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John Behling Guitarist
- Chicago, IL
- Guitarist
- Travels up to 200 miles
- $300-$1500
- 1. Carioquinha - Brazilian Guitar Music
- 2. Girl From Ipanema - Bossa Nova
- 3. Black Orpheus - Bossa Nova
- 4. It Could Happen to You - Jazz
- 5. Nowhere Man - Jazz
- 6. Julia Florida - Classical
- 7. Stella By Starlight - John Behling Trio
- 8. In The Wee Small Hours - John Behling Trio
- 9. Estranha Forma De Vida - with Ana Munteanu
Overview
I am a guitarist who specializes in jazz, classical, and Latin American music. I have been performing at weddings, receptions, corporate events, clubs, and festivals since 1984. Some of my career highlights include performances for President Obama, President Clinton, and concerts at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. I work frequently throughout the Midwest as a soloist and with a variety of ensembles. My CD "Guitar Music of Brazil" was release in 2021. My recording of jazz standards for solo guitar will be coming out in July 2023. You can hear me live every Wednesday with Rio Bamba at Le Piano in Rogers Park, Chicago.
51 Reviews
good selection for the audience at thr right volume
Guitarist
We had a micro wedding in a small room with 40 people. John not only plays beautiful music, but he knew what to play, when to play, how loud or how soft to play at the right times. On the one hand he was background music and on the other hand we would all pause, frequently, he make sure we were listening to what John was playing. There were a lot of important reasons why the wedding was absolutely perfect, and John and his music were two of those reasons.
Guitarist
John played at our small vow renewal ceremony and provided the perfect musical ambiance for the occasion. John was professional and communicative from the first interaction. He arrived early and coordinated with the venue staff to make sure our processional music started at exactly the right time. Our guests loved the music, and everything was perfect start to finish!
Guitarist
John is super easy to work with, and for a second time, came through in a pinch. He sounds fantastic, and the guests loved him!
Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Russ. It's always a pleasure to play for you.
John was professional and played to the room. HIs music was a lovely backdrop for dinner.
Guitarist
John was incredibly accommodating with a last minute booking. He battled traffic and arrived on time. Loads of compliments from our guests, as he sounded amazing. We look forward to having him back. Thanks John!
Jazz Guitarist
John is an incredibly gifted guitarist and his music blended in perfectly for our event. It's a no brainer to hire him!
Guitarist
John was amazing. Our event was a thank you to the industry specialists we work with and throughout the party I had several people tell me how wonderful the music was. We had a music therapist that could not say enough about John's musical talent.
John made our wedding reception dinner at the Morton Arboretum this past Sunday by candle light magical and memorable as he played his guitar with grace and ease. He arrived early to set-up and made sure to continue playing until dinner was over. Everyone loved the charm his music added to the evening; elevating a dinner to an unforgettable experience for years to come. He provided us a list of his repertoire and we were able to hand pick the songs we wanted. He also can take song requests. His music is on YouTube as well. My personal favorite is “historia d’amor”.
Guitarist
Just the right touch for our event. High recommend John.
Classical Guitarist, Guitarist
John did a wonderful job performing at our event. He has a vast and varied repertoire and made a huge contribution to the success of our party. We got loads of compliments about his playing. I can't say enough good things about his precence at our event. I will absolutely engage him again in the future and recommend him to everyone I know. Thanks again.
Classical Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Dallas, I had a great time playing for you and your friends, and I am looking forward to doing that again.
John Behling played at our wedding reception and was wonderful. A gifted and highly professional musician, he was everything we could have hoped for. Our guests loved his music and several asked for his business cards. A perfect evening!
Guitarist
Right from the get go John was easy to work with. He listened carefully to our idea, offered great suggestions and made us comfortable. His performance was wonderful. Just what we envisioned and more. We recommend him without qualification.
Classical Guitarist, Jazz Guitarist, Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Alan, I had a great time playing for you, Anna, and your friends. It was a lovely wedding.
Very professional guitarist for any type of event. We hired John for our wedding and he did a great job. He communicated well with us and our wedding planner and was very punctual.
