Biography
John Berenzy, a self-taught musician, was born in New York City, where he still resides. After hearing early rhythm and blues on a jukebox in San Antonio, John decided to become a musician. His parents and an aunt, Josephine, encouraged him and sent him to a Jazz Clinic where, at the age of 12, he studied music improvisation and composition with Attilla Zoller, Alan Dawson, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrision, Dave Baker, and Ron Carter.
It was at this early and impressionable age Berenzy realized that the message and energy of Rock n' Roll and the creativity of improvised music was his forte. He quickly distinguished himself on the local level, winning a "Battle of the Bands" as Best Guitarist. The prize was a tri-state tour, where he "cut his teeth" learning how to work an audience.
After a brief stint at Hartford University Art College, John was asked to join up with an early guitar hero, Danny Kalb of Blues Project fame, to record on an anthology album for Columbia Records. This included veteran guitar greats Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Roy Buchanan, Johnny Winter, Santana and Chuck Berry. A watershed experience was a tour of the United States, which also included Eric Burden and the Animals, and Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen.
Back in New York John became the youngest teacher at The Guitar Study Center. He was quickly discovered by Seymour Stein to do an album for Sire Records. At this time he played on the C.B.G.B. scene, the epicenter of the Rock n' Roll renaissance, with Patti Smith, Television, Mink Deville and the Talking Heads. Later on, Willy Deville remembering the impact of John's commanding performance when they jammed at the C.B.G.B. club, asked him to fill Mark Knopfler's role on the Miracle Tour of Europe (1988-1989). Together they played throughout Paris, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.
"Johnny Jewel" was Berenzy's band in the mid-80's. His record "Vice Verses," written to, for and about Miles Davis, is now a valuable collector's item and still played on many radio stations in Europe and Scandinavia. The press notices for Berenzy's performances and subsequent album "The Final Resolve" were extremely favorable. One writer described him as "John Lennon being introduced to Jimi Hendrix by Lou Reed."
John, who is listed in the book Who's Who of Rock n' Roll, has played on sessions with highly distinguished players from Johnny Thunders to Carlos Alomar (David Bowie) to Ron Carter (Miles Davis). He recorded the album, Votive Light, with legendary players J.D. Daugherty (Patti Smith-Tom Verlaine-The Church), Fred Smith (Television), John Bruschini (Cecil Taylor), Bob Curiano (Mink Deville) and Ron Carter (Miles Davis).
John Berenzy’s book of poetry, Evolove, was published by Oyster Bay Books, which included glowing quotes by National Book Award winner Thomas Pynchon and George Plimpton of The Paris Review. A third printing is due out in the spring; with a second book "Blood of the Rose" following in the fall 2006.
Sacred Heart, an original album of all solo guitar and vocals, was released in 2003. A full-length recording of original songs will be released in the spring of 2006. It will feature electric and acoustic guitar.
One reviewer summed him up succinctly, "He's Rock n' Roll without the bullshit!"
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