With Sometimes From Here, Peter Janson’s newest solo acoustic guitar album follows
in the footsteps of his highly regarded debut Across The Bridge ("Best Acoustic
Instrumental Album of the Year - Finalist" New Age Voice Music Awards, July 2000),
and continues to delight acoustic, adult contemporary instrumental, new age, and
guitar music lovers.
There is a new kind of immediacy here which reveals an artist who has grown and
changed as a result of family tragedy, yet has refused to close his eyes and ears to the
beauty of each new day. In some ways, Sometimes From Here is a re-introduction to
this American guitarist - still evocative, artistic, and spiritual, yet subtly different.
Peter began playing guitar as a kid in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he quickly
sought to find his own style and sound. He was never comfortable imitating other
guitarists. "When I began playing guitar seriously," he says, "I figured out that I had
to understand the difference between learning from a great guitarist, emulating him or
her, and using those lessons as a catalyst that would enable my true self to emerge.
My parents taught me early on that we are each too valuable as ourselves to try to be
someone else."
Although his list of influences is long and diverse, Peter's earliest musical influence
was his father. "My dad played an eclectic style of solo guitar that stemmed from his
love of the music of Chet Atkins, Django Reinhardt, Les Paul and Andrés Segovia. I
would just sit and listen to him for hours at a time. He was an awesome player: style,
taste, improvisation, memory, technique, he had it all. I'm sure I've inherited my love
of eclecticism and my talent from him, and I hope I make people enjoy guitar music as
he did."
Perhaps growing up in New England, with it's four robust seasons, quickly changing
weather, and concentrated polarities of cosmopolitan city, earthy country, panoramic
ocean coastline and beautiful mountains within a few hours drive time of one another is
an additional connection to subtle eclecticism. Peter still makes his home there, living
in a rural area south of Boston.
While pick style guitar playing is more common, Peter prefers playing fingerstyle and
his guitarist influences include: Martin Simpson, Michael Hedges, Pat Metheny, Leo
Kottke, Ed Gerhard, Doyle Dykes, Alex De Grassi, Dominic Miller and more.
Peter Janson's guitar playing is inviting and evocative. Acoustic Guitar magazine calls
him "a subtle and expressive player...[who] imbues every note with musical meaning
and nuance," and possessing "luscious tone and elegant compositional ideas." And
"Wind & Wire" magazine's Bill Binkelman declares "Sometimes From Here confirms my
belief (held when I heard his debut recording) that Peter Janson is one of the best
acoustic guitarists recording today."
Rising from classical, folk, jazz, and new age roots, Peter's music is sometimes from
here, sometimes from there, but always from his heart.
