Aaron Weistrop
Aaron Weistrop (born 21 April 1973) is an American guitarist and composer based out of Chicago. His distinctive, sincere, and soulful sound has contributed to numerous jazz, blues, funk, r&b, classic rock, americana, fusion, singer/songwriter, comedy, gospel, commercial, and country music projects.
Weistrop has played coast to coast, at venues like The Mint in LA, Schubas, The Jazz Showcase in Chicago, Jazz Estate in Milwaukee, Douglas Corner in Nashville, Johnny D’s near Boston, The Knitting Factory in New York. Aaron has performed on, produced, and written music that has been played on radio stations nationally and internationally. Hanukkah Blues, co-written with Ted Wulfers, was chosen for 93XRT’s on-air feature Hear First as a way of introducing Ted as a “promising new artist.” Some artists chosen in the weeks following and preceding were The Cribs, The XX, The Bravery and other major label acts.
Aaron scored the opening and closing credits for the 2009 Split Pillow Productions full length film, Eye of the Sandman. He also was awarded a fellowship for music composition by the Illinois Arts Council in 1998.
Biography
Aaron Weistrop was born in Ft. Stewart, Georgia on April 21, 1973 and was raised in Shorewood, Wisconsin. He is the grandson of Ernest Kurnow. In high school he formed the rock band Skwid Bait. Weistrop graduated from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1995.
His primary MusicAL influences include: Mark Knopfler, B.B. King, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, Wayne Shorter, Wes Montgomery, Bobby Broom, The Meters and Cornell Dupree.
Equipment
Weistrop uses a 1989 Gibson L4 through a Fender Blues Deville for Jazz. For other projects, he uses a Gibson Faded SG, Fender Stratocaster and a G&L ASAT Classic through a Top Hat Supreme 16.
Awards
1998 Artists Fellowship Awards
Discography
As leader
- 2007: Happy Butterfly Foot Beware the Foot Volume I (Happy Butterfly Foot)
- 1999: Spazztet Silent Films (Vibratop Music)
- 1997: Aaron Weistrop with Spazztet Beautiful Impatience (Vibratop Music)
As sideman/contributor
- 2010: Ted Wulfers What Would Santa Do? (Patchdog Records)
- 2009: Michael Carlos Damage and Remainder (Seabeck Records)
- 2008: Melanie Devaney Happy Lucky Lost & Free (Melanie Devaney)
- 2004: Ted Wulfers Cheap Liquor (Patchdog Records)
- 2004: Michael Carlos Yesterdays Icons (Seabeck Records)
- 1999: Justin Kramer with Spazztet "Headin' Out!" (Kramer)
- 1998: Ripley Caine "Thrift Store Sweater" (Emphasis Entertainment Group)
- 1997: Rob Paravonian Playing for Drunks