PJ Newman

PJ Newman is an Oregon Coast based producer/engineer/composer/musician. Originally from Portland, Oregon, he began playing guitar at age 13. After attending College for Recording Arts in San Francisco and the Professional Designation in Recording Arts at UCLA, he began his split personality career as a musician and engineer and soundman in LA in 1980. A band he worked with recorded with producer David Jerden (Herbie Hancock, Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, Jane’s Addiction), who purchased Newman from the band and took him under his wing. PJ began recording his own compositions in 1982 and self-released his debut album, Standing Is Stupid, a mix of experimental guitar pieces and proto folk/punk. His band, the Chinese Dog Girls, is described as a cross between Pee Wee Herman and Frank Zappa, has released 4 records with a few others that fell between the cracks. When not recording, PJ works as a production manager and soundman at various venues around the Pacific Northwest. Work with Bay Area avant-garde horn player Eddie “Snakepit” Edwards in the early 80’s pushed pj towards more left field composition techniques. His work falls in and/or near Soundtrack/Soundscape territory. His live work has allowed him to draw some of the areas best players into his projects, including Jessica Lurie, John Bishop, Danny Barnes, Sue Orfield, Martin Hayes, Thomas and David Marriot, John Morton, Garey Shelton and Ben Smith. PJ is currently finishing his latest release for Origin Records.