Peter Janson

Guitar / Contemporary Folk / Celtic / Instrumental
Easton, MA

Peter Janson offers superb original fingerstyle acoustic guitar music in a style called Contemporary Instrumental Folk Jazz - rising from a unique and compelling fusion of stylistic influences.

IN BRIEF

Peter Janson offers superb original fingerstyle acoustic guitar music in a style called Contemporary Instrumental Folk Jazz - rising from a unique and compelling fusion of stylistic influences. 

BIOGRAPHY

One of a growing breed of new acoustic musicians gaining a reputation for an eclectic approach to performance and composition, Peter Janson offers superb original fingerstyle guitar music rising from a fusion of diverse roots and influences - folk, jazz, world music, classical, and Celtic - as well as quintessential guitarist influences as diverse as Martin Simpson, Ralph Towner, Pat Metheny, Leo Kottke, Pierre Bensusan, Ed Gerhard, Tuck Andress, and David Leisner. Peter presents world class acoustic music with artistry, detail of classical technique, and attention to melodic line. According to "Wind & Wire" magazine, "Peter Janson is one of the best acoustic guitarists recording today…a true artist's soul."

Janson began playing guitar as a kid in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Although his list of guitarist influences is long and diverse Janson's earliest musical influence was his father. "My dad played solo guitar that reflected his love of the music of Chet Atkins, Django Reinhardt, Les Paul and Andreas Segovia. He had it all: style, taste, technique, improvisational ability. From as early as I can remember I would just sit and listen to him for hours at a time." The brilliance displayed by each of these various artists inspired Janson not only to strive for excellence but to do it in a way that was particularly his own.

As he enhanced his musical sensibility through exposure to many styles and techniques, Janson further honed his skills through formal training. After receiving an undergraduate degree in music, he studied for two years with David Leisner at the New England Conservatory of Music where he was awarded a Master's of Music. Now actively composing, recording, and performing his own Contemporary Instrumental music as a soloist, Janson tours throughout North America and also currently directs the Guitar Studies program at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

In addition, Janson has an endorsement agreement with Bill Tippin Guitars and is often requested to demonstrate his fine instruments at national and international guitar festivals. Recently he has been asked to demonstrate guitars built by Mario Beauregard, Michael Bashkin, and Bob Laughlin as well.


CONCERTS

Performances at concert venues throughout the US and Canada including:
A Cuppa Tea Cafe, Berkeley CA
Acoustic Cafe, Nederland CO
Bayside Expo Center, Boston MA
Blackstone River Theatre, Cumberland RI
Blackthorne Tavern, Easton MA
Cozmic Room, Eugene OR
Orange County Convention Ctr, Orlando FL
INATS West Trade Show, Denver CO
Living Room, New York NY
Mozaic Room Coffeehouse, Avon MA
Northeastern University, Boston MA
Old Methodist Meetinghouse, Wareham MA
Orpheum Theatre, Foxboro MA
Rose Garden Coffeehouse, Mansfield MA
University of Massachusetts, Boston MA
Wellesley College, Wellesley MA
and many more

FESTIVALS

Healdsburg Guitar Festival
Newport Guitar Festival
Sirius Rising - Brushwood Folklore Festival
Mansfield MA Music & Arts Festival
Easton MA Annual Harvest Fair

SHARED STAGES WITH

Ed Gerhard
Alex de Grassi
Raymond Gonzalez
Chris Proctor
Brooks Williams
Aine Minogue
and many others

AWARDS

2006 NAR Lifestyle Music Awards, WINNER, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
2006 NAR Reviewer Picks: Best of 2006
2004 Grammy Awards, 1st round, Best New Age Album of the Year Nominee - Firelight Moonlight
2004 Grammy Awards, 1st round, Best Engineered Album (non-classical) Nominee - Firelight Moonlight
2004 KTEP-FM, El Paso TX - Top 20 for the Year - Firelight Moonlight
2003 KTEP-FM, El Paso TX - Essential Audiosyncracy Collection - Across the Bridge
2002 NAV Music Awards, Best New Age Album of the Year Nominee - Sometimes From Here
2001 KTEP-FM, El Paso TX - Top 20 of the Year - Sometimes From Here
2001 KRSC-FM, Tulsa OK - top 20 for the Year - Sometimes From Here
2000 NAV Music Awards, Best Acoustic Instrumental Album of the Year Nominee - Across the Bridge
2000 KGOU-FM, KROU-FM Norman OK, Best of 2000 - Across the Bridge

FACTOIDS

*"Beautiful Day" is currently in rotation on the nationally syndicated "Echoes" radio in US, and "Galaxie" radio in Canada
*favorably reviewed on over thirty publications including Acoustic Guitar and Dirty Linen magazines
*feature articles in The Boston Globe - South Weekly, as well as regional magazines and local newspapers coast to coast
*featured in Toronto weekly television magazine show "York Region Living" - concert hailed as "Tonight's Hot Spot!"
*live performances and interviews including NPR stations KLCC-FM Eugene OR, KZYX-FM Willits CA, and folk giant WUMB-FM Boston MA
*verified for airplay by BMI a total of 27,102 times in US and more in Canada and Europe as of last accounting
*aired on over 250 stations across the US, Canada and Europe
*radio rankings on individual monthly charts included 15 stations at #1; 147 in the Top 10: 267 in the Top 20
*Beautiful Day was ranked #3 on National Top 100 Radio charts in September, #4 in Oct, #13 in Nov, #24 in Dec '06, #25 in Jan '07, #28 in Feb '07 as reported to Lazz Promotions (Toronto)
*Sometimes From Here was ranked #2 on National Top 100 Radio charts in June, July and August 2001 as reported to Lazz Promotions (Toronto)

DISCOGRAPHY
2006 - Peter Janson & Friends - Beautiful Day
2005 - Peter Janson - A Clear Stillness export licensed to THETA Music, Sweden
2005 - Peter Janson - Firelight Moonlight export licensed to Orange Music, Singapore
2004 - Peter Janson - Firelight Moonlight
2004 - wrote and performed on "Waiting For Winter" on Jamie Bonk's NAR Lifestyle Award winning album "My World"
2004 - Various - En Stamningsfull Stund - from THETA Music, Sweden
2004 - Various - Amingsro - from THETA Music, Sweden
2003 - Various - Sounds of New England Vol 1
2001 - Peter Janson - Sometimes From Here
1999 - Peter Janson - Across the Bridge

All Peter's albums have received national and international airplay and have national and international distribution

Links
http://www.easternwoodsmusic.com