John Kruth

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John Kruth is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist best known for his highly energetic “Banshee Mandolin” style of playing. He is also proficient on guitar, banjo, harmonica and various flutes. Kruth is also a music journalist and author. His most recent biography, To Live’s To Fly - the Ballad of Townes Van Zandt, was published by Da Capo Books in March 2007. Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone said: “In John Kruth, Van Zandt has found a biographer well-suited to his eccentricities and rough edges, a man who understands him and who brings light into his dark places.” Playwright Sam Shepard called To Live’s To Fly, “A fervent tribute to a true legend of American songwriting. John Kruth has tracked the back story of Townes Van Zandt like a manic bloodhound without spoiling the mystery of the man.”

Kruth’s first biography^[1], Bright Moments – The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk was first published in the U.S. and England in 2000 by Welcome Rain Books. Bright Moments was translated into Japanese and published by Kawade Shobo in 2005. The British jazz/experimental music journal The Wire said that Kruth’s writing: “Illuminates Rahsaan Roland Kirk like photographic flash bulbs.” “It’s swirling with fire, humor, audacity and surprise. His research is formidable, his writing is fresh and exciting, and his enthusiasm is irresistible,” wrote David Hajdu, author of the award winning biography of Billy Strayhorn, Lush Life.

John currently has eight albums to his credit. His latest CD, Eva Destruction, was released in December, 2007 by Crustacean Records. The Star Ledger (Newark, NJ) has called Kruth “a major talent, with an understanding of how to craft a first-class lyric.” In November of 1997 Kruth performed at Carnegie Hall as a soloist for composer John Coriglian on the Moroccan folk oboe called the ghaita, commonly played by the Master Musicians of Jajouka. He has also performed with playwright Sam Shepard, poet Allen Ginsberg, Patti Smith, performance artist Laurie Anderson, producer Hal Willner, folksinger John Prine, as well as Violent Femmes, the Meat Puppets, King Missile, Peter Stampfel, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Jim Belushi, Steve Buscemi, Eric von Schmidt, Stan Ridgeway, Bob Neuwirth, poet Bob Holman, Die Kreuzen, Cyberchump and members of Camper Van Beethoven. In 2006 John traveled to India where he studied mandolin and performed with Carnatic mandolin virtuoso U. Rajesh. Kruth is also a Professor of Music at Manhattan College and the College of Mount St. Vincent. In the past his writing has appeared in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Progressive, Frets, and Signal to Noise. He is currently a regular contributor to Rave (India), Sing Out!, Wax Poetics and Fretboard Journal. He lives in New York City.

1 Discography
2 Publications
- 2.1 Books
- 2.2 Poetry and Short Prose include
3 Achievements
4 Notes
5 References

[edit] Discography

2007 - Eva Destruction - Crustacean Records (with members of Violent Femmes, Plasticland and Die Kreuzen)
2004 – Songs from the Windy Attic – Smiling Fez Records
2002 – Share The Failure – Smithsonian Folkways Records (song on Fast Folk compilation)
2001 – Harry and Albert – Electronic Music Foundation (song on State of the Union compilation produced by Elliott Sharp
2000 – Everywhere You’ve Never Been – Label M/Smiling Fez Records (with Frank London)
1999 – The Cherry Electric – Internal Combustion Records (re-issue of 1995 release)
1999 – Moon Dog Girl – Sparkling Beatnik Records (with Elliott Sharp and Jonathan Segel)
1998 – Last Year Was A Great Day – Gadfly Records (with Gordon Gano)
1996 – Toast – Weasel Disc (with Jonathan Segel and Victor Krummenacher)
1995 – The Cherry Electric – Weasel Disc
1995 – Midnight Snack – Spit Records (re-issue of 1987 release)
1994 – Blind Bear - Dupah Disc (song on children’s compilation Shrimp Whistles)
1992 – Banshee Mandolin – Flying Fish Records
1989 - Final Vinyl - Chameleon Records - (song Boomerang appeared on picture disc with John Lee Hooker, L7 and Bill Ward)
1989 – Greasy Kid Stuff – Chameleon Records (with Brian Ritchie)
1987 – Midnight Snack – Hopewell Records (with Violent Femmes)

[edit] Publications

[edit] Books

2007 - To Live's To Fly -The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt - Da Capo Books, NYC. 236 pages.
2005 - Bright Moments – The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk –Japanese edition published by Kawade Shobo Shinsha, Tokyo, Japan. 400 pages.
2000 – Bright Moments – The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk Published by Welcome Rain Books, NYC. 400 pages.

[edit] Poetry and Short Prose include

1992 – Like Jazz – Spanfeller Press (illustrated by Joe Ciardiello)
1992 – Little Bullets – Barefoot Press (illustrated by Marvin Hill)
1989 – The Bayou Stomp – Jackalope Press (illustrated by Marvin Hill)
1989 – The Horrorscope – Jackalope Press (with collages by the author)
1988 – The Perfumed Firecracker – Jackalope Press (illustrated by Lane Smith)
1986 – Bed Crumbs – Jackalope Press (illustrated by Gary Panter)
1984 – Exorcises – Jackalope Press (illustrated by Henrik Drescher)
1983 – Modern Heaven – Jackalope Press (illustrated by Randall Enos)

[edit] Achievements

John Kruth has appeared on recordings by James Blood Ulmer, Sex Mob, Reptile Palace Orchestra, Lambchop, Die Kreuzen, Tiny Lights, Brian Ritchie, Gideon Freudmann, Christine Lavin, Lillie Palmer, Rod Mac Donald and The Mercy Seat.