"A rising star in his own right" - All About Jazz
"He's capable, talented and learned" - Downbeat Magazine
Grammy-nominated guitarist Alex Wintz has quickly gained a name in the international jazz community as a performer, educator, and composer. His talent and embrace of contemporary influences molded with a deep gratitude for the traditions of the past has garnered him numerous accolades and acclaim from music lovers across the globe. Wintz is a frequent collaborator with Etienne Charles, Jeremy Pelt, Ben Williams and Sound Effect, Roxy Coss, Bryan Carter, and Nick Finzer and has performed at the Newport, Monterey, Montreux, and Montreal Jazz Festivals, among other major venues in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Born in California and raised in Morristown, New Jersey, Alex began playing guitar at an early age. Alex graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Berklee College of Music and then moved to New York to complete a Master’s degree from the Juilliard School. Wintz, currently is on faculty at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Jazz for Teens program teaching guitar technique, advanced theory and ear training, repertory building, and ensembles. He is also involved in NJPAC’s professional development instruction and in school residency programs. For his contributions to arts education, Wintz was a recipient of a 2025 New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education.
Wintz released “LifeCycle”, his debut recording on Culture Shock Music in 2017. The album garnered critical acclaim with strong endorsements from Downbeat Magazine, All About Jazz, and The New York Jazz Record. “Live to Tape”, Wintz’s latest album featuring his trio of Dave Baron (bass) and Jimmy MacBride (drums) was released in November 2020. ”. His latest release, “Collage”, will be released in Spring 2026 featuring Victor Gould, Matt Penman, and Jimmy Macbride. As a sideman, Wintz has appeared on over 50 releases including the Grammy-nominated Terraza 7 Big Band recording, “One Day Wonder”. When he is not touring and teaching across the globe, he can be found performing at one of the many esteemed jazz clubs across New York City including, Smalls, Mezzrow, Smoke, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Birdland.
As an educator Wintz began creating his own private lesson studio in his teenage years. A student of the guitar since the age of 4 he has always been willing to share all of the knowledge and lessons he has learned over the years with prospective students. With a focus in Jazz, Funk, and the Blues, Alex brings a highly individual-based lesson structure to the classroom, tailoring lesson plans based on the personal goals of the student. While at Juilliard, Alex served as faculty for Juilliard Jazz residences across the United States and Latin America. Alex currently is the guitar faculty for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Jazz for Teens program teaching guitar technique, advanced theory and ear training, repertory building, and ensembles.
Photographer: Oresti Tsonopoulous