Classical Guitarist
John was very responsive and easy to work with. He and his bassist were the perfect accompaniment to our patio cocktail party! Thanks John!
Acoustic Band
John’s music was the perfect addition to our party. He was a pleasure to work with! I highly recommend him!
Guitarist
John's music was perfect for our fundraiser gala! It fit the vibe of the event perfectly and there were many compliments.
John was a pleasure to work with; he responded promptly, answered all questions, and accommodated our requests.
Highly recommend!
Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Heather. Marcel and I had a great time playing for you.
John was a hit! Definitely recommend hiring him for your events!
Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Nik, I had a great time playing for you.
John was fabulous
Great music extensive repertoire you can have him as background music as I did or the feature event. He listened to my requests and even learned a special song for the bride to be
Guitarist
John was wonderful to work with and would highly recommend! Booking was super easy and John was easily available to discuss details of our event. Beautiful performance and would love to work with John again!
Guitarist
Excellent!!!!! Would highly recommend.
Bossa Nova Band
John Behling is a fantastic artist! His music was a perfect blend, he is a consummate professional and entertainer. He arrived ready to adjust to the venue bringing sound equipment that we ended up not needing (we had a very small room). He knows his craft - he plays beautifully. We are so happy we found John, love to listen to him & highly recommend him
Classical Guitarist, Easy Listening Band, Guitarist
This is the second time we have hired John to perform for us. Last time was almost 3 years ago, and we are again happy with our decision to do so! The music was perfect as background for our lovely baby daughter's baptism luncheon. He was prompt with responses to any questions we had, checked in ahead of the event and worked well with our event coordinator. We would absolutely recommend him for any special occasion! Thanks again, John!
Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Sophia, I had a great time playing for you, your friends, and your new baby.
John is the best. We would recommend him to anyone!! He was so great to work with, flexible for our scheduling and music preferences, and an INCREDIBLE guitarist.
Jazz Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Kim, It was a pleasure to play for you and Mercedes. I really enjoyed talking with your parents.
John was just incredible. We can’t wait to hire him again!
Jazz Guitarist
John was the absolute highlight of my Husband's birthday party! He is extremely talented and was so lovely to work with! All of our guests loved his performance - highly recommend!! :)
Classical Guitarist
John is professional, friendly, accommodating and of course, plays beautiful music. He made our wedding ceremony special and memorable. Thank you!
Classical Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Nick, Your wedding was lovely. It was a pleasure playing for you, and I am so glad that the rain stopped in time.
Everyone was so impressed by John’s talent during the event…we’d definitely have him join us again!
Guitarist
John played absolutely beautifully for my daughter's garden wedding ceremony (6/13/21). He arrived early and was set up and playing before the guests arrived. Extremely professional. John provided wonderful song recommendations upon my request and responded to all of my inquiries promptly. I highly recommend John and would hire him again.
Classical Guitarist, Guitarist
From a long list of applying guitarists and after a phone conversation, we chose John based on his blurb, videos, and especially customer comments. His price was at the median of the group. This was a high-end wedding rehearsal dinner for 25, with folks aged 7 to 78. John arrived a half hour early to choose his room location and set up his sound system. He was already playing when people began arriving. I checked simple "guitar" on the form here because his play list is eclectic, as requested.
This kind of event must be a tough gig, with some tables very near the musician and others on the room's far side, with some people particularly interested in the music but most talking and laughing. Somehow, the sound level was comfortable nearby and completely audible at distance. John continued playing for awhile after the allowed time passed.
Really, almost as important as his technical expertise on the instrument is his overall friendly demeanor from first contact through our reception's close.
John, we're grateful.
Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Bill, I had a wonderful time playing for you, your family, and your friends.
From the moment I heard him play via the YouTube videos he sent, I knew he was the one to hire. I also read his raving reviews and they gave me confidence. From the first song he played this afternoon, I was in awe. He is super talented. His jazz guitar skills are seriously top notch. My wife thought a recording was playing at one point. He really set the mood for my brother’s graduation lunch. It was an absolute delight and pleasure to hear him play and I hope you give others the opportunity to hear his musical gift. I won’t hesitate to hire him again in the future. Thank you, Mr. Behling. Thank you thank you.
