Researched musician profile
About John Allen Graves
Graves’s official biography describes him as Baltimore-born and Los Angeles-bred, with early double-bass study at the Colburn School. After composition and bass study at UC Santa Barbara, he returned to Los Angeles for jazz work with Harold Land, Billy Higgins, Roberto Miranda, and Kenny Burrell and film-scoring study through UCLA Extension.[1]
The biography documents freelance work in jazz combos and symphony orchestras alongside composing and producing across classical, jazz, pop, film, and other forms. It also records a 2022 master’s degree in composition from California State University, Long Beach and the recital works written for that program.[1]
Graves identifies American Circumcision as his first feature-length score and documents trailer work for audiomachine. His artist-run Bandcamp streams that score and Buddhist Sacred Art Music, Vol. I, preserving separate screen and collaborative projects under his own account.[1][2]
Los Angeles training
His biography connects Colburn bass study with later jazz and film-scoring work after returning to the city.[1]
American Circumcision
Graves identifies the 2018 documentary as his first feature-length film score.[1][2]
Concert composition
His CSULB master’s recital included music for string quintet, solo piano, and soprano with septet.[1]