My name is John Guari. I’m a trumpet player, pianist, composer, arranger and songwriter based in New York City. I was born and raised in Minnesota. I started playing piano when I was 5 and trumpet when I was 10. After I graduated from Edina High School, I moved to Denton, Texas where I pursued studies in Jazz Arranging at the University of North Texas under Akira Sato and Paris Rutherford. I completed my Master’s in Jazz Composition at UNT under the instruction of Paris Rutherford and Steve Wiest. I moved to New York in August of 2009.

My compositions and arrangements have been played publicly in various areas of the United States, the Netherlands, Japan and Thailand.

My original composition, “November” has been recorded by the world renowned One O’Clock Lab Band and appears on their 52nd Annual Grammy Award Nominated Album, Lab 2009.

Other groups that have played my music the Two and Three O’Clock Lab Bands, the UNT Zebras ensemble, various small groups, and my own jazz and rock groups. In Fall of 2009, I was accepted into the BMI Jazz Composer’s Workshop run by Jim McNeely and Mike Holober.

As a trumpet player, I’ve played in the UNT 3 O’Clock Lab Band, other UNT lab bands, as well as professionally around Denton and the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. I have performed publicly with trombonist Slide Hampton and saxophonist Brad Leali. I’ve studied privately with Brad Shermock, Keith Johnson, Mike Steinel, Rodney Booth, Jay Saunders and Dave Jensen.

As a keyboardist, I’ve played professionally at weddings, fundraising events and restaurants around the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. I was the full-time keyboardist and background vocalist for the DFW based pop/funk/R&B/dance band, Groove Academy for several years. While with this group, I had the privilege of playing after parties for such renowned artists as The Commodores and Ronnie Millsap.

As a songwriter, I led or co-led the now-disbanded bands, The Great American Challenge, and Chestnut House. I occasionally sing and play my original songs.

I recently sang with Ben Folds and the Providence Philharmonic in Providence, Rhode Island.

I love writing, performing, listening to and talking about all kinds of music more than almost anything else in the world.

“… Music is the Best!” - Frank Zappa

Photography by Michal Garcia