Peter Janson is a guitarist from Boston, Massachusetts. Since 1999, he has been making a name for himself as an independent solo guitarist. For Janson, playing solo jazz guitar is his passion. He is inspired by solo guitar works of jazz legends such as Pat Metheny, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Wolfgang Muthspiel, as well as Joe Pass, Earl Klugh, and Jim Hall.

Peter grew up in Massachusetts, listening to his father, an accomplished amateur guitarist, play solo guitar every day. Given his first guitar at the age of seven, Peter started doing pop gigs at age 15. Over the past 25 years, he has performed extensively throughout North America, including at Carnegie Hall and the Montreal Jazz Festival. His music has been featured in video games, commercials, and news documentaries, and has charted on Billboard's top 10 as a session guitarist. He has a growing fan base from 137 countries, and his latest album, "Getting To Here," is in rotation on over 75 radio stations globally, as well as on streaming platforms. Peter signed worldwide sub-publishing deals with STOMP Music Korea and with UK based SUPREME SONGS Limited in October 2022.

“As a musician, I have continued to grow through the exploration of numerous genres. After many years, jazz form, language, and sensibility have returned to become the place where I can make music. I didn’t want too formal a structure to work on, but rather an improvisational base. As a solo guitar player, I can explore styles and improvise, which brings me joy and helps me understand life in a unique way. I merge traditional elements, acoustic nylon-string sounds, and form, with sound-enhancing tools and chance. I see no important difference between genres, just as I see no difference between making music and the everyday aspects of life. Performing music, reading a novel or poetry while sipping a cup of coffee, teaching a student, they are all related.”

Discography

• Getting To Here, Peter Janson, Eastern Woods Music Records 2022
• Rooted In Song: an American Experience, Peter Janson guitarist and co-writer on one duo track, “Santa Cruz,” Axon Entertainment, 2020
• The Best of Friends, Steve Davison, Peter Janson guitarist and co-writer on two duo tracks, “The Water Is Wide” and “Santa Cruz”, Finger Food Productions, 2018
• Places In Time, Peter Janson composer, arranger, co-producer, solo guitarist, 9 songs for solo nylon-string guitar (with looping), Eastern Woods Music Records (EWM Records), 2017
• Dust Bowl: American Stories, Peter Janson guitarist on the Billboard charting recording of “Old Black Roller” (11 weeks in TOP 10, #2 on Heatseekers chart), Suburban Cowboy Records, 2017
• A Long Road: tunes from Celtic lands, Peter Janson composer, arranger, co-producer, solo guitarist, fourteen songs for solo acoustic guitar, Eastern Woods Music Records (EWM Records), 2013
• Dream Logic: The Echoes Living Room Concerts, vol. 16, Peter Janson composer and solo guitarist on one song, Echodisc, 2010
• Oasis Acoustic, vol. 9, various artists, Oasis, 2010
• Compass Rose, Peter Janson composer, co-producer, solo guitarist, eleven songs for solo acoustic guitar, Eastern Woods Music Records (EWM Records), 2009
• Winter Gifts, Peter Janson composer, co-producer, solo guitarist, eight songs for solo acoustic guitar, Eastern Woods Music Records (EWM Records), 2007
• New Age Music and New Sounds, various artists, Universal Quiet (Italy), 2007
• Beautiful Day, Peter Janson composer, producer, guitarist, seven songs for acoustic guitar, voice, bass, piano, and percussion, Eastern Woods Music Records (EWM Records), 2006
• Serenity at UMB: a Relaxation CD, Peter Janson music composer and arranger, UMass Boston, University Health Services, 2006
• Amningsro, compilation CD, Peter Janson composer and solo guitarist of one song, THETA Music Sweden, 2006
• En forsmak fran THETA: Musik, Guidad Avslappning, Naturljud, compilation CD, Peter Janson composer and solo guitarist of one song, THETA Music Sweden, 2006
• A Window on Salt Spring, Peter Janson composer and guitarist on one song, Creek House Realty, 2006
• A Clear Stillness, Peter Janson composer, co-producer, solo guitarist, ten songs for solo acoustic guitar, THETA Music Sweden, 2005
• My World, Jamie Bonk, Peter Janson composer and guitarist, one song, “Waiting For Winter”, Bonk Productions, 2004
• Firelight Moonlight, Peter Janson composer, co-producer, solo guitarist, ten songs for solo acoustic guitar, Eastern Woods Music Records (EWM Records), 2004
• Firelight Moonlight – Audiophile Recording, Peter Janson composer, co-producer, solo guitarist, twelve songs for solo acoustic guitar, Orange Music Pte Ltd. Singapore, 2004
• Sounds of New England, Vol. 1, compilation CD, Peter Janson composer and solo guitarist on one song, Mansfield Music and Arts Association, 2003
• Sometimes From Here, Peter Janson composer, co-producer, solo guitarist, ten songs for solo acoustic guitar, Eastern Woods Music Records (EWM Records), 2001
• NAV Sampler, various artists, New Age Voice, 2001
• Oasis Acoustic Instrumentals, vol. 3, various artists, Oasis, 2000
• Across the Bridge, Peter Janson composer, co-producer, solo guitarist, ten songs for solo acoustic guitar, Eastern Woods Music Records (EWM Records), 1999

Non-performance Credits

• John. Cage. Guitar. , Aaron Larget-Caplan, Aaron Larget-Caplan guitar - prepared guitar, Sharan Leventhal - violin, Adam Levin - prepared guitar, (Peter Janson: special thanks), Stone Records, 2018
• The Legend of Hagoromo, Aaron Larget-Caplan, Aaron Larget-Caplan solo guitarist, (Peter Janson: special thanks), Stone Records, 2015
• Gustav Holst: Composer as Arranger, Philharmonia Bulgarica, Jon Ceander Mitchell conductor, (Peter Janson: pre-editing), Centaur Records, 2007
• The Young Beethoven: Piano Concerto in E Flat, W.o.O.4, Romance cantabile, H. 13, Musik zu einem Ritterballet, W.o.O.1, Grigorios Zamparas piano, Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra, Jon Ceander Mitchell conductor, (Peter Janson: pre-editing), Centaur Records, 2004
• Preteritions, Bach * Mozart * Holst, Linnea Bardarson pianoforte, Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, Jon Ceander Mitchell conductor, (Peter Janson: pre-editing), UMB Records, 2001
• UMass Boston: Live at the Millennium, various artists, (Peter Janson: editor), UMB Records, 2001

Articles

• “Teaching at a University.” Acoustic Guitar Magazine, Guitar Pro, July 2008, Vol. 19 no.1 issue #187, String Letter Publishing, San Rafael CA, pg. 8 (reference); pg. 72

Peter Janson's music has the substance of great jazz presented in an original and accessible style. Truly great!” ~ Steve Hunt, keyboardist (Allan Holdsworth, Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham)