Wirtz's solo career represents a new chapter in his artistic evolution. Delving deeper into his original work, listeners of Jon Wirtz have become increasingly mesmerized by his unique sound, which incorporates acoustic piano with a tasteful use of ethereal effects and emotional crescendos. His compositions often blend simple melodies with tasteful improvisation, skillfully creating landscapes of sound that range from classical to avant-garde, familiar to experimental, and melodies that can be described as both cascading and contemplative. Drawing upon a vast repertoire of influences, Wirtz paints musical portraits with a sustained intensity; the result is not quite classical yet not quite jazz, though certainly unique. As he continues to forge his creative path, each performance invites listeners into a realm where tradition meets innovation, eroding stylistic boundaries.

After years of performing as both a sideman and band leader, his graceful transition into a solo artist has been illuminated by his work with Grammy-winning producers Malcolm Burn, Steve Berlin, John Macy, and musical mentor Art Lande. Wirtz's musical journey has seen him grace stages and share billing with an eclectic roster of artists including Justin Timberlake, Gregory Alan Isakov, Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck), Buddy Guy, and George Porter Jr. (The Meters), among many others. In 2024 he was recognized as a Most Distinguished Musician at the Second Prize level in the IBLA Grand Prize International Music Competition for the title track to his album Beautiful Illusion. Notably, Wirtz’s career has been punctuated by memorable appearances on shows including The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS Early Morning Show, Ellen, and Lopez Tonight (George Lopez). Each performance is a testament to his versatility across a wide spectrum of musical genres.

Beautiful Illusion (2024)

“The nods to Max Richter’s romantic take on modern classical are undoubtedly here, as are the earlier stages of Klaus Schulze’s output. By combining these methods, the surreal alongside the emotionally charged, there’s a brilliance, a neat balance between the two extremes ... 'Beautiful Illusion' presents a highly tasteful experience of the classical and modern, with Jon Wirtz being a patient, skilled sound sculptor.” - SkopeMag.com

“I could see the life of man in Jon Wirtz's music. Very sweet, warm, cozy and concise with jazz or contemporary style.” - HNR Internet Radio

“Beautiful Illusion demonstrates Wirtz’s versatility as a musician and reflects his artistic evolution. The album’s unique sound, which defies easy categorization, invites listeners to explore a realm where tradition meets innovation. With its soul-stirring compositions and profound themes, Beautiful Illusion promises to be a transformative listening experience.” - New Age Music Guide

“All songs presented on Tourist are a skillful combination of modern jazz, yet with a slight popish flair that will remind you Brad Mehldau, Joe Sample, and George Winston. Wirtz has all the creativity and songwriting prowess to be extremely dangerous . . . let me go on record by stating Jon Wirtz is the best pianist I’ve never heard of.” — Skope Magazine

“Shades of Ahmad Jamal are thrown in juxtaposition to minimalist hues full of positive energy and catharsis. The piano is the center of it all, but to label Tourist piano music is misleading. This is music music, and from my interview with him it is clear that Wirtz is a musician’s musician.” — David Paul Kleinman, Glide Magazine

“This CD is quite entertaining overall with an amazing feel. In this aspect Wirtz is a master musician. In my mind he is a musical triple threat. He is a world class songwriter; he has an amazing feel and has the X-Factor . . . Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.” – Drew Blackwell, EvO:R (Evor.com)

“All 1o tracks provide intensely exhilarating experience that can tingle the senses into submission . . . Rating: 9/10. ” – M. Blackwell, Rock’n'Roll Review

“The musicianship from all members is how shall I say – off the chain. The Piano driven front from Wirtz sets the standard and is beyond impressive . . . Expect great things from Wirtz as his fanbase expands. There’s obviously a disgruntled Jazz audience out there just waiting for them to arrive.” – Kelly Macina, Gig Band

