About

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John Storie is an Oregon-based guitarist, vocalist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. He is Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Oregon. As a headliner for major international festivals and venues, he also performs with the award-winning New West Guitars.

John’s current tours include Melissa Manchester, Ann Hampton Callaway, Sarah McKenzie, and songwriter/vocalist Spencer Day. 

In 2019, John released a new project featuring pianist Josh Nelson called “Ponderosa”. This album features Storie also as a vocalist, with his own songs and covers ranging from Woody Guthrie to Sergio Mendes. 

In 2017, John recorded on Gwen Stefani’s album You Make it Feel Like Christmas which topped the Billboard charts at #1 holiday album. In 2018, the reissue of the same album, also topped the Billboard holiday charts, as well as placed for ads such as Starbucks and Target, and in 2024 the single You Make it Feel Like Christmas went RIAA Platinum.

From 2012-2025 John was a member of Jeff Goldblum’s Mildred Snitzer Orchestra performing globally and with guest artists such as Miley Cyrus, Inara George, Gregory Porter, Sharon Van Etten, Sarah Silverman, and others. John released 4 albums with Jeff on the Decca and Verve Records labels, with all albums topping the Billboard Jazz Charts and iTunes Music Charts. John performed with Jeff on BBC, NBC, CBS, and ABC television with appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Kelly Clarkson Show, The Late Late Show and The Today Show.

Since 2005, Storie has been the co-founder of the New West Guitars - a guitar trio featuring original compositions as well as arrangements of classic standards and pop covers. NWG has performed at the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Amerikafest in Berlin, Philippine International Jazz Festival, as well as festivals and venues in the US including Britt Fest, Rochester Jazz Festival, Yoshi’s, Subculture NYC, and the Blue Whale. NWG also has conducted clinics at major universities and music conservatories. Currently collaborating with the Archtop Foundation - Blue Guitars, NWG is set to release their new trio album in early 2026.

While a student at USC’s Thornton School of Music (BM ’06) and CalArts (MFA ’12), John was recognized by the Downbeat Student Music Awards, the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts, and Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. In 2005, John was selected as one of 10 semi-finalists in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Guitar Competition and performed at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC with Chris Potter, Terri Lynn Carrington, James Genus, and Bob James.

From 2017-2025, John was faculty in the Los Angeles Community College District. Since 2018, he has been an artist-in-residence at his alma mater California Institute of the Arts conducting his class Concert Booking and Tour Planning for the Self-Promoting Musician as well as Musician Budgeting 101.

Education:

-2006, B.M. Studio/Jazz Guitar Performance, University of Southern California
-2012, M.F.A. Jazz Guitar Performance, California Institute of the Arts

Affiliations/Endorsements:

-Traugott Guitars

-Marchione Guitars

-Eastman Guitars

-Henriksen Amplifiers

-Malin Amplification

-Strymon Pedals

Member, Local 47 American Federation of Musicians

ASCAP