“American Fingerstyle” is a national tour featuring four guitarists’ interpretations of an iconic genre of guitar music. A melting pot of musical influences, American fingerstyle guitar draws on blues and jazz as much as on classical, folk, and Celtic traditions. Bringing together four acclaimed instrumentalists from all over the country, this show will explore every corner of a style that has been popularized by artists including Mississippi John Hurt, John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Michael Hedges, Andy McKee, and others.
About the Musicians
Peter Janson
Hailing from Massachusetts, Peter Janson is an award-winning contemporary fingerstyle acoustic guitarist, composer, and music educator. He has had three albums in the Top Five of the NAR radio charts and has toured throughout the country. In performance, Peter prefers variety to concentrating on one specific style, and he presents contemporary solo guitar music from his recordings, including his latest effort, Places in Time.
Tracy Moore
A resident of Washington State, Tracy Moore is one of the world’s truly fine acoustic 12-string guitarists. Trained in classical guitar and Renaissance Lute, Tracy has expanded the rich melodic tones and the dynamic possibilities of the 12-string guitar to a higher level. Tracy has released several albums, and he has performed at guitar festivals throughout the country.
Steve Davison
Based in Arkansas, Steve Davison performs and composes on six- and 12-string guitars. He is a two-time finalist and 2005 winner of the solo competition at the Arkansas Acoustic Music Festival and a finalist in the 2009 Merle Travis Fingerstyle Competition and a winner in 2015. Steve was a featured performer on Arkansas Educational Network Television’s “AETN Presents” broadcast and his music was also used as a soundtrack for another AETN production, The Historic Bridges of Arkansas. Steve just released a new CD, The Best of Friends.
Teja Gerken
Joining the American Fingerstyle tour for select California dates is Marin County-based guitarist Teja Gerken. No stranger to the Bay Area’s acoustic music scene, Teja is a contemporary steel-string fingerstyle guitarist known for his original compositions, many of which employ alternate tunings, two-handed tapping, percussive effects, and other extended guitar techniques. His latest CD is Postcards.
