Greg Kurstin

Award-winning songwriter, manufacturer, and multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin has already established his submit an impressive selection of projects in a variety of corners from the music industry. A LA local, he was launched to music by his grandmother’s piano playing, and used the device himself at age group five. As an associate of schoolmate Dweezil Zappa’s music group, he got his 1st published composing credit when he was just 12 — for co-writing “Crunchy Drinking water,” the B-side of Dweezil’s debut solitary “My Mother Is usually an area Cadet.” He relocated to NY after senior high school to keep his piano research at the brand new College with Charles Mingus alum Jaki Byard, immersing himself in the jazz picture — using famous brands Bobby Hutcherson and George Coleman — while also discovering hip-hop and Brazilian music (and understanding how to play the berimbau), designs that would element mainly into his career-defining eclecticism. After time for L.A. in the first ’90s, Kurstin created quirky alternative rock and roll clothing Geggy Tah with vocalist/songwriter Tommy Jordan. The duo authorized to David Byrne’s Luaka Bop information and released their debut in 1994; the follow-up, Sacred Cow (1996), included a high 20 modern rock and roll strike in “Whoever You Are,” but there is a considerable hold off before their third and last album, In to the Oh, made an appearance in 2001. For the time being he developed his credentials like a sideman, playing for and collaborating with Beck, Matthew Nice, Jane’s Dependency, the Red Warm Chili Peppers, and Bob Moog, amongst others. Kurstin also masterminded the jazz-funk-rock fusion task Action Physique Party, whose eponymous 1999 debut included efforts from Flea, Sean Lennon, Miho Hatori, users of WITHOUT DOUBT, Buckcherry, Incubus, and Spirit Coughing, among additional past due-’90s luminaries, plus his then-wife Pamelia Kurstin, who later on earn renown like a Theremin participant. In the 2000s, he used Ben Harper, Jason Mraz, and Jenny Lewis, offered as Gwen Stefani’s musical movie director for live and tv performances, and extended his songwriting and creation réamounté considerably, dealing with United kingdom pop performers Kylie Minogue, Lily Allen, Natasha Bedingfield, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and everything Saints, aswell as Peaches, Sia, Donna Summertime, as well as the Flaming Lip area. In 2005, Kurstin fulfilled vocalist/songwriter Inara George (a fellow L.A. music biz insider, as well as the girl of Small Feat’s Lowell George); both bonded more than a appreciate of jazz and tropicalia and started collaborating as the Parrot as well as the Bee, launching their Blue Note-issued eponymous debut record the following season. Ray Guns AREN’T Just the near future and Interpreting the Experts, Vol 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall & John Oates implemented in ’09 2009 and 2010, respectively, as do profitable collaborations and creation careers with Kelly Clarkson, Sia, Foster individuals, the Shins, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Tegan & Sara, Ellie Goulding, P!nk, and Lana Del Ray. Kurstin was nominated to get a Golden Globe Prize for Best First Tune for “Chance” through the 2014 reboot of Annie. That same season, he gained two Grammy nominations, one for Manufacturer of the entire year and one for Record of the entire year.