John Andrew

Who is John Andrew?

JOHN ANDREW is a Greek-American contemporary artist that was born 1974 in Piraeus, Greece (formally as: John Andrew Polychronopoulos), and lives in New York City. While residing in—or visiting in-between: USA, Greece, Georgia, Canada, Brazil, and the UK—he’s been active since, as a:

• (1980) Multi-Instrumentalist Student

• (1987) Composer

• (2000) Poet

• (2004) Music Performer

• (2008) Music Teacher

• (2010) Painter

-------------------------------------

John Andrew the MUSICIAN

-------------------------------------

He began his musical education at the age of 6 in 1980 with a Recorder, and gradually added the Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Percussion, Guitar, Greek Bouzouki, and the Piano to his studies. His most intensive and in-depth-studies were/are with the Greek Bouzouki, by studying with various professionals, and most vigorously with the renowned virtuoso and master instructor Vangelis Trigas for many years—who also taught him how to teach.

At the age of 33 in 2008, he started giving one-on-one private lessons only for the “Trichordo” (3 double string) A/K/A “Exachordo” (6 string) Greek Bouzouki, by teaching his students how to play traditional Greek “Rembetika” songs, “Laika” (folk) songs, and eventually “Taximia” (improvisations). He teaches only in-person (not over the Internet) at the student’s location (home or office)—therefore, currently only to those within NYC. His availability is very limited, and he is very selective with students. For lesson inquiries, you can email him.

From composing music and writing lyrics for songs at the age of 13 in 1987 as a member of local garage bands in NYC that he formed with friends, his professional performing career began in 2004 at the age of 29 in Aegina, Greece, where he moved to for a decade and was paid to perform for the first time. Since then, he has performed and performs at various music venues such as taverns, clubs, conservatories, concert halls, and even busking as a soloist and with various artists in different cities around the world.

Since 2004, a unique genre resulting from his compositions and recording collaborations—where he uses multiple instruments and media—has characterized him as a “Contemporary Jazz Fusion” artist. Although most of his recordings have not been released, he decided to begin doing so with his debut album: “On a Stone” in 2022.

----------------------------------

John Andrew the PAINTER

----------------------------------

In 2010 at the age of 35, his professional career as a self-taught “Contemporary Painter” began. During that period, he resided in Tbilisi, Georgia, where his paintings were in demand. He has donated most of his artwork to various fans, businesses, and to the Greek Embassy of Tbilisi.

His focus as a Painter, has been in tweaking whatever derives from the initial results of his brush strokes on a canvas—while listening to his musical compositions, and/or reading/writing his poetry—and later using the paintings to inspire new musical compositions and poems; allowing one form of art to feed the other in a never-ending cycle. At times, he places his own paintings across from where he performs live as a musician—to inspire his musical improvisations.

------------------------------

John Andrew the POET

------------------------------

In conjunction with writing lyrics for songs at the age of 13, his need to study Philosophy and Poetry began to flourish then. Although bashfully secretive and very reluctant to expose his writings for many years, he felt the confidence to do so by publishing his first book: "The Seventeen Poems: 2000 - 20019 Anthology" in 2019.

Influenced by diverse studies, travels, and his other creations—also by not focusing on specific writing styles, and making minimal modifications—his work results as “Contemporary Free Verse” poetry.

His official website is: https://www.JohnAndrewArts.com