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Joshua Kinney, known by the moniker Jerk, is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer based in Brooklyn, New York.Born in Binghamton, New York in 1995, they started playing guitar at 8, saxophone at 10, and piano at 16. After high school, they enrolled in Purchase College’s Jazz Studies program, studying under Ralph Lalama, Gary Smulyan, and Mark Vinci. It was at Purchase College that they began composing, recording, and producing music as Jerk.Jerk has released 5 LPs, 4 EPs, and numerous singles to the acclaim of publications including Jazz Revelations, Stepping Into Tomorrow, and Ear Milk, radio programs including Jamie Cullum’s on BBC Radio 2 Show and Tina Edward’s on Worldwide FM, as well as editorial playlists including Spotify’s State of Jazz, Apple Music’s Jazz Currents, and Amazon Music’s Fresh Jazz.Jerk is known primarily exploring the liminality between jazz, hip hop, and r&b, citing influences ranging from traditional jazz artists Charlie Parker and Gene Ammons to 70s fusion figures Don Blackman and Patrice Rushen to hip hop producers J Dilla and Madlib.