John Basile

19 fans

About John Basile…

New York City-based jazz guitarist and composer John Basile has returned to playing, composing, and recording music after a successful 25-year journey into the world of radiology, medical imaging, and business development. In the 1980s and 90's, John worked with some of the most esteemed artists in vocal and instrumental jazz in both live and recorded scenarios. He changed direction to pursue opportunities in healthcare that brought a new perspective and renewed sense of energy to his music.

Born and raised in Boston, John attended Berklee College of Music and graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music. He honed his jazz skills studying with many of the great jazz guitarists of the era, including Barry Galbraith, Jack Wilkins, and Chuck Wayne.  John made inroads as a professional during that busy time as a working guitarist playing soul, R&B and pop gigs in the fertile show band scene in Boston at the time.

He moved to NYC in 1985 where he got his first break playing with Peggy Lee at the behest of legendary jazz drummer Grady Tate (Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith). His thoughtful, less-is-more approach and deep sense of swing quickly made him an in-demand guitarist on the NYC scene. During these years John performed and/or recorded in diverse settings with Peggy Lee, Sylvia Sims, Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, George Mraz, Michael Brecker, "Sweets" Edison, John Abercrombie, Tom Harrell, and Red Mitchell, among others.

In his nearly four decades as a musician, John has released 15 highly-acclaimed solo albums. He remained active composing and recording, even during his radiology tenure. In 2019, with the founding of Stringtime Productions, LLC, he added “media composer” to his credentials, composing and producing cues for film, television, and music libraries.

John is lauded for his dark and smooth tone, strong sense of swing, and finger style comping — playing chord fragments and melodies simultaneously. As an improviser, John is known for his conversational and lyrical approach, creating melodic lines that often result in harmonic surprises to the listener. His elegant musicality recalls consummate jazz guitarist Jim Hall who once remarked, "John Basile's playing has the essence of great jazz guitar - beautiful tone, marvelous swing, terrific technique and excellent phrasing. You can't ask for more".


John is also an accomplished professional boxing judge working championship assignments at Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center in New York, as well as championship bouts in Russia, Mexico, Australia and Montreal.  “There is a close mental correlation between judging combat sports and jazz. Both require total concentration and to be "in the moment" at all times. “Whether you’re evaluating action in the ring or you’re improvising on a challenging set of chord changes, you have to be extremely focused to quiet your mind ” John says.

On his latest jazz release, “Satisfied” highlights include an invigorating return to form featuring Gary Versace on organ and Carmen Intorre Jr. on drums. In this spirit, the trio digs into Dionne Warwick’s 1979 hit ballad, "Déjà Vu.” with an up tempo swinging version guaranteed to please. The impressionistic waltz, “Animations,” is an original, revisited from his duo album with guitarist John Abercrombie, and features an exquisite solo by Gary Versace. On “All Day” and “Straight Punches,” the trio swings mightily into riff tune territory with intricate lines featuring smooth legato phrasing and some soulful slurs.

Whether preparing for his next jazz release or composing/producing library cues for media at Springtime Productions, John's musical scope continues to widen and offer new challenges and opportunities to remain creatively engaged.

Contemplating his circuitous path back to music, he says: “Coming back full circle to music and the guitar specifically, is very emotional for me. After all of these years, it’s still who I really am and moving it front and center now makes sense."

