Bio

Born in Cambridge Massachusetts, USA, Peter Janson began playing guitar at age 7 and started composing as a young teen. His early influences were eclectic – from Django Reinhardt, Andres’ Segovia, Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Earl Klugh, Jim Hall, and Grant Green, to Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Steve Reich, Arvo Part, Neil Peart (Rush), and Brian Eno – and remain so to this day.

While attaining his Master of Guitar Performance degree at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston he focused on early music for stringed instruments, jazz, Indian classical and contemporary classical composition where he studied under David Leisner, Robert Sullivan, Thomas Oboe Lee, Thomas McKinley and others. It was at this time that becoming his own artist, through intense study of a variety of music from his interests as well as his multiple heritages, ignited in his soul, and his unique style of guitar music began to reveal itself: his passion for weaving elements from his roots in jazz, classical, and acoustic instrumental styles was formed. Since that time his performances have mostly been as a soloist playing six-string guitar and occasionally singing.

As an experienced independent performer having played across the US and Canada, from the legendary Carnegie Hall, to Freight & Salvage in Berkley CA, to the Montreal International Jazz Festival, to the iconic Club Passim in Boston, and CBGB in New York, he’s performed with a variety of diverse artists including GRAMMY® winner Wouter Kellerman, American Fingerstyle: songs for 6&12-string guitar tours with Steve Davison and Tracy Moore, A World of Guitar: virtuoso guitar music from six continents tours with Aaron Larget-Caplan, American Guitar Masters tours with Larry Pattis and Steve Davison, Artistry of the Guitar tours with Ken Bonfield, String Songs concerts with luminaries Tim Farrell and Michael Manring, Friends concerts with Steve Hunt, Henrik Bridger and Bertram Lehmann, and Peter has shared stages and co-bills with Tim Lerch, Ed Gerhard, Roger Hudson, Alex DeGrassi, Dakota Dave Hull, Chris Proctor, Jamie Bonk, singer-songwriters Brooks Williams, Shane Jackman, Greg Greenway, and Tim Harrison, Ugandan artist Kinobe and Celtic artists Aine Minogue, Aoife Clancy, Robbie O’Connell, and others.

Peter won an NAR Lifestyle Music Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for his Beautiful Day CD, and Album of the Year and Best Instrumental Album Acoustic awards for his co-writing and performing on Smooth Jazz Canada Awards nominee Jamie Bonk’s My World CD. He has composed and recorded music on 25 national and international CDs including nine CDs under his name, music for video games, and music that has been featured on TV, and a variety of regional and national documentaries including CBS News’ “Living in the Shadows: Religion’s response to human trafficking.” All of his CDs have been featured on PBS, commercial and college radio, syndicated radio, Apple, Daily Motion, Groove Music, Rhapsody, Tidal, Sirius/XM, Music Choice TV, Pandora, Spotify, and in-flight programming resulting in over 3.5-million verified broadcasts in the USA, and more internationally spanning 116 countries. (BMI, SE, MLC)

Last, but perhaps most importantly, Peter Janson directs jazz ensembles and teaches a variety of courses, including private guitar instruction, at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He is a long-time artist-educator in its Performing Arts Department and is proud to be serving the students of such a wonderful minority majority campus.

Awards

• Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, BEAUTIFUL DAY
• Best Instrumental Album – Acoustic, BEAUTIFUL DAY
• Best CD of the Year, BEAUTIFUL DAY
• Album of the Year, JAMIE BONK – MY WORLD
• Best Instrumental Album – Acoustic, JAMIE BONK – MY WORLD
• Top 20 of the Year, FIRELIGHT MOONLIGHT ~ KTEP-FM (El Paso TX)
• Essential Audiosyncracy Collection Award winner, SOMETIMES FROM HERE ~ KTEP-FM (El Paso TX)
• Best New Age Album Nominee, SOMETIMES FROM HERE
• Top 20 of the Year, SOMETIMES FROM HERE ~ KTEP-FM (El Paso TX)
• Top 20 of the Year, SOMETIMES FROM HERE ~ KRSC-FM (Tulsa OK)
• Best Acoustic Instrumental Album Nominee, ACROSS THE BRIDGE
• Best of the Year, ACROSS THE BRIDGE ~ KGOU-FM (Norman OK)