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Joshua Breakstone Biography

joshua-breakstone
  • Born: July 22, 1955 in Elizabeth, NJ
  • Years Active: 1970s-2000s
  • Genre: Jazz

A fine bop-based guitarist, Joshua Breakstone discovered jazz when he was 14. He studied for several years with Sal Salvador, yet at the time was gigging regularly with a rock group. He attended Berklee, and in 1977, toured Canada with the reed player Glen Hall, making his recording debut on Hall's Sonora release. During and after teaching guitar at the Rhode Island Conservatory of Music (1979-1981), Breakstone worked in New York with Warne Marsh, Emily Remler, Dave Schnitter, and Vic Juris. In 1983, he recorded his first album (Wonderful!) for Sonora. While that date had Barry Harris on piano, his follow-up featured Kenny Barron. Breakstone went on to record for Contemporary (including a quartet date featuring Pepper Adams), Capri, Evidence, and Double-Time, helping keep the legacy of quiet bop guitar alive. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi

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