“In an age where there is a sub-genre for every sound, and all it takes to create a new style of music is to take any word and add “-core” to it, Wirtz bucks the trends and creates a sound derivative of many of the genres that no one wants to be a part of anymore.” — Tim Wenger, Colorado Music Buzz

“Wirtz is an adept performer who can emanate a convincing Joe Sample vibe on pieces such as ‘Watching the World Wake Up’ and a rollicking two-beat blues feel on ‘Country.’ ‘In the Body’ is a haunting and spacious bit of solo piano that segues into the climatic closer ‘Awakening,’ featuring the impressive trumpeter Gabriel Mervine.” — John Barron, The Jazz Blog

“He mixes things up quite a bit, and as such the result stands up to repeated listens . . .” —Peter Thelen, Expose

“I was very happy to see my friend Jon Wirtz’s new record Tourist do so well OTB (out of the box).  I think his debut at #7 may be the highest debut for a jazz record I’ve ever logged.” — Chris Kresge, Colorado Full Belly Sounds

“The disc also shows what a versatile player and songwriter he is in his own right.” — Jon Solomon – Westword

SEA LEVEL (2010)

 ”I get the same sensation with Wirtz as I do Joshua Redman, Herbie Hancock, and even Coltrane.” – Music Emissions

“Indeed the skill set of the player will dictate how well your attention span can be maintained. What am I trying to say? Wirtz pulls it off flawlessly.” – Michael Mullins – Skope Mag

“Sea Level by Jon Wirtz is a brilliant collection of music.” – Cyrus Rhodes – Indie Music Digest

“He is no doubt a gifted player & composer . . . It takes talent to hold the attention span of a listener with just one instrument, Wirtz pulls this off with sheer poise.” – Markus Druery – Indieshark

“Sea Level (first record) is one amazing solo debut…” – Jeanie Straub – Colorado Music Buzz

“Sea Level by Jon Wirtz is an impressive collection of music. The more you look at, the more impressive it really is.” – Markus Druery – Indieshark

“There was a lyricism, a beauty and intimate melodic feel that really comes through in every song regardless of what else is happening…” – Michael Anderson – Gear Diary

SHUT UP ABOUT THE SUN (2016, by Space Orphan)

-Shut About The Sun was named by Funkatopia as one of the 20 Best Funk Albums of 2016. Hear the interview here.

“Free Swag, the album’s first single, is a strutting and swaggering bit of futuristic funk that owes a sonic debt to Mothership Connection-era Parliament, Expensive Shit/He Miss Road-era Fela and contemporary acts such as Lettuce and Soulive as the song possesses a trippy yet funky groove--but with a drum'n'bass leaning bridge. It's the beloved old school funk sound but with a modern take." -- William Reuben Helms, Joy of Violent Movement

"The bedrock of Space Orphan music rests where R&B/soul began showing elements of funk in the late 1960s with bands like Archie Bell & The Drells and the Bar-Kays. But Space Orphan takes this basis and only builds, incorporating psychedelic rock elements...the funked-up bass lines, the soulful horns, and Wirtz on keys makes this music ready for the Soul-Train dance floor." -- Josh Johnson, Hey Reverb 

"Space Orphan is simply fantastic." -- Mr. Christopher, Funkatopia

"This one's been on constant repeat for me . . . The band's taut brand of jazzy funk reminds me of iconic fusion acts like Weather Report." -- Dave Herrera, The Trusted Ear

-Vents Magazine interview here

TOURIST (2013)

–Tourist was selected as one of the Best Jazz releases of 2013 by the Huffington Post

“All of that experience shows here as Wirtz puts forth on Tourist an incredibly rich album steeped in jazz that is far beyond his years . . . Wirtz showcases a massively vast range, virtuoso phrasing and impeccable taste.” – Brian Johnson, Marquee Magazine

“What Wirtz does with the piano is brilliant, a genius . . . ” — Joshua Johnson, Hey Reverb

