From the small town of Elizabethton, Tennessee to Grammy stages around the world, Justin Stanton has built a career on refusing to choose between trumpet and keyboards—instead, he mastered both and became the multi-faceted musician who can serve an essential role to whichever artist he's contributing, both onstage and in the studio. As a four-time Grammy Award-winner with Snarky Puppy since 2006, this University of North Texas alumnus (where he performed for two years in the legendary One O'Clock Lab Band) has performed and recorded on the majority of the band's numerous studio and live recordings.
When Snarky Puppy's Michael League first asked Stanton to play keys instead of trumpet, he tried to politely decline, saying he didn't think he was anywhere near the level needed—but League replied, "You'll be fine!" For several years, Stanton was the only keyboard player on most shows, learning lessons both musically and personally that reshaped his entire musical identity. He never travels without his laptop and miniature keyboard, constantly composing, recording, practicing, and seeking to expand his musical horizons.
His 2019 solo debut "Secret Place" reveals what's been going on in Stanton's head all these years—wide, warm, weird, analog, funky, soulful, and deep—while recent projects like "Claro e Escuro" with Chris Bullock (recorded in Rio de Janeiro) and "Mirrors" (an all-star collaboration recorded in Portugal during the pandemic) showcase his evolution as composer and producer. Beyond Snarky Puppy, he maintains an active schedule with artists as diverse as David Crosby, Donald Fagen, Robert Glasper, Trombone Shorty, Kirk Franklin, and Terence Blanchard.
From Elizabethton band rooms to Brooklyn's creative epicenter, Stanton proves that sometimes the most interesting musical conversations happen when you bring both hands to the table—one on the trumpet valve, the other on the synthesizer.
