"A rising star in his own right" - All About Jazz
"He's capable, talented and learned" - Downbeat Magazine
Grammy-nominated guitarist Alex Wintz is quickly gaining 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 to 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, Ben Williams and Sound Effect, Roxy Coss, Jeremy Pelt, Peter and Will Anderson, and Nick Finzer and has performed at the Newport, Monterey, Montreux, and Montreal Jazz Festivals, among other major venues.
Born in California and raised in New Jersey, Alex began playing guitar at an early age. Alex graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Berklee College of Music in May 2010 and completed his Masters degree from the Juilliard School in May 2012. Awards and recognition achieved include National Foundation of the Arts ARTS Award winner, Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellowship All Star, Most Outstanding Jazz Soloist in High School Category in the Downbeat Music Awards, Berklee Guitar Achievement Award, and Semi-Finalist in the Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition and Detroit Jazz Festival Competition. 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.
In 2017, Wintz released “LifeCycle”, his debut recording on Etienne Charles’ Culture Shock imprint. The album, both challenging and accessible garnered critical acclaim with strong endorsements from Downbeat Magazine (3.5 Stars), All About Jazz, and The New York Jazz Record.
“Live to Tape” Wintz’s upcoming release featuring his trio of Dave Baron (bass) and Jimmy MacBride (drums) will be released in November 2020. As a sideman, Wintz has appeared on over 30 releases including the 2020 Grammy-nominated Terraza 7 Big Band recording, “One Day Wonder”.
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