# Theo Katzman

Theodore Daniel Katzman (born April 2, 1986) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer based in Los Angeles. His musical style is a fusion of pop, jazz, funk and indie rock. He is a member of funk band Vulfpeck and has contributed to the works of several artists as songwriter and producer. Katzman has released four studio albums. His latest album Be the Wheel was released in March 2023.

## Career

Katzman grew up in a musical family in Manhasset, New York. His father, Lee Katzman, was a jazz trumpet player and would take him to rehearsals at an early age. When he was about twelve he started playing drums, guitar, and writing songs. In 2004, Katzman moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan and studied jazz at the University of Michigan. In 2005, he joined the instrumental group Toolbox which evolved into the band Ella Riot. Katzman toured with the band from 2007 to 2010. During that time the band released an EP titled My Dear Disco and an album titled Dancethink.
In early 2010, Katzman pursued a solo career to focus on his singing and songwriting. He formed the trio Love Massive, who performed regularly and opened at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival in 2011. Katzman released an EP titled Solo Acoustic in 2010 and released his first studio album Romance Without Finance in 2011. In late 2011, he moved to Brooklyn and released music videos for two of his songs, "Hard For You" and "Brooklyn". In 2012, he opened for several artists including Vanessa Carlton, Matisyahu, and Vienna Teng. In 2013, he was the musical director and the opening act for Darren Criss on his national tour, Listen Up, and released a single titled "Pop Song".
Katzman has worked with several artists as a songwriter and producer. He co-wrote and produced Face the Fire, an album by Michelle Chamuel, and co-wrote several songs for an album by Criss. He performs with the Irish-fusion band The Olllam, funk band Vulfpeck, and as a solo act.
Katzman released a single titled "Hard Work" in October 2016. Katzman's second studio album Heartbreak Hits was released in January 2017. According to Katzman, the album's concept was about heartbreak and loss. A review by Lee Zimmerman noted the album's "upbeat" tone despite the underlying lyrical concept.
In October 2019, Katzman released a single titled "You Could Be President", a preview of his third studio album Modern Johnny Sings: Songs in the Age of Vibe. In December 2019, Katzman released two EPs of three songs each from the upcoming full length album. These EPs were thematically organized, and were titled Modern Johnny Tackles the Issues and Modern Johnny Wallows in Introspection and Gently Goes Mad. The full album was released in January 2020 under the label Ten Good Songs.
Katzman released his fourth studio album, Be The Wheel, in March 2023. The album was recorded live to tape at Cinnamon Ranch, Katzman's studio in Michigan. Katzman released four songs, including the title track, as singles before the release of the full album. He also formally announced his record label, Ten Good Songs, for recordings and productions by Theo Katzman. In 2023, Ten Good Songs released both Be The Wheel and an album by May Erlewine titled The Real Thing.

## Style

Katzman grew up listening to classic rock and soul music. His influences include soul, R&B, funk, rock and folk. As a songwriter, a primary focus for him is a song's lyrical theme. He writes parts for guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards. His favorite songwriters are those who "capture a moment in cultural time" such as Frank Ocean, Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon.

## Personal life

Katzman's father, Lee Katzman, was a jazz trumpet player with The Tonight Show Band and the Stan Kenton Orchestra. Katzman's maternal grandparents were both classical musicians with the Detroit Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

## Vulfpeck

In addition to his solo work, Katzman is a member of the funk band Vulfpeck. Formed in 2011, Vulfpeck is a four piece instrumental group made up of Katzman on guitar, drums and vocals, Jack Stratton on keyboards, drums and guitar, Woody Goss on keyboards, Cory Wong on guitar, and Joe Dart on bass. The band has released four EPs and six studio albums.

