unmistakable.” (All About Jazz).
In addition to the James Wengrow Trio, current NY-based projects defy easy categorization: The 3 James’ (free-jazz trio with Hery Paz and James Paul-Nadien); Jonathon Crompton’s Cantata Project (16th-century classical practices with ambient improvisation); Elijah Schiffer’s Robber Crabs (‘Avant-Trad Jazz’); record labels 29th Street Editions and GSI Studios (mixing electronica and extreme-metal with modern jazz); and Brooklyn Qawwali Party (Pakistani Sufi music).
Prior to this, James has performed throughout the US with Kinsmen and Strangers, Extensions Guitar Quartet, The Sleeved Hearts, and Australia with the Mute Canary Project and Deep Blue Orchestra. His main compositional outlet from 2015-2018, the Lidless Quartet, featured Guggenheim-fellow Anna Webber, Adam Hopkins, and Nathan Ellman-Bell. Brisbane-based bands between 2020-2022 included Dropbear Lodge, Fete, and collaborations with Marike Van Dijk and Stephen Newcomb.
James graduated with a Bachelor of Music from Queensland Conservatorium (Brisbane) in 2011, Honors from the VCA (Melbourne) in 2012, and, in 2016, a Master of Music from SUNY Purchase College (NY). At SUNY, James received the jazz department’s graduate award, the E&E Merit scholarship, and an Ian Potter Cultural Trust grant. These experiences facilitated direct study with John Abercrombie, Vic Juris, Mark Helias, Ralph Alessi, Marc Hannaford, and John Rodgers.
In addition to the James Wengrow Trio, current NY-based projects defy easy categorization: The 3 James’ (free-jazz trio with Hery Paz and James Paul-Nadien); Jonathon Crompton’s Cantata Project (16th-century classical practices with ambient improvisation); Elijah Schiffer’s Robber Crabs (‘Avant-Trad Jazz’); record labels 29th Street Editions and GSI Studios (mixing electronica and extreme-metal with modern jazz); and Brooklyn Qawwali Party (Pakistani Sufi music).
Prior to this, James has performed throughout the US with Kinsmen and Strangers, Extensions Guitar Quartet, The Sleeved Hearts, and Australia with the Mute Canary Project and Deep Blue Orchestra. His main compositional outlet from 2015-2018, the Lidless Quartet, featured Guggenheim-fellow Anna Webber, Adam Hopkins, and Nathan Ellman-Bell. Brisbane-based bands between 2020-2022 included Dropbear Lodge, Fete, and collaborations with Marike Van Dijk and Stephen Newcomb.
James graduated with a Bachelor of Music from Queensland Conservatorium (Brisbane) in 2011, Honors from the VCA (Melbourne) in 2012, and, in 2016, a Master of Music from SUNY Purchase College (NY). At SUNY, James received the jazz department’s graduate award, the E&E Merit scholarship, and an Ian Potter Cultural Trust grant. These experiences facilitated direct study with John Abercrombie, Vic Juris, Mark Helias, Ralph Alessi, Marc Hannaford, and John Rodgers.