John can be reached at: jbasile@johnbasile.net http://johnbasile.net

Top tracks

03
I've Told Every Little Star
John Basile
Amplitudes
03:49
Composers: Oscar Hammerstein; Jerome Kern

Playlists

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  • Discography
Albums
2024 John Basile
01-04-2024
Heatin' Up
01
Under the Influence
John Basile
Heatin' Up
05:08
Composers: John J Basile
02
For All We Know
John Basile
Heatin' Up
04:47
Composers: Fred Coots - Samuel Lewis
03
Girl Talk
John Basile
Heatin' Up
04:06
Composers: Neal Hefti
04
See Saw
John Basile
Heatin' Up
03:42
Composers: Cy Coleman
05
Moon and Sand
John Basile
Heatin' Up
04:16
Composers: Alec Wilder
06
Never Will I Marry
John Basile
Heatin' Up
03:05
Composers: Frank Loesser
07
Summer's Dawn
John Basile
Heatin' Up
04:32
Composers: John J Basile
Access the complete album info (10 songs)
2023 John Basile
01-09-2023
Satisfied
01
Deja Vu
John Basile
Satisfied
04:57
Composers: Issac Hayes - Adrianne Anderson
02
I'll Close My Eyes
John Basile
Satisfied
05:26
Composers: Billy Reid - Buddy Kaye
03
Animations
John Basile
Satisfied
04:19
Composers: John J Basile
04
Spring Forward
John Basile
Satisfied
05:09
Composers: John J Basile
05
I'm a Fool to Want You
John Basile
Satisfied
06:06
Composers: Frank Sinatra - Joel Heron - Jack Wolf - Taito Vainio
06
Starcrossed
John Basile
Satisfied
06:36
Composers: John J Basile
07
All Day
John Basile
Satisfied
06:30
Composers: John J Basile
Access the complete album info (9 songs)
2019 John Basile
23-09-2019
Silent Night
01
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
John Basile
Silent Night
03:36
Composers: John J Basile
02
Baby Its Cold Outside
John Basile
Silent Night
04:49
Composers: Frank Loesser
03
Lulladay
John Basile
Silent Night
03:38
Composers: John J Basile
04
Silver Bells
John Basile
Silent Night
04:10
Composers: Jay Livingston
05
Silent Night
John Basile
Silent Night
04:06
Composers: John J Basile
06
Toyland
John Basile
Silent Night
03:23
Composers: John J Basile
07
Oh Tannenbaum
John Basile
Silent Night
02:46
Composers: John J Basile
Access the complete album info (12 songs)
2016 John Basile
14-11-2016
Outside / In
01
Soldiers Field
John Basile
Outside / In
04:24
Composers: John J Basile
02
Bolera
John Basile
Outside / In
02:48
Composers: John J Basile
03
Fatback
John Basile
Outside / In
03:49
Composers: John J Basile
04
All Three Judges
John Basile
Outside / In
03:59
Composers: John J Basile
05
It's Probably Me
John Basile
Outside / In
04:17
Composers: Gordon Sumner
06
Bugs
John Basile
Outside / In
04:31
Composers: John J Basile
07
Camelot
John Basile
Outside / In
04:08
Composers: John J Basile
Access the complete album info (11 songs)
2015 John Basile
25-06-2015
Penny Lane
01
Eleanor Rigby
John Basile
Penny Lane
04:58
Composers: John Lennon - Paul McCartney
02
Fool On the Hill
John Basile
Penny Lane
04:03
Composers: John Lennon - Paul McCartney
03
Penny Lane
John Basile
Penny Lane
04:48
Composers: John Lennon - Paul McCartney
04
And I Love Her
John Basile
Penny Lane
04:28
Composers: John Lennon - Paul McCartney
05
A Day in the Life
John Basile
Penny Lane
04:15
Composers: John Lennon - Paul McCartney
06
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
John Basile
Penny Lane
04:55
Composers: George Harrison
07
Here There and Everywhere
John Basile
Penny Lane
03:55
Composers: John Lennon - Paul McCartney
Access the complete album info (11 songs)
2014 John Basile
01-08-2014
Undercover
01
After the Love Is Gone
John Basile
Undercover
04:29
Composers: Bill Champlin
02
If I Only Had a Brain
John Basile
Undercover
04:07
Composers: H Arlen
03
God Only Knows
John Basile
Undercover
03:58
Composers: B Wilson
04
Seconds Out
John Basile
Undercover
05:24
Composers: John J Basile
05
You Are Everything
John Basile
Undercover
04:35
Composers: T Bell
06
You'll Never Get to Heaven
John Basile
Undercover
04:39
Composers: B Bacharach
07
Caught Up in the Rapture
John Basile
Undercover
04:36
Composers: G Glenn
Access the complete album info (12 songs)