## Discography
### Albums
#### Studio albums
##### Solo albums

| Title | Album details |
| Romance Without Finance | Released: November 15, 2011 Label: Self-released Format: CD, digital download |
| Heartbreak Hits | Released: January 6, 2017 Label: Self-released Format: Digital download, streaming |
| Modern Johnny Sings: Songs in the Age of Vibe | Released: January 10, 2020 Label: Ten Good Songs Format: Digital download, streaming |
| Be the Wheel | Released: March 10, 2023 Label: Ten Good Songs Format: Digital download, streaming |

##### with Ella Riot

| Title | Album details |
| Dancethink | Released: October 11, 2009 Label: Self-released Format: CD, digital download |

##### with Vulfpeck

| Title | Album details |
| Mit Peck (EP) | Released: December 20, 2011 Label: Vulf Format: Vinyl, digital download |
| Vollmilch (EP) | Released: December 20, 2012 Label: Vulf Format: Vinyl, digital download |
| My First Car (EP) | Released: December 6, 2013 Label: Vulf Format: Vinyl, digital download |
| Fugue State (EP) | Released: August 26, 2014 Label: Vulf Format: Vinyl, digital download |
| Thrill of the Arts | Released: October 9, 2015 Label: Vulf Format: CD, LP, digital download |
| The Beautiful Game | Released: October 17, 2016 Label: Vulf Format: LP, digital download |
| Mr. Finish Line | Released: November 7, 2017 Label: Vulf Format: LP, digital download |
| Hill Climber | Released: December 7, 2018 Label: Vulf Format: CD, vinyl, LP, digital download |
| Live at Madison Square Garden | Released: December 10, 2019 Label: Vulf Format: Vinyl, LP, digital download, streaming |
| The Joy of Music, the Job of Real Estate | Released: October 23, 2020 Label: Vulf Format: Vinyl, digital download, streaming |
| Schvitz | Released: December 30, 2022 Label: Vulf Format: Vinyl, digital download, streaming |

#### Live albums

| Title | Album details |
| Jam in the Van - Theo Katzman (Live Session, Azusa, CA, 2016) | Released: December 19, 2016 Label: Jam in the Van Format: Digital download, streaming |
| Theo Katzman on Audiotree Live | Released: April 9, 2018 Label: Audiotree Format: Digital download, streaming |
| My Heart Is Live in Berlin | Released: April 26, 2019 Label: Ten Good Songs Format: Vinyl, digital download, streaming |
| Modern Johnny Sings: Songs in The Age of Live | Released: 2022 Label: Ten Good Songs Format: Vinyl, digital download, streaming |
| Live From the Other Side | Released: September 13, 2024 Label: Ten Good Songs Format: Vinyl, digital download, streaming |

### Extended plays

| Title | Album details |
| Solo Acoustic | Released: 2010 Label: Self-released Format: CD, digital download |
| Theo Katzman on Audiotree Live | Released: 2018 Label: Audiotree Format: Digital download, streaming |
| Modern Johnny Tackles the Issues | Released: December 6, 2019 Label: Self-released Format: Digital download, streaming |
| Modern Johnny Wallows in Introspection and Gently Goes Mad | Released: December 20, 2019 Label: Ten Good Songs Format: Digital download, streaming |

### As lead artist

| Title | Year | Album |
| "Pop Song" | 2013 | Non-album single |
| "Hard Work" | 2016 | Non-album single |
| "My Heart Is Dead" | 2016 | Non-album single |
| "You Could Be President" | 2019 | Modern Johnny Sings: Songs in the Age of Vibe / Modern Johnny Tackles the Issues |

#### As featured artist

| Title | Year | Album |
| "Something Good" (Jacob Jeffries featuring Theo Katzman) | 2018 | Mother Land |
| "Highest Bidder" (Jacob Jeffries featuring Theo Katzman) | 2018 | Mother Land |
| "Easy" (May Erlewine featuring Theo Katzman) | 2022 | Tiny Beautiful Things |
| "Worlds Apart" (May Erlewine featuring Theo Katzman) | 2022 | Tiny Beautiful Things |
| "Sunday" (Nick Campbell Destroys featuring Theo Katzman) | 2022 | Art |
| "Leon Keys" (Lee Pardini featuring Theo Katzman and Joe Dart) | 2022 | Leon Keys (EP) |
| "One More Try" (Joey Dosik featuring Theo Katzman) | 2023 | The Nostalgiac |
| "Like a Movie" (Taylor Ashton featuring Theo Katzman) | 2023 | Stranger to the Feeling |

