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John Pachnos

Born and raised in a small town in northwest New Jersey, John's first exposure to music came at age 3, when he heard his older sister practicing a song on the piano. He then went to the piano and played that exact piece perfectly from memory! After trying his hand at piano and drums during his childhood, he began playing the bass at age 13, and he found that it perfectly blended the rhythmic aspects of the drums with the melodic and chordal aspects of the piano.

John graduated from Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts, where he studied under renowned jazz and funk bassist Kenny Davis. After graduating, he performed on cruise ships, in regional theater pit orchestras, and in various jazz clubs and rock venues in the Northeastern United States. 

​John's playing is influenced by renowned bassists spanning a wide range of musical genres, including Scott LaFaro, Paul Chambers, James Jamerson, Paul McCartney, John Entwistle, and Mike Dirnt. In addition to bass, John also plays guitar, piano, drums, and mallet percussion.


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Bassist/Composer John Pachnos Introduces Himself With A Fully Formed Vision On 'John Pachnos,' Arriving May 15 On Avgonyma Music

Bassist/Composer John Pachnos Introduces Himself With A Fully Formed Vision On 'John Pachnos,' Arriving May 15 On Avgonyma Music

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

Just 25 years old, John Pachnos announces himself to the jazz world with a remarkably mature and bracingly individual artistic profile on his stunning debut John Pachnos, set for a May 15 release on his own Avgonyma Music label. A quintet album featuring saxophonist/flutist Carter Vames, guitarist Caleb Heinze, pianist Frankie Midnight, anddrummer Justin Vedovelli, it also includes seven original compositions, collectively offering an immediately distinctive and compelling new voice. Despite his youth, Pachnos’s development as a musician has been ...

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

John Pachnos

Avgonyma Music
2026

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