Born in Dreieich, just outside of Frankfurt Germany, guitarist Michael Jost (pronounced ‘yoast’), found his way to the bohemian Venice Beach boardwalk, in Los Angeles California, where he now lives and makes music.

Owing to Michael’s unique European heritage, his rigorous classical training, and his 21st Century American experience, you can hear something very different in his passionate, Spanish-style guitar. Michael’s travel companion is Miss Lucy, a Flamenca guitar built by Tomas Delgado of Candelas Guitars. She has a strong character, with a warm and beautiful sound.

Michael has a unique sound. His music is a journey in time and space fueled by his passion for music and his instrument. His influences are very multicoloured and involve different styles, continents and time periods from Paco De Lucia and Stravinsky to Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd.

No two of Michael’s live performances are ever the same, drawing from his recent albums, Zeitlos and California Burning, as well as unreleased songs from his upcoming album, Concierto.

Zeitlos is a timeless and unique blend of acoustic, classical and flamenco styles, entwined with the sounds and soul of Venice, California. His earlier album, California Burning, is a psychedelic fusion of electric and acoustic guitar.

Michael’s Guitars

Precious, Miss Lucy and The Queen were all built by Tomas Delgado of Candelas Guitars.

Precious

Miss Lucy

The Queen

Goya

Sweet Lil ’67

Michael Jost on Radio Venice

As the host of Radio Venice, Michael plays most weeks …
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Click to enlarge / Photo Credits: Margaret Molloy and Karen Criswell

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Sugar Rum Tantrum is an accordioniste-fronted blues, tango, and gypsy-jazz-inspired original music with Amy Winehouse-esque vocals and Stromae’s sizzling French-feeling grooves, all lead by a sensual multi-lingual performer, Sugar Rum. This spicy folk ensemble is working on a string of singles and EPs release before the end of the year. From stomping folk in the streets to creating the occasional immersive theatrical experience, Sugar Rum has also sold out Sofar Sounds shows in Los Angeles, as well as being featured in NPR’s Latin X finalists for the Tiny Desk Contest.

The ringleader and frontwoman of Sugar Rum Tantrum, Melinda West, is a Los Angeles accordion staple. Though she started her career playing in bawling bars and beside festival fire dancers, within the past year she has performed at the Hollywood Bowl and with the LA Philharmonic . A graduate of UCLA, she has composed and conducted at Royce Hall, in the past year her duo, Zingarella, has performed a string of performances at the Skirball Cultural Center. Most recently, she performed at the Getty Villa as part of an experimental puppet theater piece inspired by a classical Greek tragedy. With her eclectic experiences as an accordionist and songwriter, she is a seamstress of melodies, singing a passionate fiery elixir held together by groove and chaos, as Sugar Rum.

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