Justin Quinn

b. 30 March 1978, Mount Kisco, New York, USA. Quinn’s father was a professional guitarist and the family moved to the UK at the start of the 80s. He studied music in Cambridge from 1996-99, becoming proficient on electric, acoustic, classical and fretless guitars. He also plays other fretted string instruments: banjo, ukulele and mandolin. The musical forms that interested him range widely through, Indian music, bluegrass, classical, rock, and jazz, in the latter case he took special note of the New York Downtown improvised music scene.


After living in various parts of the UK, Quinn settled in London in 2001 becoming active on London’s jazz and improvised music scenes. In particular, Quinn has been deeply involved with the F-IRE Collective. He has grown in stature and commands the respect of audiences and fellow musicians. Among individual musicians and groups with whom he has worked are Jasper Holby’s Qualia, the London Jazz Orchestra, the F-IRE Collective big band, Synergy, the Indian trio Padhanisa, trumpeter Gerard Presencer, alto saxophonist Mark Sanders, clarinettist Alex Ward, bass player Simon Fell (recording Compilation III, For Improvisers, Big Band And Chamber Ensemble), and plays with Jonathan Mayer and Neil Craig in the Teak Project (recording 2008’s The Teak Project). Quinn also leads his own small group, Bakehouse, and it was with this band that he made his 2005 own-name recording debut. In addition to playing jazz, Quinn is also involved in live and session work in both London and New York.