Since 1994, John Goldsby has been a member of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk Big Band (the Cologne Radio Big Band). From 1980 to 1994, John lived in New York City and was an active fixture on the New York jazz scene, performing everywhere from Carnegie Hall, to the nightclubs of Greenwich Village, to concert stages around the world. John is actively involved in the jazz scene as a bassist, bandleader, composer, teacher, clinician and author.

The son of a Baptist minister, John was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He played piano, guitar, and electric bass before taking up the double bass at age 18. His early musical experiences include work with hometown jazz greats Jimmy Raney, Helen Humes, and Jamey Aebersold. In 1979, John got the gig with the house trio at a jazz club in Louisville that brought in famous jazz soloists to play with the trio. For almost one year, John played with some of the legends of jazz including: Jay McShann, Buddy Tate, Johnny Hartman, Barney Kessel, Tom Harrell, Dave Liebman, Buddy DeFranco, and others. When this gig ended, John knew he had to move to New York. In 1980, he put the bass in the car and made his move…

After moving to New York, John found himself in good company with all of the other young players on the scene. His first experiences with the established New York elite included gigs with Albert Dailey, Sal Nestico, John Hicks, Benny Bailey and Bob Wilber.

Goldsby has several new CD productions on the market, including: Space for the Bass, The Visit, andLive at the Nachbar.

Goldsby has recorded with many world-class musicians, including Scott Hamilton, John Lewis, and the American Jazz Orchestra. The John Goldsby, Peter Erskine, Bill Dobbins Trio recently recorded “Cologne” (Fuzzy Music). The CD is available through the Goldsby Web Store, or through Fuzzy Music and iTunes. Trumpeter John Marshall’s newest CD, “Frisky” (Organic Music) is now available. “Off Broadway” is the title of the highly -acclaimed release with Frank Vignola on Nagel Heyer Records . “The Shimmering Colours of Stained Glass,” and “The Underwater Poet” with Hubert Nuss, plus Hubert’s newest “Feed the Birds” on Pirouet , “Ups and Downs” with trombonist Ludwig Nuss, “Tesoro” with Rolf Roemer, “All John” with Hans Peter Salentin, and guitarist Joachim Schoenacker’s “Common Language” are among recently released recordings that feature John. “Behind Closed Doors” with Peter Erskine, “The Chase” with Randy Sandke, “An Ellington Affair” with Bill Mays, “Big Man’s Blues” with Andy Fusco, and “The Return of the Great Guitars” (Herb Ellis, Larry Coryell, Mudell Lowe, and Charlie Byrd) are among other noteworthy recordings. Three critically acclaimed records with the Frank Vignola Trio are “Appel Direct,” “Let It Happen,” and “Look Right, Jog Left.”

The WDR Big Band records constantly and is featured on several current releases, such as: “Concord Voices, Live at Montreux,” “Patti Austin – For Ella,” “Big Band Time” from Paquito D’Rivera (featuring John’s burning duet “Basstronaut” with electric bassist Oscar Stagnaro), “The Latin Jazz Suite,” “Esparanto,” “The Jazz Mass,” “Jazz Goes To The Movies,” “Gillespiana,” “Bullit” and “Mannix” from Lalo Schifrin; “Pussy Cat Dues” with Bill Dobbins, Kevin Mahogany, Charles McPherson, Jimmy Knepper, Dennis Mackrel; “Better Get Hit In Your Soul” with Bill Dobbins, Jack Walrath, Miles Griffith; “Eddie Harris, The Last Concert;” and probably the most representative recording of the WDR Big Band, “Prism – The Music of Bill Dobbins and Peter Erskine.”