John Patitucci, an Associate Professor of Jazz Music at City College, is widely regarded as one of the world's best contemporary jazz bassists. He has taught at City College since 2002, maintaining a full professional touring, composing and touring load in addition to his teaching commitments. 

Born in 1959 in Brooklyn, New York, John began playing the electric bass at age 10, composing and performing at age 12, playing the acoustic bass at age 15 and the piano at age 16. He quickly moved from playing soul and rock to blues, jazz and classical music. His eclectic tastes caused him to explore all types of music as a player and a composer. John studied classical bass at San Francisco State University and Long Beach State University. In 1980, he continued his career in Los Angeles as a studio musician and a jazz artist.

As a highly sought after studio musician, John has played with B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Dizzy Gillespie, Carly Simon, Queen Latifah and even Bon Jovi. As a skilled performer, he has played throughout the world with his own band, and with jazz masters such as Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Stan Getz, and Wynton Marsalis. On the pop front he has played with Sting, Aaron Neville, Natalie Cole, Carole King. John has also worked with film composers Ry Cooder, James Newton Howard, Henry Mancini, John Williams and Howard Shore.

He continues to earn praise and recognition. In 2007 John's album Line by Line was nominated for a Grammy award in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category. He won a Grammy previously in 2005 as a member of the Wayne Shorter Quartet, in 1989 as a member of Chick Corea's group and in 1987 for a song written with Chick Corea.

In addition to teaching at CCNY and recording he also tours extensively. In 2008, as part of the Wayne Shorter Quartet for example he played in Liverpool with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in January and in Poland and Philadelphia in February. The John Patitucci Quartet played the Barbados Jazz Club in January and John also continues to perform as a solo artist in the US and abroad to wide acclaim.  Further background is available from John’s Website.

He wears his success lightly and in a low key fashion attributes his success and resilience to his Christian faith and life style.