Aaron Weinstein profile picture

Aaron Weinstein

Jazz Violin

About Me

Named a “rising star violinist” by Downbeat Magazine, Aaron Weinstein is quickly earning a reputation as one of the finest jazz violinists of his generation. As a featured soloist, Aaron has performed at Lincoln Center, Wolftrap Center for the Performing Arts, Chicago's Orchestra Hall, the JVC Jazz Festival, the Iridium, Birdland, and Django Reinhardt festivals in France, Iceland and New York City. Aaron has performed and recorded with and an array of jazz masters including: Howard Alden, Gene Bertoncini, Al Caiola, Scott Hamilton, Dick Hyman, Les Paul, Houston Person, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Annie Ross, Warren Vache, Frank Vignola, and Claude "Fiddler" Williams as well as legendary rock guitarist, Jay Geils, New York Pops founder/conductor, Skitch Henderson. He is a recent graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was awarded a full four-year talent-based scholarship. While still in high school, he founded New Trier High School's Stephane Grappelli Tribute Trio, voted as the nation's best high school instrumental jazz group by Downbeat Magazine in 2002. Aaron has won various competitions including the 1998 and 2001 Illinois State Fiddle Championships, making him the youngest performer ever to hold this title. With the release of Aaron’s Arbors Records debut, "A Handful of Stars", (called “the rebirth of the hot jazz violin” by Nat Hentoff) Aaron has become the youngest jazz musician to have recorded as leader for this prestigious traditional jazz record label.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 12/28/2005
Band Website: aaronweinstein.net
Influences: Joe Venuti, Zoot Sims, Harry Lookofsky, Pizzarelli, Warren Vache, Stuff Smith
Sounds Like:

Aaron Weinstein
A Handful of Stars CD
Arbors Records 2005
Purchase CD
Download via iTunes

Track Listing:
1) After You've Gone
2) A Dream is Wish Your Heart Makes
3) Samba De Orpheu
4) A Handful of Stars
5) Swingtime in the Rockies
6) Let's Get Lost
7) Dark Eyes
8) Someone to Watch Over Me
9) If Dream Come True
10) Pennies From Heaven
11) Dinner With Friends
12) Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me

Album Credits:
Aaron Weinstein - Violin
Bucky Pizzarelli - Guitar
John Pizzarelli - Guitar, Vocals
Houston Person - Tennor Sax
Nicki Parrot - Bass
Joe Ascione - Drums

"This session should bring renewed interest in the often overlooked heritage of the jazz violin while heralding the advent of an unmistakably personal improviser who can be intimately tender as well as so fierily invigorating that you have to move to his music."
-Nat Hentoff, jazz critic for The Wall Street Journal

"While packing Joe Venutis 'heat' and Grappellis 'soul,' Aaron Weinstein sounds like neither one of the vintage violinists. Its refreshing to hear such original playing by a young musician. We were knocked out..."
-Richard Bourcier, JazzReview.com

"This is a wonderful debut album by the 19 year old violinist, Aaron Weinstein. Weinstein's choice of musicians and songs is excellent. He's got great taste. Everyone is together. And the music carries you along, from first note to last."
-Chip Deffaa, long-time jazz critic and the author of Jazz Veterans, Voices of the Jazz Age, and a half-dozen other books on jazz

- Select Discography -

Jay Geils, Gerry Beaudoin and
The Kings of Strings
featuring Aaron Weinstein CD
Arbors Records 2006
Purchase CD
Download via iTunes

Skitch Henderson & Bucky Pizzarelli
Legends CD
Arbors Records 2003
Purchase CD
Download via iTunes

Record Label: Arbors Records
Type of Label: Indie