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Josh Oliver was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His father from North Oakland,
CA; his mother from Chicago. His father's roots in '50s and '60s Motown music was a
huge influence on Josh as a child. Stevie Wonder's Talking Book played on heavy rotation
in the Oliver household among other legendary Funk Brothers recordings.
In the summer, Josh would live with his mother's family in Chicago. Josh's uncle, Jeff
Jacobs (can be heard on Nitin Sawney's acclaimed album, Prophecy) provided Josh with
first-hand accounts of the Chicago Blues scene in the '60s. Stories about hanging with
blues legends like Muddy Waters and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, endless stacks
of records to listen to, and trips to Blues festivals to see live performances, created
a passion for Josh to become a performing musician.
By the age of 7, Josh was studying guitar and singing in choirs, and was soon playing
in bands around Boston. Among the many musical paths surrounding him, Josh eventually
fell in love with the bass. Maybe it was the hundreds of James Jamerson bass lines
he heard as a child, or just the feeling of creating a hypnotic groove.
Josh is now an in-demand session bassist living in Boston. He performs and records
regularly for artists in Boston to New York City and beyond. |