### Production and writing credits

| Year | Artist | Album | Song | Notes |
| 2012 | Anna Ash | These Holy Days | "Heartbreak Season" | drums, bass, co-producer |
| 2012 | Anna Ash | These Holy Days | "Shoot Me With Your Best Shot" | drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals, co-producer |
| 2012 | Anna Ash | These Holy Days | "These Holy Days" | drums, percussion, vocals, co-producer |
| 2012 | Hannah Winkler | — | "Hide It Away" | co-producer, bass, guitar, snare drum |
| 2013 | Teddy Geiger | The Last Fears | "Ordinary Man" | drums, additional arranging |
| 2013 | Teddy Geiger | The Last Fears | "Home" | drums, co-writer |
| 2013 | Teddy Geiger | The Last Fears | "Figure It Out" | drums, guitar |
| 2013 | Teddy Geiger | The Last Fears | "Ordinary Man" | drums, guitar |
| 2013 | Teddy Geiger | The Last Fears | "Happier" | drums, bass |
| 2013 | Michelle Chamuel | — | "Go Down Singing" | co-producer, bass, guitar, snare drum, writer |
| 2013 | Chrystian Rawk | — | "Famous" | co-producer, drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar |
| 2014 | Dylan Saunders | Confluence | — | co-writer (tracks 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11), backing vocals (tracks 1, 3) |
| 2014 | Jason French | — | "You Just Want My Money" | co-writer, co-producer, backing vocals, bass, guitar, drums |
| 2015 | Michelle Chamuel | Face the Fire | — | writer, performer, producer (all tracks) |
| 2015 | Vérité | — | "Wasteland" | bass, guitar |
| 2017 | Kesha | Rainbow | "Rainbow" | percussion |
| 2018 | Woman Believer | Dunzo (EP) | — | drums (tracks 1, 2, 3), bass (tracks 2, 3), guitar (track 3) |
| 2019 | May Erlewine | Second Sight | "That's My Home" | electric guitar |
| 2019 | Ryan Lerman | Noisy Feelings | "American Dream" | backing vocals |
| 2019 | Ryan Lerman | Noisy Feelings | "Hard To Break Up" | drums |
| 2019 | Ryan Lerman | Noisy Feelings | "Windy Day" | backing vocals |
| 2019 | Ryan Lerman | Noisy Feelings | "Mexico" | drums, percussion |
| 2019 | Allen Stone | Building Balance | "Miscommunicate" | co-writer |
| 2019 | Allen Stone | Building Balance | "Chippin' Away" | co-writer |
| 2020 | Carly Rae Jepsen | Dedicated Side B | "Window" | bass, backing vocals, drums, guitar, co-writer, co-producer |
| 2018 | Woman Believer | The Hot Years | — | percussion (track 7), guitar (track 14) |
| 2021 | Antwaun Stanley and Tyler Duncan | Ascension | — | writer, drums, guitar, congas, percussion |
| 2021 | Rett Madison | Pin-Up Daddy | — | producer (all tracks), drums (all tracks), percussion (tracks 1 and 7), guitar (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9), background vocals (track 1), Wurlitzer (track 2) |
| 2021 | Hobo Johnson | The Revenge of Hobo Johnson | "I Want You Back" | co-writer |
| 2023 | May Erlewine | The Real Thing | — | producer, drums |
| 2023 | Taylor Ashton | Stranger to the Feeling | "Strong Hands" | background vocals |
| 2023 | Rett Madison | One For Jackie | "Lipstick" | drums, congas, additional percussion |
| 2023 | Rett Madison | One For Jackie | "Fortune Teller" | Wurlitzer, background vocals |
| 2023 | Rett Madison | One For Jackie | "One for Jackie, One for Crystal" | percussion, congas, bass drum |
| 2023 | Rett Madison | One For Jackie | "Mediums, Therapists, and Sheriffs" | drums |
| 2024 | Brittany Howard | Thelma the Unicorn Soundtrack | "Fire Inside" | co-writer, guitar |
| 2025 | May Erlewine | What It Takes | — | producer, drums |