Jon Madof

Guitarist/composer Jon Madof's musical collaborations cover the spectrum of the vibrant New York City music scene, from recordings and sold-out shows with John Zorn and Marc Ribot to genre-busting work alongside Frank London, Matisyahu and others. With his 'Jewish power trio' Rashanim, he has recorded extensively for John Zorn’s Tzadik Records label; Rashanim's latest CD on Tzadik is Shalosh (2006). Jon performs extensively throughout the US and Europe.

Madof was born into a musical household in Philadelphia in 1974. He started on trombone at a young age before switching to guitar in his teens. A love of classic rock first fueled his passion for music, which gave way to an obsession with jazz when he attended Oberlin College. After finishing school, he moved back to Philadelphia to study with jazz guitarist Jimmy Bruno. There he met bassist Michael Taylor, and the two formed the Taylor/Madof Group, exploring improvised music with roots stretching from funk to the avant-garde. In 2000, Jon and his wife moved to Brooklyn, where he formed Rashanim and began working with other NYC musicians.

Rashanim is a trio of guitar, bass and drums/percussion combining the power of rock with the spontaneity of improvisation, deep Middle Eastern grooves, and mystical Jewish melodies. The 'Jewish power trio' is led by Jon Madof on guitar and includes Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz (Yo-Yo Ma, Anthony Braxton) on bass and Mathias Kunzli (Lauryn Hill) on drums and percussion. The band gets its name from the noisemakers used during the raucous Jewish holiday of Purim.