Josh Nelson
Piano
47 age
August 1, 1978 Birthday
Long Beach, California, U.S. Birthplace
www.joshnelsonmusic.com Website
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Shows
About
Josh Nelson is a Los Angeles-based jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and educator recognized for his technical virtuosity and ambitious multimedia projects. He has released numerous albums as a leader, beginning with his debut First Stories at age nineteen. His signature Discovery Project series merges original compositions with live video projections, drawing on themes from science fiction, space exploration, and Los Angeles cultural history. Nelson toured and recorded with Natalie Cole for six years and has maintained a longstanding collaboration with vocalist Sara Gazarek. He has also performed or recorded with Kurt Elling, John Pizzarelli, Benny Golson, Peter Erskine, Michael Buble, and Rufus Wainwright, among many others. He currently serves as an adjunct instructor in Jazz Studies at USC Thornton School of Music.
Trivia
Nelson's father was a Disney imagineer, an influence he credits for his approach to creating immersive artistic experiences. In 2006, he was one of only twelve semi-finalists in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition. His album Dream in the Blue was recorded by legendary engineer Al Schmitt, known for his work with Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan. Nelson's Discovery Project visuals use found footage from the Prelinger Collection, mixed live via MIDI controller by collaborator Travis Flournoy.
Early Life
Josh Nelson was born on August 1, 1978, and raised in the Long Beach area of Southern California. His father worked as a Disney imagineer, fostering a household environment that prized creative innovation and imaginative thinking. Nelson began formal classical piano training during childhood, building a strong technical foundation in piano and music theory. As a teenager, he gravitated toward jazz, drawn to its capacity for improvisation and emotional expression. He was particularly influenced by the playing of Oscar Peterson and Gene Harris, whose urbane yet bluesy approach shaped his developing style. Nelson later pursued advanced studies at Boston University, where he served as director of Jazz Programs and adjunct professor while working toward a doctoral degree in music.
Josh Nelson Solos
2023
Piano solo - Gooey Butter Cake - 2023
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 192 BPM
Piano solo - Bellarosa - 2023
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 180 BPM
Piano solo - Love Theme from Spartacus - 2023
3/4 free in G major
Piano solo - My Anguish In Solidarity - 2023
7/8 straight in C major at 255 BPM
Piano solo - Holding On to Autumn - 2023
4/4 straight in C minor at 100 BPM