John Best is a native Houstonian, but his musical tastes are as diverse and exotic as the
locations he has received his musical training. After studying in the Bluegrass, the Arizona desert and the arctic cold of
Northern Sweden, John has emerged as a virtouso percussionist, spending most of his time improvising on mallet percussion.
He has literally travelled around the globe as a musician and has performed as a soloist and clinician in the United States,
Austria, Germany, Sweden, and Australia. Equally comfortable as a member of a symphony orchestra, a jazz band, playing along
with drum n' bass or just by himself, John brings to Clouseaux his eclectic background and his improvisational skills
on vibraphone.
John currently plays in Clouseaux, the Gerald Blakeman Quartet (jazz), and the John Best Trio
(with Clouseaux members Jay and Andy). He also has a company, "The Delay Factor", which is researching pedagogical applications
of professional audio equipment for acoustic performers. John is also adjunct faculty at Tomball College, where he teaches
courses in percussion, piano, music literature, music fundamentals, and American music. John is also employed as a private
lessons instructor in the Spring, Cypress Fairbanks, and Conroe school districts.
John says it is important to him to stay active as a composer. He has written numerous compositions
for jazz combos as well as for chamber ensembles and solo percussion.
John holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Performance from the University of Kentucky, and a
Masters in Percussion Performance from Musikhögskolan i Piteå, Sweden, where he also studied in a studio musician's program.
John also took graduate courses at the University of Arizona.