Josie Quick is an award-winning violinist, composer, and performer based in Denver, Colorado. As one half of the acclaimed violin and guitar duo Perpetual Motion, she has spent over three decades crafting a distinctive sound that blends jazz influence with world, folk, and contemporary instrumental styles.
Known for her expressive tone and lyrical playing, Josie brings both technical mastery and emotional depth to her music. Her work has earned international recognition, including a Peace Song Award for Best Jazz, along with nominations from the Zone Music Awards and One World Music Awards.
Beyond the stage, Josie’s music has reached global audiences through placements on major platforms, including The Learning Channel, Discovery, and Netflix. Whether performing live or recording, she creates immersive musical experiences that connect across genres and cultures.
On a family trip to South Africa, Josie attended a concert of the Johannesburg Symphony. It was there that she fell in love with the violin. Upon returning to Colorado, she signed up for the school orchestra and received her first violin. “My mom told me I was so happy I cried, and she’d never seen me do that before,” Josie recalls.
Throughout high school, Josie played with numerous orchestras, including the semi-professional Boulder Philharmonic in Boulder, Colorado. Her goal was to become a violinist with the New York Philharmonic. That changed one night when she caught the Doobie Brothers playing “Black Water,” and a revelation occurred. She saw that the violin can be used for more than classical music, and her world opened up.
Fast forward to the University of Denver, where Josie received her Bachelor of Music degree. It was there that she was introduced to jazz. Listening to the likes of Jean-Luc Ponty and Stephane Grapelli, she sought out opportunities to play jazz, but they were few and far between. When she met Tom, she was ready to try her hand at improvising. The timing and chemistry were right, and Josie’s style has evolved with the ensemble.
Josie is an in-demand studio musician, lending her talents to a wide variety of projects. She teaches fiddle, blues fiddle, and improvisation at Swallow Hill Music Association in Denver, CO. In her spare time, she enjoys pottery, gardening, and riding her bike.
Check out this article on Josie published by Swallow Hill Music Association https://swallowhillmusic.org/faces-of-swallow-hill-josie-quick/
