About
As a current member of the Residente band, Justin has headlined festivals throughout the US, Europe, Scandinavia, Mexico, and Central and South America, including the 2017 Latin Grammys and the 2018 Austin City Limits Music Festival and television show. In 2019, the band headlined at the Zocalo in Mexico City for over 150,000 people. The band resumed touring in 2022 by headlining Vive Latino in Mexico City.
In 2020, Justin played guitar on Residente's Latin Grammy-winning recording, Antes Que el Mundo Se Acabe, which has over 33 million views on YouTube. He was also featured in Residente's quarantine editions of Latinoamérica and Apocalíptico, which have 2.9 million and 8 million views, respectively.
Justin Purtill has performed, recorded, and toured with the likes of Stu Allen, Edgar Bateman, Gary Burton, Jerry Bergonzi, Roosevelt Collier, Hal Crook, David "Fuze" Fiuczynski, The Fringe, Brahim Fribgane, Bob Gullotti, George Garzone, Leo Genovese, Donna Jean Godchaux, Bill Goodwin, Hassan Hakmoun, Joe Hunt, Steve Kimock, Matt Kilmer of The MAST, Eric Kloss, Francisco Mela, Rakalam Bob Moses, Tisziji Munoz, Tiger Okoshi, Thomas Pridgen, Residente, Melvin Seals and the JGB, John Shannon, Esperanza Spalding, Nat Mugavero's Sewer Rats, Kendrick Scott, James Uhart, Paul Wertico, and Amy Winehouse.
As a member of the Berklee Student All-Star Band (with Jaleel Shaw, Chihiro Yamanaka, and Tony Escapa), Justin toured Japan in the summer of 2000.
As a member of the Tiger Okoshi Quartet from 2000-2009, Justin toured the United States and Asia.
As a member of Melvin Seals and the JGB from 2008-2009, Justin toured the US and Canada playing major jam and rock festivals.
In the fall of 2016, Justin toured Argentina for six weeks with Leo Genovese's Nomades Trio, featuring Brahim Fribgane.
As a member of Hassan Hakmoun's Universal Force, Justin headlined the 2019 Gnaoua Festival in Essaouira, Morocco, attended by over 400,000 people.
In 2021, Justin co-composed (with Residente) the soundtrack for the Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary Life of Crime, 1984-2020.
Justin has released eleven albums of improvisational singer-songwriter music: Permanent Mystery, Raw, Sore Eyes for Sight (Ayva Records), The Sun in Splendor (Constant Clip Records), The Avant-Gardist, Justin Purtill, The Crook In The Road, Re-Imaginings, Simple Twist (577 Records), Something Old/Something New Vol.1, and Jack a' Roe (577 Records).