Jazz Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Mark, I had a wonderful time playing for you and your family and friends. I am looking forward to seeing you at the Dock this summer.
John was perfect! We had him for our wedding ceremony and a little before and after and it was lovely, definitely hire John!
Jazz Guitarist, Guitarist
John provided a wonderful medley of songs before, during and after our wedding. We highly recommend him for any event!
Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks. I had a great time playing for you and your guests at the Pabst Theater.
John was a HUGE hit at our corporate holiday event this year! Not only was the music amazing, but John himself was very kind, knowledgeable about all music, and had everyone in our building singing along! I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a spectacular musician!
Classical Guitarist, Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Melissa. I had a great time playing for you.
Super great person and guitar player can't wait to invite him back again!!!!
Guitarist
John played at our cocktail hour and he was amazing. Highly recommend him!
Classical Guitarist
Great job all around! Very pleased......
Jazz Guitarist
John's music was the absolute perfect accompaniment to our small, intimate wedding — his talent really helped make the our day extra special and our guests are still commenting on how nice it was to have the guitar interspersed in the ceremony.
He is a talented musician and a very nice person, it was an honor to have him part of our wedding.
Guitarist
Beautiful guitar playing was the perfect background for our holiday dinner party. John came early to set up and the music was flowing while the first guests arrived. Highly recommend John
Classical Guitarist
I am so happy to have hired John for our son's baptism reception! He is a very skilled and talented musician, and his classical/jazz/latin mix was the perfect background music for our luncheon. We received so many compliments and several people asked where we found him. We also had a child guest who's birthday was the day of our event, and without hesitation John was able to play the happy birthday song for her. The family loved it! John also was very timely with his responses to my emails and questions leading up to the event, which was much appreciated. We will definitely keep him in mind for future events!
Classical Guitarist, Jazz Guitarist, Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks, Sophia. I had a great time playing for you and your friends. Thanks, too, for the box of Greek pastries. They were delicious.
John was great at communicating with me about my event regarding times, layout and music. He was wonderfully pleasant to talk to and professional in planning and setting everything up. On top of it all, he is an amazing guitar player. He played my wedding ceremony and was amazing. We have several guitarists and musicians throughout the family and they could not get over just how good John was. He even brought along a microphone for us to use for the wedding ceremony. If I have another event where I am to book a guitarist or trio, the wife and I agreed already, John will be our number one choice.
Classical Guitarist, Jazz Guitarist, Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks, Kevin, I had a great time playing for your wedding.
John was fantastic. He's extremely talented and also very easy to work with.
Classical Guitarist, Jazz Guitarist, Guitarist
John was terrific. He played a wide variety of music as a backdrop to our Champagne Brunch celebration. After the event, John stayed around and spoke with one of our guitar-playing residents.
John, you are a joy, and I will be hiring you again in the future!
Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks, Debi, I had a great time playing for your event. I'm looking forward to the next time.
John was prompt in getting to and setting up for our wedding ceremony. He played our requests for the most part and was a great addition to our ceremony!
Guitarist
John did a beautiful job!
Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks Karen. I had a great time playing for you and everyone at the party.
John was a pleasure to not only listen to but work with in planning this event! Highly recommended
Classical Guitarist, Guitarist
Response from John Behling Guitarist:
Thanks, Greta. I had a great time.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻thank you. We really enjoyed your music.
Jazz Band, Guitarist
John was perfect for our event. Everyone enjoyed his music.
Jazz Guitarist
John was great and we got a lot of compliments on the music.
Guitarist
Showed up early, reliable, great sound and music, easy to work with...highly recommend.
