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John Magnussen

About this Artist

JOHN MAGNUSSEN is known throughout the Los Angeles area as a top performer in many aspects of percussion. Although often known as a specialist in mallet percussion, he can be heard and seen playing anything from timpani, xylophone, or bass drum to drum set, dumbek, Latin percussion or electronics. His jazz vibraphone playing can be heard on many albums with such artists as Mellissa Hasin, Sarah Vaughn, Jim Self and Richard Greene. He has appeared on several television shows including The Arsenio Hall Show and The Tonight Show with such performers as Annie Lennox, Kiri Te Kanawa, Johnny Mathis and Liza Minnelli. He has also played with Michael Bolton, Toni Braxton, and Whitney Houston and David Brubeck.

John plays as an extra percussionist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where he has performed under such conductors as Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta, John Williams, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, as well as appearing with them as a soloist at the Ojai Festival in 2001. Arturo Sandoval, Mel Torme, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis and Davis Gaines are among his performance credits at the Hollywood Bowl and Universal Amphitheatre. His recording credits include the Los Angeles Philharmonic and many albums, CDs, films, cartoons, commercials, and television programs (including "The Three Tenors" and "The X Files," "Austin Powers," and "The Negotiator"). Besides his busy studio and performance career he teaches percussion at Citrus College and California State University, Northridge.