2011 John Basile
09-08-2011
Amplitudes
01
Ralph's Piano Waltz
John Basile
Amplitudes
04:06
Composers: John Abercrombie
02
You're As Right As Rain
John Basile
Amplitudes
04:17
Composers: Thom Bell; Linda Creed
03
I've Told Every Little Star
John Basile
Amplitudes
03:49
Composers: Oscar Hammerstein; Jerome Kern
04
My Funny Valentine
John Basile
Amplitudes
04:20
Composers: Lorenz Hart; R.Rodgers
05
Moon River
John Basile
Amplitudes
03:51
Composers: Henry Mancini
06
Stolen Moments
John Basile
Amplitudes
04:50
Composers: Oliver Nelson
07
It's Nice To Be With You
John Basile
Amplitudes
05:09
Composers: Jane Herbert
Access the complete album info (12 songs)
2010 John Basile
05-03-2010
No Apologies
01
S' Bout Time
John Basile
No Apologies
05:13
Composers: Don Patterson
02
Stop Look Listen (To Your Heart)
John Basile
No Apologies
04:27
Composers: Thom Bell, Linda Creed
03
Everything I Love
John Basile
No Apologies
03:25
Composers: Cole Porter
04
Where Are You
John Basile
No Apologies
07:10
Composers: Harry Adamson, J McHugh
05
Sideshow
John Basile
No Apologies
05:14
Composers: B. Eli, V. Barrett
06
Perugia
John Basile
No Apologies
05:28
Composers: John Basile
07
Unit Seven
John Basile
No Apologies
03:21
Composers: Sam Jones
Access the complete album info (11 songs)
Singles
2024 John Basile
04-10-2024
You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)
01
You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)
John Basile
You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)
04:02
Composers: Burt Bacharach
2024 John Basile
19-08-2024
Bossa Rio
01
Bossa Rio
John Basile
Bossa Rio
02:26
Composers: John J Basile
2024 John Basile
15-08-2024
After the Love Is Gone
01
After the Love Is Gone
John Basile
After the Love Is Gone
04:33
Composers: Bill Champlin - David Foster - Jay Joseph Graydon
2018 John Basile
20-02-2018
Shape of You
01
Shape of You
John Basile
Shape of You
04:07
Composers: Ed Sherren
Splits
01-01-1991
Duo
01
Everything I Love
Brad Terry
Duo
05:15
02
Gentle Rain
Brad Terry
Duo
06:39
03
Big Blues
Brad Terry
Duo
03:32
04
Moon & Sand
Brad Terry
Duo
04:28
05
Skylark
Brad Terry
Duo
05:02
06
Beautiful Love
Brad Terry
Duo
04:36
07
Sometime Ago
Brad Terry
Duo
07:21
Access the complete album info (11 songs)
Featured in
℗ 2024 Compigram
19-03-2024
Stock Music: Jazz Nights Vol. 1
01
Bright Lights
JJ Soul Band
Stock Music: Jazz Nights Vol. 1
03:57
Writer: John Soul / Composers: Ingvi Þór Kormáksson
02
Give Me a Song
Gavin K Sparks
Stock Music: Jazz Nights Vol. 1
04:02
Writer: Katherine Aldersley (Kay) Shelley / Composers: Gavin K Sparks
03
Old Man Swing
Kevin L Desire
Stock Music: Jazz Nights Vol. 1
02:31
Composers: Kevin L Desire
04
Summer Love
Latin Faculty
Stock Music: Jazz Nights Vol. 1
03:24
Writer: John Soul / Composers: Ingvi Þór Kormáksson
05
Lucky Day
Christine Mchoes
Stock Music: Jazz Nights Vol. 1
03:26
Writer: Jordan E Spivack / Composers: Jordan E Spivack
06
Blue Skies in Paradise
Wild Wisteria
Stock Music: Jazz Nights Vol. 1
04:28
Writer: Malcolm W Raedel / Composers: Malcolm W Raedel
07
Lluvia Fría en la Capital
Kenichi Tamura
Stock Music: Jazz Nights Vol. 1
04:44
Composers: Kenichi Tamura
Access the complete album info (20 songs)
℗ 2024 Compigram
30-04-2024
Stock Music:Electric Guitar Vol. 1
01
Gratitude
Snowman
Stock Music:Electric Guitar Vol. 1
04:52
Composers: Pedro Miguel Fernandes
02
Sunset
Lee B Holloway
Stock Music:Electric Guitar Vol. 1
04:33
Composers: Lee B Holloway
03
Cool Hand
Ghost Jazz Trio
Stock Music:Electric Guitar Vol. 1
03:52
Composers: James Morgan - Dean Brown
04
Sunshine Smiles
Chand K Nova
Stock Music:Electric Guitar Vol. 1
02:01
Composers: Chandan Kainth
05
No Les No Moore
Kevin Paul
Stock Music:Electric Guitar Vol. 1
04:31
Composers: Kevin Paul Venechuk
06
Angels We Have Heard on High
John Basile
Stock Music:Electric Guitar Vol. 1
02:25
Composers: John Basile - Traditional
07
Keep the Soul Alive
Keep the Soul Alive
Stock Music:Electric Guitar Vol. 1
06:58
Composers: Marvin Urias
Access the complete album info (12 songs)