The Super Cosmic Sounds of Michael Jost

Overlooking the carnival-like atmosphere of the world famous Venice Beach Boardwalk in Venice, California, Michael Jost spends much of his time in his studio, working on perfecting the sounds of his unique, original and passionate guitar music.

"I grew up in Germany, where I learned classical guitar," Michael explains, "In Germany, precision is very much encouraged. I learned how to be a technically proficient player in Germany." He motions out the window to the crowd-filled boardwalk below. "Living here in Venice Beach allows me to take my music to a higher level."

Venice Beach is anything but a structured environment. It is very much a creative environment, with street musicians, local artists, and various beach vendors all sharing the space of a few city blocks. Listening to Michael's music - a mixture of flamenco-style acoustic guitar, mixed in with highly original free-flowing electric guitar melodies - one gets the sense that Michael picked a good place to call home.

In his hometown of Frankfurt, Germany, Michael began playing acoustic guitar at the age of 10, influenced by the classical stylings of Andre Segovia and Paco de Lucia. By the time he was 14, he began playing the electric guitar. After playing with various bands in Germany, he saved up his money and in 1993, moved to the United States. "I wanted to measure myself against the best." he decided.

Obviously, that move has paid off. Michael's work has been hailed by Guitar Magazine as "a fabulous celebration of acoustic and electric tones, arrangement shifts, and cagey signal processing- all lightly kissed with elements of flamenco, world beat, rock, blues, psychedelia, folk, and jazz". High praise, and deservedly so.

These days, Michael enjoys a respectable world-wide following as a solo artist. In addition, he is also a well-respected sound engineer, having recorded music for several other artists, most notably funk artist George Clinton.

But it is his solo recordings that Michael is most passionate about. His latest release is no exception. "I was very much influenced by Pink Floyd. I wanted SuperCosmicFuzz to be an album that you could listen to like Dark Side of the Moon - one continuous listening experience".

Michael's fan base continues to grow and gain new followers. From his creative perch atop the heart of Venice Boardwalk, where the daily sounds of fellow street musicians, chants of Hare Krishna, ocean waves and seagulls fill the air, the inspired music of Michael Jost can be heard. Incorporating a lifetime of guitar skills with the surrounding sounds, he records his music and shares it with the rest of the world.

Check out the following links to hear and purchase Michael's music....