I am proud and humbled to announce that my song “Jesus of Neverland” won the 2025 San Diego Music Award for Best Acoustic Song. It was unexpected and a great honor.
This is a song about making one's way as…
New single “Alamosa” released. Album coming early 2026.
“Jesus of Neverland” Wins Best Acoustic Song at 2025 San Diego Music Awards!
About
Josh Weinstein
Composer * Performer * producer * educator
Josh Weinstein is a working composer, arranger, producer, and pianist/organist/keyboard player originally from New York. His 2008 album "Love & Alcohol” received airplay on nearly 300 stations worldwide, CMJ charted, and was licensed by MTV. His previous album "Brooklyn Is Sinking" appeared on "Best of 2006" lists at both WFUV and npr.org.
Josh is active as both a sideman and featured performer in nightclubs, concert stages and recording studios. He appears on albums and in videos for artists in multiple genres, with mainstage appearances at festivals and show venues worldwide and an active freelance schedule of several hundred dates per year.
When he's not performing or recording, Weinstein (who holds a PhD in music) teaches college courses on American popular music, Western classical music, and a variety of World Music practices. He also teaches producing, arranging, and computer-based production techniques at a recording academy, and maintains a full private teaching studio out of his San Diego home.
Music
Josh's breakthrough 2009 album was licensed by MTV, CMJ-charted, and received airplay worldwide.
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Hangoverture 0:140:00/0:14
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Every New York 2:510:00/2:51
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One More Blues 4:090:00/4:09
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She Rolls Jaunty 3:560:00/3:56
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0:00/3:07
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0:00/0:10
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Flames 4:510:00/4:51
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Tennessee 3:520:00/3:52
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0:00/3:52
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She Do Not Listen 2:510:00/2:51
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Fuck Is Fuck 5:040:00/5:04
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0:00/1:17
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TTFTC, Part II 1:300:00/1:30
Shows
Blog
Latest news, updated sporadically like clockwork.
May 26, 2025
"Jesus of Neverland" Wins SDMA for Best Acoustic Recording
Apr 2, 2024
"Mind the Gap" Nominated for San Diego Music Award for Best Local Recording
I'm very proud to have my record nominated for an SDMA this year! Thank you to the San Diego Music Award academy for the honor. See the full list here:
Apr 2, 2024
Latest review for "Mind the Gap"
"An epic recording...cinematic quality...a truly adventurous work, with repeated listens yielding rewards. Lyrically, the passing of time and love, drinking, laments, and the human condition play a huge part. Weinstein does an amazing job of curating the sounds and textures...…
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Apr 2, 2024
And In the End… Part 2
My April 2024 column for the San Diego Troubadour.
OK, let’s get to it.
My father had lung cancer. He lived in Florida, where medical care is…shall we gently say, inconsistent. After a complicated operation to address a side-effect…
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Apr 2, 2024
And In the End… Part 1
My March 2024 column for the San Diego Troubadour.
Let’s get morbid together, shall we? Hopefully this is not the first you are hearing about this, but: one day you will die. Actuarily speaking, that “one day” might be…
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Feb 5, 2024
Just Take the Damned Compliment
My February 2024 column for the San Diego Troubadour.
The gig is over. You leave the stage. Someone turns to you and says, “You played great.” What do you do?
If you’re like most of the musicians and other…
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Feb 5, 2024
An Open Letter to Music-Presenters
My January column for the San Diego Troubadour.
Dear Music Presenter:
Many of you–clubs, concert venues, private party-contractors–compensate us very nicely for the services we provide, and we spend much of our time feeling fortunate and valued. We are…
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Dec 6, 2023
"An Open Letter to Music-Makers"
My December column for the San Diego Troubadour.
Dear Music-Maker:
Last month I addressed our audiences. This month I am talking to us.
What we get to do for a living is fundamentally amazing. We put sound into the…
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Nov 8, 2023
"An Open Letter to Music-Goers"
My November column for the San Diego Troubadour
Dear Music-Goer:
First, thank you. Anyone willing to leave the comfort of their home — where all the world’s listening and viewing options are available at will — and deal with traffic,…
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Oct 4, 2023
"In Defense of Boredom"
My October column for the San Diego Troubadour.
Music is a time art. The same way that painters, sculptors, and architects “adorn” space, musicians decorate time.
You may have heard the saying, “it’s the notes you don’t play that…
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Sep 8, 2023
"The Douchebag Inside Your Head"
My September column for the San Diego Troubadour.
In this space I’ll be sharing some ideas and perspectives that I hope will be useful for you. Some of these ideas have been shaped by decades as a musician, some…
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Dec 2, 2022
"Ghost of Christmas Present" Released Today!
I'm proud to share my newest single with you. "Ghost of Christmas Present" is a song for anyone who is missing their family or others on the holidays. This link will take you to the hearnow page that lets you…
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Nov 28, 2022
New Single Coming Friday
Josh will release "Ghost Of Christmas Present" on Friday. December 2, 2022. This sad and stunning track explores the "other" side of Christmas and all holidays--the families we miss and never had. The song will be streaming everywhere, for sale…
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Oct 27, 2022
Josh on Listen Local Podcast
Really honored to be featured on this cool podcast, hosted by legends Cathryn Beeks and Jeff Berkley, with local music royalty Bart Mendoza on hand as well.
Give a listen. Let me know what you think.
Josh on Listen Local…
Jun 22, 2022
Josh Featured in SDVoyager
I'm happy to been featured in the most recent SD Voyager. Link is here and text is below. Enjoy!
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Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Weinstein.
Hi Josh, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to…
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Dec 9, 2021
Crowdfunding My Next Album--Your Help Needed!
