“Let there be songs to fill the air”

Jason Berk is a Los Angeles-based musician, producer, and freelance writer.

His work has been featured in films, television programs, and on radio stations worldwide.

PHOTO BY STEVO ROOD

A New Jersey native by way of the San Francisco Bay Area, Jason Berk is a Los Angeles–based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and educator whose career has taken him from intimate club stages to some of the world's most iconic venues and recording studios.

After earning a degree in Music Media Composition from California State University, Northridge, Berk began releasing a series of acclaimed solo recordings that showcased his melodic songwriting and classic-pop influences. His debut album Real Love arrived in 2012, followed by Coming Home in 2014 and Everything Old Is New Again in 2016, the latter featuring Keith Slettedahl of The 88. During the 2020 lockdown, he released his fourth album, Strangers, featuring Teresa Cowles (Love & Mercy), Nick Vincent (Frank Black, Art Garfunkel), and legendary singer-songwriter Evie Sands.

Alongside his work as a solo artist, Berk has become a sought-after sideman and session musician, performing and recording with artists including Jackson Browne, Micky Dolenz, Marshall Crenshaw, members of R.E.M., The Beach Boys, and The Bangles. Career highlights include appearances with the Wild Honey Orchestra alongside surviving members of The Lovin' Spoonful, performing Paul & Linda McCartney's RAM with Wings drummer Denny Seiwell at LA’s famed Troubadour, sharing the stage with May Pang, Elliot Easton, and Jimmy Vivino during a celebration of John Lennon's "Lost Weekend," and backing singer-songwriter John McAndrew alongside Seiwell, Toto co-founder Steve Porcaro, and longtime Elton John guitarist Davey Johnstone. He has also performed with longtime collaborator Evie Sands and opened for Stereolab at San Francisco's Fillmore with Susan James.

Recent years have brought a string of milestone projects. In 2024, Berk toured Europe as bassist for Cat Power's Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert, including a sold-out performance at the London Palladium. The following year, he toured arenas with Elliot James Reay opening for Benson Boone, including a sold-out night at Madison Square Garden, before recording original material at the legendary Abbey Road Studios for the Goffin & King Foundation under the direction of Louise Goffin, another frequent collaborator.

In 2026, Berk recorded original music with the GKF at the historic Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama before joining former Belle & Sebastian member Isobel Campbell on a West Coast tour, contributing guitar, keyboards, and vocals. In June, he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! performing "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today" with She & Him ahead of joining the duo on tour later that year.

Outside of performing, Berk has written for publications including HITS Daily Double, Relix, and Buzzbands.LA, bringing the same enthusiasm to music journalism that he brings to the stage and studio. He continues to write, record, perform, and teach music and production to students of all ages while working on his long-awaited fifth album.

Jason has appeared on stage or on record with:

  • She & Him

  • Jackson Browne

  • Kenny Loggins

  • Cat Power

  • Isobel Campbell (Belle & Sebastian)

  • Micky Dolenz (The Monkees)

  • Rick Wakeman (Yes)

  • Marshall Crenshaw

  • Paul F. Tompkins

  • Steve Porcaro (Toto, Michael Jackson)

  • Davey Johnstone (Elton John)

  • Denny Seiwell (Wings)

  • Peter Buck & Mike Mills (R.E.M.)

  • Elliot Easton (The Cars)

  • Sondre Lerche

  • Joey Santiago (Pixies)

  • Bernard Fowler (Rolling Stones)

  • Paul Shaffer

  • Tom Scott (Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, George Harrison)

  • Leland Sklar (James Taylor, Phil Collins, Toto)

  • John B. Sebastian

  • The Lovin’ Spoonful

  • Blondie Chaplin (The Beach Boys)

  • Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips)

  • Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go’s)

  • Shooter Jennings

  • Tim Heidecker

  • Jimmy Vivino (Conan O’Brien)

  • May Pang (John Lennon’s “Lost Weekend”)

as well as

  • Vanessa Amorosi

  • Curtis Armstrong (Revenge of the Nerds)

  • Ronnie Barnett (The Muffs)

  • Steve Bartek (Oingo Boingo)

  • Cindy Lee Berryhill

  • D.J. Bonebrake (X)

  • Bow Wow Wow

  • Margo Buchanan (Tina Turner, Joni Mitchell, David Gilmour)

  • Matt Cartsonis (Warren Zevon, Van Dyke Parks)

  • Peter Case (Plimsouls)

  • Jennifer Condos (Stevie Nicks, Tito & Tarantula)

  • Teresa Cowles (Love & Mercy)

  • Bob Cowsill (The Cowsills)

  • John Cowsill (The Cowsills, The Beach Boys)

  • Susan Cowsill (The Cowsills, Continental Drifters)