“There are a few artists out there that can still play instruments in a way that will make your jaw hit the floor while plucking your heart strings . . . So enter pianist Jon Wirtz who just released his latest CD entitled Tourist. What do bands like Aaron Parks, Jacky Terrasson, and Keith Jarrett have that Jon Wirtz don’t? Not much if you ask me . . . let me go on record by saying he is what the world has been waiting for musically.” – Rory Richardson, AllWhatsRock.com

“Will (Tourist) appeal to the jazz crowd? Yes. Will the eclectic-taste crew find something here? Certainly. Wider listening audience? It’s the sort of album that opens ears to new things. How about the audiophiles? Excellent sonics and great music usually put a smile on those faces. Both present here in spades.” — David Martin, Stereo.net.au

“Among musicians and critics, (Tourist) should do very well indeed, be a much-talked-about item for years. You just don’t run across this kind of music every day, Hoss, and when you do, you remember it. Trust me.” — Mark S. Tucker, AcousticMusic.com

“Wirtz is a powerful artist who is not afraid to push the envelope, ask the hard question or go where other artists won’t try to go.” — Joseph Crowde, Indie Artists Alliance 

“A captivating album which defies obvious pigeon holing through a freedom of spirit and mind, Tourist will satisfy anyone looking for a slice of eclectic, reserved jazz that avoids obvious paths and easy choices.” — Steven Reid, Sea of Tranquility

“These are not ‘tunes’ by any stretch of the imagination, these are conceptual compositions that embrace one of the most stunning hybrid sounds one might imagine . . . Incredible freshness.” — Brent Black, Critical Jazz

“Would I recommend? Absolutely! And that is because of something I continued to find brilliant in how Wirtz constructed this entire album – he made it all familiar yet fresh, borrowed without betraying his personal sense of style, and the results are stunning.” —Michael Anderson, Music Diary

“Percolating along, racking up high flying credits, this piano jazzbo hasn’t been standing still whenever there was an opportunity to hone his chops and expand his horizons—all of which culminates in this tasty contemporary fusionish romp that acknowledges what’s going on in the streets as well as on the avenues.” — Chris Spector, Midwest Record (Volume 37, Issue 177)

“Wirtz’s appealing style and slamming playing hit the mark and with intellectually stimulating musical territory providing a very real and powerful source of inspiration overall . . . In this aspect Tourist is in itself an impressive musical set from Wirtz, and also  grants you rare access to peer into the gentile-gifted soul of a quintessential artist from his perspective.” — Blaine Calhoun, Vents Magazine

“As the CD slowly unfolds you will notice most of the songs are quite dynamic and reminiscent of free form piano jazz masters: Vince Guaraldi, Billy Cobham, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Chick Corea, Miles Davis . . . Last but not least – the playing, writing and production abilities of Jon Wirtz at the helm are to die for. Just hit play, sit back and see where this amazing journey takes your mind, body and spirit.” — Cyrus Rhodes, Indie Music Digest

“This one by keyboardist/composer Jon Wirtz is an audio journey through a world of sounds, styles and moods . . . Just where is this guy taking us? A little bit of everywhere, and the up and down climbs from ‘Country’ to the title track to the panoramic ‘Awakening’ with the luminous trumpet by Gabriel Mervine make the travel  quite worthwhile.” — George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

“Colorado-based pianist/keyboadist Jon Wirtz displays incredible chops and a gentle touch on his second full length recording, Tourist . . . Wirtz’s ability to make it all work as a production renders this a fantastic project to experience.” — Glenn Daniels, The Jazz Page

–Interview with Denver Original Music blog, posted here

“Though Sea Level reflects jazz piano greats like Ahmad Jamal, Keith Jarrett and, of course, Thelonious Monk, it also has pop touchstones that make it accessible to even the most neophyte of jazz listeners…” – Eryc Eyl – The Denver Post

“No doubt more work is required from a musician to fill this sonic space all by himself thus keeping the attention span of the listener all by himself. Brilliant artists can rise to this challenge, & I give Wirtz high marks for taking this on & even pulling it off. The musicianship is clearly first rate…” – Cyrus Rhodes – Indie Music Digest

S P E A K M U S I C

Despite the irony of this blog being published on a website specifically designed to market myself, I have to say that I’m not a fan of the marketing and business side of music. As I grow older (and hopefully wiser), I have come to be interested only in the music itself. My concern is not with the fame of the artist, the number of “followers” on social media, how unique their stage persona, etc. All I want to experience is the Essence.