In short, I need your help to record my next album. This record has been a long time coming--it's been 12 years since my last one. My 2004 debut got some regional airplay in New York. My 2006 follow-up…
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Sep 12, 2021
My September 11 Story
It has been 20 years, and I finally feel ready to share some of the details of what I experienced that day and afterward.
In September 2001, I was living at 75 West St/110 Washington St, which was two buildings…
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Jul 4, 2021
Josh on "Keyboard Chronicles" Podcast
I had a blast talking with David Holloway and Paul Bindig, the Australian hosts of the cool "Keyboard Chronicles" podcast, a few weeks ago. The episode is now live and available to stream, either from their site directly or through…
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Jun 23, 2021
Music Spotlight San Diego
Happy to say my segment of Music Spotlight San Diego has been released. I play three of my tunes, all newer than my last album, and talk with radio legend Gary Lee about music and other stuff. I even remember…
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May 20, 2021
Vote for Lauren Leigh's "Flare" for San Diego Music Awards
Just pre-pandemic, some criminals and I holed up in an Air BnB and spent a few days recording Lauren Leigh Martin's music at Fernando Perdomo's cool-ass Reseda Ranch Studios. Lauren's songs are soulful little pop-gems that we all loved playing…
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May 20, 2021
Ram On: The 50th Anniversary Tribute to Paul & Linda McCartney's Ram
I am thrilled beyond words to have gotten to be involved in this album: a loving re-imagining of/tribute to one of the great soundtracks of my youth. I played Wurly, Rhodes, and some synthy sounds. I can't swear you can…
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May 20, 2021
Coming Soon: Josh on Music Spotlight San Diego
Last month I spent some time talking with local radio legend Gary Lee for his Music Spotlight San Diego podcast. I played three of my original tunes--""Jesus of Neverland," "Queen of Coney Island," and "I Am a Better Ship (Than…
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Discography
ALBUMS
Mine
Petty Alchemy
Brooklyn Is Sinking
Love & Alcohol
Mind the Gap (SDMA Nominee)
Others’ (piano/keys/organ/synth/strings)
Amy Barnhart, We Always Make It Through
Ariel Levine, Let the Machine Get It
Cara Cormier, Kansas Stories
Cara Cormier, Mennonite Gone Bad
Cathryn Beeks, The After Times
Charlie Rae, Charlie Rae
Dan Gindling, I Never Knew
Dan Gindling, Carried Away
Dave Booda, Happy Accidents
Denny Seiwell & Fernando Perdomo, Ram On: 50th Anniversary Tribute to Paul & Linda McCartney’s Ram
Doylestown, Long Gone
Gayla Peevey, Title Pending
Gregory Page, Let’s Go This Way
Gregory Page, Modern Man
Jeff Berkley & the Banned, I Can Reach the Stars
Jeff Berkley & the Banned, Lightning in the Bug
Jessie Lark, Title Pending
Kara Hartzler, Title Pending
Lauren Leigh, Ghost in the Picture
Joanne Spies, North Avenue Honey
Johnny Vernazza Home By Christmas
Jonny Wagon & the Tennessee Sons, Like the Water
Joshua Taylor, About Time
Joshua Taylor, Unscene
Miranda Ramos, Whole
Orion Lenz, Title Pending
Portia Bonanni, The Age of Superheroes
Randall Mark, Title Pending
Ron Houston, R.O.A.M.
Sande Lollis, Being Human
Sandi King, Departures
Taz Taylor, Deja Voodoo
Ted Stern/The Universe Channel, Clues to Another World
Ted Stern/The Universe Channel, life in low earth orbit
Tim Flannery & the Lunatic Fringe, Waiting on a Miracle
EPs
Lauren Leigh, Flare
Jeff Berkley & The Banned, Love
Clark Clipson, Hope Is the Dream of the Waking Man
Lila R.Em, Never Going Back Again
Rachel Jay, Fleeting
SINGLES (NOT FROM ALBUMS)
Mine
“Ghost of Christmas Present”
“Alamosa”
“Jesus of Neverland” (SDMA Winner)
“Unmaking Love”
Others’ (piano/keys/organ/synth/strings)
Benjamin Grace, “Grace Boys”
Benjamin Grace, “Virucide”
Charlie Rae, “How Will I Know”
Curbside Vinyl, “Dancing in the Freeway”
DADEX, “Feeling Good”
Dan Gindling “We Are a Nation of Immigrants” (Song and Video)
David Spitzfaden, “The Bottom Line”
Jeff Berkley & the Banned, “Wanderlust”
Jeff Dinsdale, “Dreamin'”
Joe Rathburn, “Did You See What I Saw (The Balled of Renee Nichole Good)”
King Taylor Project, “Devil in the White City”
King Taylor Project, "This Christmas"
King Taylor Project, “High Road”
Lauren Leigh, “Trust Fall”
Lisa Marie Johnston, “Blue Reflections”
Lisa Marie Johnston, “The Captain”
Lisa Marie Johnston, “Movin' On”
Mark Tiedeman, 4 singles (2025)
Mark Tiedeman, 3 singles (2026)
Ryan Collingwood, “Wonder of You (John)”
Sara Jade, “Overboard”
Seanine Seven, “Stay in Bed”
Susan L. Lipson feat. Lindsay White, "When You Forget My Name"
Tim W Anspach, “Crazy Christmas Night”
Tim W Anspach, “Daisy”
Tim W Anspach, “Feels So High”
Tim W Anspach, “Grateful Man”
Tim W Anspach, “Snow Finds You Right”
Tim W Anspach, “T-Shirt & Jeans”
Travis Dahl & Heather Nation, "She's Got You"