John Carlini
Musician
Best known for
Guitar
Composer
John Carlini is a guitarist, arranger and composer whose work sits where jazz and bluegrass meet. He was musical director for David Grisman’s quartet before joining the quintet.
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- The son of professional musicians — his father played violin in the New York Philharmonic, his mother was a concert pianist.
- Attended the Navy School of Music and toured for three years with the U.S. Navy Show Band, then took a degree in arranging and composition at Berklee.
- Met Grisman on a gig at Gerde’s Folk City in Greenwich Village, an introduction that followed a lesson with the banjo player Bill Keith.
- Composed and orchestrated the music for the 1978 film King of the Gypsies, appearing onscreen alongside Stéphane Grappelli.
- Plays guitar on the quintet’s Dawg ’90.