This led me to start a video series called SPEAK MUSIC.

It’s no secret that music is a language. In fact it’s probably a bit cliche to say at this point. And yet, this fact plays with my mind constantly given the career path I’ve chosen. Like a lot of musicians who have experienced the grind of “the hustle” for years, there have been moments where I question what it’s all for. Why would any logical person choose a career as a full-time musician? For fame? For money? Some would argue that you have better odds playing the lotto if that’s your end-game. So if rock-stardom is not the goal, then what? After years upon years of practicing, booking, performing, hoping, writing, doubting, recording, ups, downs, moments of bliss and despair, and everything in between, I finally figured out what it all meant (for me): Truth and Connection.

CONNECTION.

Every human on this planet has a basic need for love and connection with others. As artists—and in this case, as a musician—our duty is to connect with an audience on some level. There are as many different ways to do this as there are people on this Earth.

Scroll through social media or even just the internet, and you’ll find a lot of shit. Toxic, negative, mindless garbage being force-fed to distracted minds everywhere. SPEAK MUSIC is my attempt to counter this on some level.

TRUTH.

Everyone is seeking Truth.

Some have clearer vision, better ears, or sharper minds; some are doing it consciously, some unconsciously. But that seems to be the name of the game. Finding Truth. I don’t claim to be an expert on Truth, nor am I apt to explain it. What is it about a word, a thought, an action that can point us towards happiness, connection, staying in the flow? Can it even be defined? Probably not. But it is always recognizable when it presents itself. And it’s always there if you can sit still enough and pay attention.

What fascinates me on a daily basis is observing how different people approach this. Music, art, poetry, exercise, parenting, breathing, learning, nursing, comedy—there are countless angles of attack. This series will focus on music.

So I invite you to pause what you’re doing. Take a breath. Allow yourself just a few minutes. Listen. Watch. Feel. Be present. Don’t worry about whether you like or dislike what you’re seeing/hearing, just take it all in (you have plenty of time to judge later). Afterwards, if you feel inspired or better in any way at all—if it speaks to you on some level—pass that experience of connection forward.

I’m not naive. I realize that the deeper conflicts of the world aren’t going to be solved simply by playing some songs for people. But at my best, I try to play as if they will. So this is my attempt at creating something beautiful simply for the sake of creating something beautiful. I hope that these videos contain an element of “that thing,” that alchemy that allows Music to inform, influence, move and inspire us.

In the meantime, I present to you with the best of intentions . . . SPEAK MUSIC. 

EPISODE 3: WEIGHTLESS

Writing and arranging for strings has been an incredibly fun challenge for me. I rarely get to play with string players, so the opportunity to perform “live” in studio to record some original music was so much fun. Despite my stone-faced demeanor. I couldn’t have found a better quartet either—Adrienne Short on violin (of the Colorado Symphony, Nathaniel Rateliff), Eve Panning on violin (of Big Richard), Aniel Cabal on viola ((of the Colorado Symphony), and Joy Adams on cello (of Big Richard, Nathaniel Rateliff). Hearing this song brings me to a coffee shop somewhere in a small town in France, and playing it just floats me away.

EPISODE 2: O.G.A.I.

