John Zias is an improvisational guitarist of rare emotive and expressive abilities. His inimitable approach has been distilled over decades of playing in a range of genres as disparate as country and free jazz.

John started playing at the age of 8 and first performed at 11. Blessed by a fertile music scene during his teen years, he co-led the band Cavalry--arguably the first Grateful Dead cover band--with noted studio whiz Kenny White from 1969 through 1971. During his formative years, John also played with notable guitarists Van Manakas, Eliot Easton and Al DiMeola. His love and talent for improvising led him to delve into jazz. His psychedelic roots blended with the jazz ethos became the recipe for a style he continues to develop.

While he spent the '80s playing in virtually every type of situation, John concentrated on the short-lived but powerful John Zias Band. (The group's self-titled 1982 release is currently being digitized and will be available shortly.) He then took a hiatus from the music business during the '90s while he and his wife, Dana, raised a family. 

In January of 2000, John's playing caught the ear of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, with whom he rehearsed in San Francisco for 3 days in consideration for the Phil & Friends gig.

John is a 1978 graduate of the Berklee College of Music where he got to know and perform with the likes of Bill Frisell, Mike Stern and Pat Metheny while studying for two years with Mick Goodrick. 

John's current projects include Earth Bombs Mars, whose self-titled CD was released in early 2008, and the Roy Jay Band, which tours nationally. He also played weekly in Uncle John's Band for 8-years, whose 12-year stint at the legendary Skipper's Smokehouse has made them mainstays of the Tampa music scene.