Bio

“A truly soulful experience”
New York Times

“Madof is one of those people who really gets to the inside of what the guitar is doing”
John Zorn

Jon Madof is a guitarist, composer, producer, and bandleader whose work spans Jewish music, jazz, avant-garde experimentation, surf rock, punk, metal, and adventurous improvisation. A veteran of New York City’s Downtown music scene and a longtime collaborator of John Zorn, he is best known for projects including Zion80 and Rashanim. His current project, The Jon Madof Trio, marks a return to the guitar trio format and will release its debut album, Netzach, on Tzadik Records in August 2026.

Full bio:

Jon Madof is a guitarist, composer, producer, and bandleader whose distinctive voice has helped shape New York’s Downtown and Radical Jewish Culture scenes for more than two decades. Born in Philadelphia in 1974, Madof has been an active presence on the New York City music scene since 2000 and has built an internationally recognized career at the intersection of Jewish music, jazz, avant-garde experimentation, surf rock, punk, metal, and adventurous improvisation, creating a body of work that is both fiercely individual and deeply rooted in tradition.

His current project, The Jon Madof Trio, marks a return to the stripped-down power of the guitar trio format that first defined Rashanim, while pushing his music into new territory. Featuring bassist Yoshie Fruchter (Sandcatchers, David Krakauer) and drummer Nate Rappaport (Zusha, Moshe Sobol Band), the ensemble draws on avant-garde and experimental jazz, post-rock, punk, and improvisation, infused with a deep Jewish soul. The trio’s debut album, Netzach, will be released on John Zorn’s Tzadik Records on August 14, 2026. The album reflects Madof’s ongoing commitment to creating music that is adventurous, uncompromising, and deeply expressive.

Madof is best known as the founder and leader of Zion80, the groundbreaking 10-member ensemble that began by combining the music of Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti with the melodies of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Over the course of four acclaimed albums, the project evolved into a far-reaching exploration of Jewish music, Afrobeat, improvisation, and original composition, earning an international following and establishing itself as one of the most distinctive ensembles to emerge from the Radical Jewish Culture movement.

He is also the founder of the Rashanim trio, whose innovative blend of Jewish melody, jazz improvisation, and Downtown sensibilities first established Madof as a distinctive voice in contemporary Jewish music. His later projects expanded that vision in multiple directions, from the large-ensemble explorations of Zion80 to Blivet, a groove-driven guitar-and-organ collaboration, and Modum, a solo project that embraces the recording studio as an instrument, blending elements of electronic music, post-rock, and minimalism while keeping Madof’s guitar at the center of the music.

A longtime collaborator of legendary composer, saxophonist, and Tzadik Records founder John Zorn, Madof has released seven albums on the label prior to Netzach and has maintained a decades-long creative association with one of the defining figures in contemporary avant-garde music. Over the years he has shared stages, studios, and creative partnerships with artists including Matisyahu, Bill Laswell, Frank London, and Marc Ribot, among many others.

His work has been presented at prestigious venues and festivals around the world, including the Village Vanguard, Town Hall, The Stone, the Krakow Jewish Culture Festival, the Sarajevo Jazz Festival, the Saalfelden Jazz Festival, and the Ashkenaz Festival in Toronto. His music has been featured by The New York Times, NPR, The Times of Israel, CBC, JazzTimes, The Village Voice, and Guitar One magazine, with critics consistently praising his ability to bridge seemingly disparate musical worlds into a singular artistic vision.

In 2017, Madof co-founded Chant Records with bassist and producer Shanir Blumenkranz. Together they built a prolific and eclectic label that released more than seventy albums spanning jazz, Jewish music, experimental music, rock, and beyond. The label has released albums by uncompromising and adventurous artists including The Klezmatics, Yemen Blues, Greg Cohen, and many others whose work defies easy categorization.

Central to Madof’s artistic identity is his Jewish life and practice. Having become an observant Jew as an adult, he has increasingly drawn inspiration from Jewish spirituality, texts, culture, and communal life. At a time when many artists feel pressure to compartmentalize or soften expressions of Jewish identity, Madof has embraced a more openly Jewish artistic voice—one that is spiritually grounded, culturally confident, and unapologetically authentic. Whether performing in an intimate trio setting, leading a large ensemble, or creating solo work, he continues to explore the fertile meeting point between artistic innovation and Jewish tradition.

Madof is married with three children and lives in Westchester, New York.