John Matthew Rosenberg began playing music at age five and has practically never stopped. His early classical training provided the sound foundation from which to explore a myriad of musical spheres, and his inventive style reflects a comprehensive grasp of those wide-ranging traditions so evident throughout the world today.

From BACH to BLUES, ETHNIC, ROCK, JAZZ, and SPACE MUSIC, there is not much that has escaped Mr. Rosenberg’s inquisitive ears.

He can also be heard on the latest Dan Hicks CD, “Beat The Heat”, alongside co-performers Bette Midler, Tom Waits, Rickie Lee Jones, & Elvis Costello. John co-wrote songs for Air Bud 3 – Disney/Buena Vista & MVP – Columbia/Tristar with the films’ composer, Brahm Wenger.

Although piano was and still is his primary instrument, John had learned to play the violin, sax, bassoon and guitar before he left to study architecture at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Since then he has worked as a player, singer, and songwriter in New York, Boston, and San Francisco, as well as in some exotic foreign lands such as Turkey, Switzerland, Chile, Cuba, and South Africa.

Mr. Rosenberg now resides with his wife in Los Angeles, California.

John has played with quite a diverse list of musical luminaries such as Cab Calloway, Bonnie Raitt, Phil Collins, Jerry Garcia, Sammy Cahn, Carlos Santana, and David Grisman.

From small clubs to the finest grand hotels in Europe, from symphony concerts with David Benoit to music festivals around the country, John Rosenberg continues to remain one of our premier piano players who is also a singer who is continually sought after for his never ending originality and surprising versatility.

Following some recent dates at The Mint and The Troubador in LA., John finished the second CD for the band he tours with called, the Joe Craven Trio (keyboards & l.h.bass). His work appears on three of San Francisco’s finest new releases: Clair Bellino, Patrick Mayer, & Jim and Morning Nichols.

Accomplished, polished, and yet loose and highly interactive, John Matthew Rosenberg always enjoys himself, and always offers his audiences a very entertaining ride across the colorful landscapes that inhabit our musical universe.

John was honored as “Artist in Residence” on an around-the-world voyage aboard the Universe Explorer.

Biography

Pianist / Singer / Songwriter / Educator – Hip Hip Beret Music BMI

Brief history:
Born in New York City to a Finnish mother and Ukrainian father.
Parents, both immigrants, met each other in NYC in the early ‘50s. They never married… Adopted and raised in West Orange, New Jersey. (see film: “Flirting with Disaster”).
Began studying piano at age 5 (also then took up violin, saxophone, guitar and bassoon).
Graduated West Orange High School – breaking 4 school records with the swim team.
Delivered drugs, pumped gas, fixed tires, & moved refrigerators for summer employment.

Attended the University of Pennsylvania – graduated with a Major in Architecture.
* Became acquainted with and subsequently friendly with inventor and citizen-of-the-
world: “comprehensivist” and geodesic-dome designer Richard Buckminster Fuller.
Played in college rock band Wax: became The Hooters (“Time After Time” – C. Lauper)

Eight years in Boston & Cambridge, Massachusetts
* Designed floors and walls by day / performed with my Rock & Roll Band at night.
* Worked as apprentice to Mr. Atwood Cunningham 3rd – 93 year old house painter.
Taught music @ Harvard (Adult Education). Participant – Sufi group (Gurdjieff).
Sold pianos & organs / worked w/members of the rock band “Boston”.

Four months driving/camping across the USA – relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area.
* Acted in films w/Jeff Bridges, Julia Roberts. Played w/“Full Faith and Credit” big band.
* Worked w/mandolinist David Grisman and Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, as well
as Maria Muldaur, Dan Hicks, Huey Lewis, Sammy Cahn, Cab Calloway, Santana, etc.
* House pianist with a 10 piece Dance Band 6 nights a week, working at the elegant
Venetian Room in the famous Fairmont Hotel, Nob Hill – San Francisco.
Played pre-game show: Game #3 of the ’89 World Series at Candlestick Park, SF.
(for Steve Jobs & Apple – the day of the great San Francisco Earthquake)
Lived in Europe for one year, working & playing in Switzerland, Germany & Italy, etc.
* Lectured on Music as Regenerative and Cognitive Therapy – Istanbul, Turkey
Met my wife while performing on the “SS Universe Explorer” in the Caribbean (part of Semester At Sea, a global education program sponsored by University of Virginia)

Now living and working, teaching, playing, and writing songs in Los Angeles.
* Songs have been featured in Disney’s “Air Bud” & “MVP”, “Santa Buddies” & “Santa Paws” series of films. Also in Jim Henson’s “Animal Jam” show.
* See The Helpful Doo-its Project: books with CDs recorded with Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters (for Christopher Reeve’s foundation), John Goodman & others.
* Teacher @ Musician’s Institute Hollywood. Toured Europe w/guitarist Larry Carlton.
* Currently writing songs using the poems of Robert Frost, Robert W. Service, Shelley, Lewis Carroll, Rudyard Kipling, Langston Hughes, Longfellow & Poe, etc. as lyrics.
* Projects: “Ubuntu Botho” – Song set to words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
* “Off To Sea – the World”: Alma Mater for U of VA Semester At Sea (SAS) program.
* Sailed around the world w/500+ students Spring ’00 & Spring ’11 with Semester At Sea
* Artist In Residence w/SAS Summer ’14 (Europe), Fall ’15 (Morocco & Senegal)
* New kid’s TV show “Mack & Moxy” (PBS/Netflix). Easter on the White House lawn.