Jazz Guitarist
Right on time,professional, great music and very friendly. I would highly recommend John for any event. I would hire him again. Cheers, Terry
Jazz Guitarist, Guitarist
Booking Info
Price Range: $300-$1500
Gig Length: 60 - 240 minutes
Languages: English
Insurance: $1,000,000 - Commercial General Liability
What to Expect
John performs a wide variety of music. Most performances include a mix of jazz standards, bossa novas, Latin American guitar music, and pop tunes. John is also an accomplished classical guitarist, and he enjoys playing classical repertoire at weddings, dinner parties, and other similar events. He can perform sets devoted to any of these specific styles. His music is exciting, romantic, elegant, and a lot of fun. It's great for listening, but also a stimulating background for conversation and interaction.
About
John has been performing professionally since 1984. Some of his career highlights include playing for President Clinton and President Obama, concerts as prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center for the Arts, and work with outstanding musicians including Jay McShann, Patti Page, Jeremy Kittel, and many others. In addition to performing at many private events in Chicago, John can often be heard at venues such as the Jazz Showcase, the Chicago Magic Lounge, the Chicago Hilton, the London House, the Chicago University Club, the Langham Hotel, the Shedd Aquarium jazz series, Gaetano's, and the Chicago Botanical Gardens music series. Currently, he perform as a soloist, and he leads the Guitar Arts Duo, the Bonfim/Behling Jazz Duo, and the John Behling Trio. He also works regularly with many other musicians around the Midwest. When not performing, John teaches in the music departments of the University of Illinois, DePaul University, and Columbia College.
Additional Booking Notes
John requires no special equipment. He has guitars and sound equipment for just about any venue or event. All he needs is a chair and he is ready to go.
Set List
Jazz Standards
Polka Dots and Moonbeams
Autumn Leaves
The Days of Wine and Roses
Misty
My Romance
How Long Has This Been Going On?
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
All The Things You Are
Everything Happens To Me
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Blue Monk
I Sent For You
Blues For Herb
Body and Soul
Pennies From Heaven
A Foggy Day
My Favorite Things
Alone Together
When You Wish Upon A Star
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Bossa Novas
Girl From Ipanema
Black Orpheus
Agua De Beber
Corcovado
Gentle Rain
Wave
How Insensitive
Meditation
O Morro Nao Tem Vez
Choros and Other Latin American Guitar Music
As Emboladas do Norte
Sons de Carilhoes
Brasileirinho
Dengoso
Rebolico
Grain
Lamentos do Morro
O Choro De Juliana
Baiao Cansado
Duas Contas
Carioquinha
Julia Florida
Brasiliana No. 13
Valse Venezolano #2 "Andreina"
Valse Venezolano #3 "Natalia"
Ojos Brujos
Scherzino Mexicano
Pop and Country Tunes
Here Comes The Sun
Nowhere Man
And I Love Her
Moondance
Tennessee Waltz
Crazy
You've Got A Friend
Fire and Rain
Solamente Una Vez
Yellow Bird
Freight Train
I Can See Clearly Now
Classical and Wedding Ceremony Music
Wedding March
Bridal Chorus
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
Canon in D
Cavatina
Clair de Lune
Allemande – J. S. Bach
Bourree I & II – J. S. Bach
Bouree in E Minor – J. S. Bach
Suite, BWV 997 – J. S. Bach
Almain – Francis Cutting
Six Pieces for Lute
Fantasia – A. Mudarra
Etude in C – N. Coste
Study in A – Carcassi
Aria con Variazionia – Frescobaldi
Dance Rondo – Guiliani
Sonatina – Guiliani
Preludes – Ponce
Mazurca – Tarrega
Marieta – Tarrega
Lagrima – Tarrega
Sonata L. 483 – Scarlatti
Partita a-Moll - J. A. Logy
Preludes – Villa-Lobos
Pavana No. 1 – Luis Milan
Pavana No. 2 – Luis Milan
Influences & Inspiration
Joe Pass
Jim Hall
Andres Segovia
Romaro Lubambo
Marco Pereira
Gene Bertoncini
Joao Gilberto
Keith Jarrett
Bill Evans
Julian Lage
Setup Requirements
No special equipment is required.