  • Dennis Diken (The Smithereens)

  • Don Dixon (R.E.M., The Smithereens)

  • Eric Dover (Jellyfish, Slash’s Snakepit)

  • Jamie Drake

  • John Easdale (Dramarama)

  • Don Gallucci (The Kingsmen)

  • Grant Geissman (Chuck Mangione)

  • Inara George (the bird & the bee)

  • Louise Goffin

  • Probyn Gregory (Brian Wilson Band, Wondermints)

  • Skylar Gudasz

  • Stephen Hodges (Tom Waits, Mavis Staples)

  • Wally Ingram (Sheryl Crow, Crowded House)

  • Susan James

  • Alphonso Johnson (Weather Report)

  • Stephen Kalinich (Beach Boys lyricist)

  • Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group)

  • Rob Laufer (Fiona Apple, Frank Black)

  • Claudia Lennear (Ike & Tina, George Harrison)

  • Marky Lennon (Venice, Roger Waters)

  • Peter Lewis (Moby Grape)

  • Bill Lloyd (Foster & Lloyd)

  • David Marks (The Beach Boys)

  • Rick Marotta (Steely Dan, The Jacksons, Jim Croce)

  • Adam Marsland

  • Iain Matthews (Fairport Convention)

  • Durga McBroom (Pink Floyd)

  • Roy McDonald (The Muffs, Red Kross)

  • Danny McGough (Tom Waits, Social Distortion)

  • Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5, R.E.M.)

  • Boo Mitchell (Al Green, John Mayer)

  • Zak Nilsson

  • Erik Paparozzi (Cat Power, Lana Del Rey)

  • Fernando Perdomo (Emitt Rhodes, Echo In The Canyon)

  • Vicki Peterson (The Bangles, Continental Drifters)

  • Chris Price (Emitt Rhodes, Bebopalula)

  • Chuck Prophet

  • Puddles Pity Party

  • The Rembrandts

  • Robbie Rist (The Brady Bunch, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

  • Richie “LaBamba” Rosenberg (Conan O’Brien)

  • Neil Rosengarden (Aretha Franklin, Guster)

  • Dan Rothchild (Heart, Shakira, Echo In The Canyon)

  • Mike Ruekberg (Rex Daisy, The Red Button)

  • Darian Sahanaja (Brian Wilson Band, Wondermints)

  • Johanna Samuels

  • Evie Sands

  • Tom Kenny (SpongeBob Squarepants, Adventure Time)

  • Chris Seefried (Fitz & The Tantrums, Lady Blackbird)

  • Harry Waters (Roger Waters, Les Claypool, Dean Ween Band)

  • Noël Wells (SNL, Star Trek: Lower Decks)

  • J. Elvis Weinstein (MST3K, Freaks & Geeks)

  • Chris Whitten (Paul McCartney, Dire Straits)

  • Peter Zaremba (Fleshtones)

  • Annette Zilinskas (The Bangles)

  • and many, many more.

Selected Venues where Jason has performed:

  • Admiralspalast - Berlin, Germany

  • Alex Theater - Glendale, CA

  • Alte Oper - Frankfurt, Germany

  • Bell Centre - Montreal, QC

  • Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Bourges - Bourges, France

  • The Chapel - San Francisco, CA

  • Cirkus Arena - Stockholm, Sweden

  • Cité des Congrès de Nantes - Nantes, France

  • The Cutting Room - New York, NY

  • The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA

  • Hotel Cafe - Hollywood, CA

  • Hotel Utah - San Francisco, CA

  • House of Blues - Anaheim, CA

  • KEXP - Seattle, WA

  • KFOG - San Francisco, CA

  • Largo at the Coronet - Beverly Hills, CA

  • Little Caesar’s Arena - Detroit, MI

  • Lodge Room - Highland Park, CA

  • London Palladium - London, England

  • Madison Square Garden - New York, NY

  • The Mint - Los Angeles, CA

  • Oslo Konserthus - Oslo, Norway

  • The Pearl - Vancouver, BC

  • Polaris Hall - Portland, OR

  • The Record Plant - Sausalito, CA

  • Rocket Arena - Cleveland, OH

  • Saint Rocke - Redondo Beach, CA

  • Scotiabank Arena - Toronto, ON

  • Shrine Social Hall - Boise, ID

  • Sweetwater Music Hall - Mill Valley, CA

  • TD Garden - Boston, MA

  • Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA

  • The Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA

  • Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA

  • Union Pool - Brooklyn, NY

  • United Center - Chicago, IL

  • United Theater - Los Angeles, CA

  • Village Recorders - Los Angeles, CA

  • Viper Room - West Hollywood, CA

  • WFMU - Jersey City, NJ

  • Whisky A Go-Go - West Hollywood, CA