Greg Kurstin played keyboards for Ben Harper on Strawberry Fields Forever (I Am Sam, 2001), and on the Diamonds On The Inside (2003) and Both Sides of the Gun (2006) albums.

Bio — "As a young jazz pianist, Kurstin studied with the iconoclastic Jaki Byard at the New School in New York City and at Cal Arts. Even as a very young man, Kurstin could pinpoint exactly what he wanted to achieve musically. "Jaki Byard was the whole reason I went to the New School. In high school, I was a big Charles Mingus fan, and Byard, who worked with Mingus, was one of my favorite pianists. I wanted to learn from him, so I tracked him down in New York." Kurstin has gone on to perform and tour with such noted artists as vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson and alto saxophonist Charles McPherson, as well as with his own popular jazz quartet in Los Angeles.
Kurstin, who plays organ, synth, piano and guitar, is a remarkably versatile musician. He scored great critical success with his previous band, the genre-busting duo, Geggy Tah, which showcased his cutting edge soundscapes and quirky compositions. His skills as a top-notch keyboardist are clearly no secret; he has also appeared on countless sessions with some of today’s biggest artists including the Chili Peppers and Sheryl Crow." — source : vervemusicgroup.com

August 3, 2002, Temple Bar (Santa Monica, CA) : Backed by Innocent Criminals Greg Kurstin on keyboards and Oliver Charles on drums, Leon Mobley & Da Lion played a small show to a packed house at Santa Monica's Temple Bar. After setting the tone with Bob Marley's Rastaman Chant, the band roared through an energetic set of originals with Leon at mic. The night was rounded out with a surprise appearance from Ben Harper, who popped in from the cold to sing lead vocals on Burn One Down — source : benharper.net

Geggy Tah

• "Band from Pomona, California. Led by Greg Kurstin (vocals/bass/keyboards) with Tommy Jordan (guitar) and Darren Hahn (drums). The band's name originates from the band members Greg and Tommy, and their little sisters mispronunciation of their names. Greg created a side project in 2001 called Action Figure Party that featured many guests including Flea from the Red Hot Chili peppers and Sean Lennon! — source : www.ear.fm

• "American duo Geggy Tah consist of Greg Kurstin and Tommy Jordan, who in the late 80s were in a band called Cocu. Later the duo scored several "docu-poems" for the film director David Lynch, examples of which won both first and second place at the Houston International Film Festival. They were signed to Luka Bop Records (headed by David Byrne) after three hours of unmarked music arrived in their offices. As Byrne said: "They sound like nothing I've ever heard before." Their debut contained fourteen tracks, ranging in tone from flippancy to earnest songwriting craft. Using samples and unusual instrumentation, it was recorded at Jordan's own studio in Pomona, California, USA. Instruments such as steel drums, bass, piano, harmonica, melodica, trumpets, "bottles, bags and throats" were all employed to produce hypnotic structures such as "Last Word (The One For Her)" and a tribute, conducted with the aid of yodelling, to the group's hometown - "L.A. Lujah". Jordan's sister, Amy, provided additional vocals on the haunting "The Ghost O P. Sluff". — source : unknown

• "There is nothing ordinary about the Pomona, California trio Geggy Tah. The group's unpredictable sound is a quirky mix of funk, jazz, alternative, and experimental rock. Starting out as a duo (comprised of Greg Kurstin and Tommy Jordan), the band got their name when their baby sisters had problems speaking their names. Signed to David Byrne's Luaka Bop label in the early '90s, Geggy Tah issued their debut album, Grand Opening, in 1994 (with Byrne himself signed on as one of the album's executive producers). Although it wasn't a major hit, it garnered universal praise from rock critics, which carried over to their next release, 1996's Sacred Cow. Although the material was still all over the place, it did prove to be a successful follow-up, as the band became a three-piece with the addition of drummer Daren Hahn. The album was entirely home-recorded, with producer Susan Rodgers helping the band for a second time (she handled production and engineering duties for Geggy Tah's debut as well). Six years later, Geggy Tah created another layered piece of perfection with Into the Oh, released on Virgin in June." — Greg Prato, All Music Guide


Opening acts for Ben Harper

• 08/24/1996 - Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, Canada | review : dropd.com
• 05/16/1997 - Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA
• 05/29/1999 - County Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA

••• links ••••

Action Figure Party
www.vervemusicgroup.com