Bio

MEET PERPETUAL MOTION: JOSIE QUICK AND TOM CARLENO

Spend some time with Josie Quick and Tom Carleno, and you’ll notice their easy-going nature, a shared sense of humor, and strong connection. This connection shines through when they perform live as Perpetual Motion. Josie’s violin and Tom’s guitar weave together in perfect harmony. Their talent is clear and impressive, whether on stage or on their albums.

Perpetual Motion’s story began in the late ’80s. Tom and Josie were teaching at the same music store. They didn’t know each other well, but that changed after they met at a friend’s birthday party. Soon after, Tom asked Josie if she wanted to collaborate on some music. Tom thought a violin might add something special to his guitar compositions. What started as a simple rehearsal quickly revealed their strong musical connection. Before long, they were performing together as Perpetual Motion. Over time, their friendship turned into a romance, and they married in 1992. Since then, they’ve released seven albums and are currently working on their eighth.

Josie started out aiming to be a classical violinist. During her studies at the University of Denver, she fell in love with jazz. She was inspired by artists like Stéphane Grappelli and Jean-Luc Ponty. She tried playing jazz with local groups, but it wasn’t until she met Tom that her jazz dreams took off.

Tom’s path to guitar was unexpected. He was inspired by his cousin’s impression of José Feliciano at a family gathering. Even though he hadn’t played a note, he was determined to learn the instrument. His music flourished when he began taking lessons from Steve Mesplé, a founding member of the instrumental group Wind Machine. Under Mesplé’s guidance, Tom developed his fingerstyle technique. He experimented with new guitar tunings, paving the way for his collaboration with Josie.

Now based in Denver, Josie and Tom have expanded their musical activities. Tom launched a solo career in 2013 with his album Perfect Imperfection. It won the Zone Music Reporter’s Best Instrumental Album – Acoustic. Josie produced the album and even played spoons on one track. In 2015, Josie ventured into electronic music by collaborating with Jim Combs, known as Sensitive Chaos, on his album March of the Timeshifters. Her electric violin loops added a unique touch to the music, making the album stand out. Josie contributed to three albums by keyboardist Timothy Wenzel. She appeared on another ZMR-nominated Sensitive Chaos album, Walking a Beautiful World. Both Tom and Josie are sought-after session musicians and also teach private lessons.

Perpetual Motion has earned several awards, including the 2020 Peace Song Award for “Best Jazz.” They’ve also been nominated for other prestigious awards, including the Zone Music Award for “Best Acoustic Instrumental Album” and the One World Music Award for “Best Contemporary Instrumental,” both in 2020. As they work on their eighth album, Josie and Tom continue to explore new musical ideas. leaving a lasting impact on the world of instrumental music. As they work on their eighth album, Josie and Tom continue to push the boundaries of instrumental music.