Justin Goldner

Justin Goldner is an American music producer, songwriter, arranger and session musician based in New York City, originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1]

His performances have been featured on Grammy, Latin Grammy and Tony award-winning projects (Dear Evan Hansen),[2][3][4] as well as the Golden Globe winning film The Greatest Showman.[5] He is a frequent contributor to projects by composers Pasek and Paul and Jason Robert Brown, including the latter’s Broadway musical The Bridges of Madison County.[6][4]

Goldner has been recognized for his mandolin performances with Sting at Carnegie Hall and live on NBC’s Christmas at Rockefeller Center,[7] as well as his live performance with Ben Platt on the 60th Annual Grammy Awards telecast from Madison Square Garden.[8][9] He also appears in Platt's Live from Radio City Music Hall concert special on Netflix.[10]

As a music producer and songwriter, Goldner is known for drawing upon both acoustic and electronic textures.[11] Since 2009, his work as producer and bandleader of Grace McLean & Them Apples has yielded two albums, combining McLean’s vocal looping techniques with organic instruments.[12] Consecutive performances at Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series in 2015 and 2016 garnered recognition in the New York Times, in which Stephen Holden wrote: “In the tradition of Bobby McFerrin, [Grace McLean] is also a sonic wizard who multiplies her voice in electronic loops that can turn a singer into a one-person chorus and rhythm section. […] The electronics wove in and out of polyrhythmic jazz and swing arrangements conceived mostly by Justin Goldner, her musical director and bassist.”[13]

Goldner performing with Childish Gambino at Bowery Ballroom in New York

Goldner participated in developing the music for Pasek and Paul’s films The Greatest Showman, Spirited, and Lyle, Lyle Crocodile[14], as well as their musical Dear Evan Hansen, which he ultimately performed on Broadway and in the 2021 film adaptation.[2][3][4][15] He has been featured in other performances with Ricky Martin,[16] Macy Gray, Tori Kelly,[17] Donald Glover,[18] Shawn Mendes,[19] Ledisi,[20] Bruce Springsteen,[21] James Taylor,[22] Natasha Bedingfield,[23] Idina Menzel,[24] Jordin Sparks,[25] Aloe Blacc, Renée Fleming,[26] Max Martin,[27] Ludwig Goransson, Ariana DeBose,[28] Stephen Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda,[29] Alan Menken,[27] Chris Thile,[27] Matisyahu, Amanda Brown,[30] Steve Martin, John Turturro,[31] Allison Williams, Jane Monheit,[32] Jesse McCartney, Emily Kinney,[33] Audra McDonald,[34] Jeremy Jordan, Cynthia Erivo,[35] Milck,[23] Lolo, Grace Weber, Elle Varner, Lawrence,[27] and his mentor, Meshell Ndegeocello.[14]

Other notable production and songwriting releases have included folk-pop trio Saint Adeline's eponymous debut album, Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio's Bubble Boy[36][37][38], and "Destiny", included on Hasbro's Jem & The Holograms tribute album.[39] Goldner has also performed classically with the Chelsea Symphony and Teatro Graticello, and performed live electronics and sound design with new acoustic crossover group 9 Horses.[11] He is known as well for collaborations with global artists, including Bollywood composers Shankar Mahadevan and Vishal Bhardwaj, Latin Grammy-winning Venezuelan vocalist/trumpeter Linda Briceño[40][41] and Cuban rock band Del Exilio.[42][43]