In case you don’t remember, 2020 was a weird year. I’m guessing you DO remember, so I won’t rehash old news. From a working musician’s standpoint, one thing I will always remember about that year was how different live performances felt. They were extremely rare, often in front of very few, sometimes literally ZERO people, and mostly live-streamed via social media. Since live performances have started again, my perspective and gratitude for a live audience changed drastically. That all said, this live performance took place in the fall of 2020 for about 15 socially distanced people, and a number of others via the internet. In other words, the dynamic was strange from the outset. What better time to try something different from a musical standpoint?

I decided to call on two musicians who have a very high “improvisational intelligence.” Drummer Brian Claxton and bassist Charles Parker Mertens both listen incredibly well, and have a great conversational ability in their playing that acknowledges the other players while enhancing the music. Both musicians are able to stay present in order to play what best serves the musical moment, as opposed to automatically going to a “bag of tricks.” With this particular song, I intentionally tried to keep it simple; the entire form is 4 measures long. When I introduced the song to them in our single rehearsal, I told them that the tune was intentionally uncomplicated in order for us to make it interesting. The result is what you will see and hear above, which includes a fantastic showcase moment for Charlie on the bass.

EPISODE 1C: DOLPHIN DANCE

“My hope is that the music will serve as a metaphor for the actions taken by the inhabitants of this wonderful planet as a call for world harmony on many levels.” - Herbie Hancock

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Undoubtedly one of the best pianists to ever leave his mark on modern music, Herbie Hancock is one of my favorite musicians of all-time. Sure he’s got chops for days, but so do a lot of cats. What makes him stand out is . . . well, what makes him stand out. He’s one of those special artists that always sounds like himself, regardless of who he’s playing with, or what genre (and he has covered a lot of ground in terms of genres). His creativity is always on the cutting edge—playful, risk-taking, and present in the moment, ready to roll with whatever Life and the Music presents.

With that in mind, I decided to play one of my favorite compositions of his, entitled Dolphin Dance. This tune didn’t strike me as one that called for a shredding solo, as there is so much beauty already built in to the structure of the song itself: a strong melody, supported by luscious harmony. So I treated it like a painting, using broad strokes during certain passages, while focusing on details and embellishments in others. Keeping time in one instant, while playing with and stretching it in another. Truth be told, I could probably play this song for hours, as it was composed with a fascinating cyclical structure that makes me want to just keep on going. But for the sake of this video, I kept it to a few minutes, which was captured and edited by the talented George Lacson.

EPISODE 1b: PLUSH

“And I feel, and I feel when the dogs begin to smell her
Will she smell alone?”

I'm a child of the 90s. Well, a teenager of the 90s actually. For better or worse, that is the decade when a huge part of my musical development occurred. I was a teenager witnessing the grunge movement as it presented itself to suburban kids everywhere--flanel shirts, power chords, and the end of the glam rock era. Oddly enough, I wasn't terribly into the grunge scene as it was unfolding, I was more of a classic rock kid. I definitely dug a lot the singles that were coming out of that scene at the time, but admittedIy I never dove headfirst into most of the bands' deeper catalogues, at least as a teenager. 

During that same time, I was just starting to figure out and tinker with my creative voice. While I was thankfully exposed to all sorts of music during those formative years, there are some 90s alternative gems that stood the test of time in my musical heart, even 20+ years later. When in it feels right--in other words, not for nostalgia's sake or to be hip or ironic--it's a lot of fun for me to take different styles of music that one wouldn't normally associate with solo piano, and arrange it for that exact purpose. "Plush," by Stone Temple Pilots, is one of those gems. As I'm not armed with a rhythm section or loud ass guitar, I obviously had to take a different approach with this song. Change the key, make the time a little more elastic, and add some improvisation throughout. While this was not my favorite take from a technical-execution standpoint, I kept it because I really felt the spirit behind it. Also, I love some of the moving shots/angles George Lacson captured with his camera work, not to mention his editing.

“When the dogs do find her
Got time, time, to wait for tomorrow
To find it, to find it, to find it . . . “

ePIsode 1a: CYCLES

“Leaves just hinting that these colors aren’t forever . . .”