Jonathan is a career fiddler / violinist and multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, recording artist and performer based in Los Angeles, California.
He has collaborated with Grammy Award-winning artists of an eclectic variety of genres and has performed at renowned festivals and stages throughout the United States. Whether it be a concert stage, recording studio, theater, wedding, symphony, or jam setting, Jonathan is committed to elevating the experience with his unique sensibilities and musical magic.
Jonathan’s unconventional path to becoming a career musician began in his formative years. Growing up to a musical family in the San Fernando Valley, Jonathan began playing violin in his middle school orchestra. He was selected to perform at the Kodak Theater as part of the California Honors Orchestra in which students from all over the state auditioned to participate. After that, Jonathan graduated to the Topanga Symphony and Beach Cities Symphony through high school and college where for several years he was the youngest member in both ensembles.
Ultimately, Jonathan decided that the traditional violinist’s path wasn’t enough for him. He picked up the guitar and put his eclectic sensibilities, songwriting and composition skills to the test releasing his first album in 2015 – a collection of original experimental rock and R&B tunes – with Grammy Award-winning producer Tim V. Hutton (Three Dog Night, Jimmy Cliff, Sugar Ray) at the Canyon Hut studio in Laurel Canyon.
Jonathan continued his musical experience performing in and writing for musical theater productions. He has performed with Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon for the productions of Tom (an adaptation of Uncle Toms’ Cabin) and Animal Farm (an adaptation of George Orwell’s work) and has written and performed music and lyrics for productions by UCLA’s student-run Dually Noted Theater Co.
Jonathan began his first foray as a fiddler in 2017. With his newfound interest for the improvisatory style, he would go on to perform with many country, folk and bluegrass acts as well as Grateful Dead tribute bands, jam bands and jamgrass bands, offering both traditional and progressive fiddle sensibilities to the Southern California Americana / jam band scene. In just one year of picking up the art, Jonathan took off performing at notable festivals and venues including the Huck Finn Jubilee, The California Avocado Festival, the June Lake Jam Fest, The Troubadour, the Whisky A Go-Go and other stages across the state. In addition to fiddling around, Jonathan regularly applies his violin skills for live performance in all kinds of genres, including rock, punk rock, soul, pop, hip-hop, R&B and more.
In addition to being an in-demand live music presence, Jonathan has worked in recording studios throughout Los Angeles collaborating with artists and bands of a variety of genres as both a recording artist and composer. He has worked with Grammy Award-winning and nominated producers including John Would (Warren Zevon, Fiona Apple, Lucinda Williams, Iggy Pop, True Blood), Eric Corne (John Mayall, Lucinda Williams, Joe Bonamossa, Michelle Shocked, Nancy Wilson, Stupid Crazy Love), Brian West (Nelly Furtado, Maroon 5, Awolnation, K’naan, Bono) and David Davis (Miguel, The War on Drugs, Frank Ocean).
Known for being professional, punctual, responsible, organized and discreet, Jonathan is available for hire as a performer and/or writer for live recording and performance.
