Peter Douskalis

Artist Information

Biography

Peter Douskalis is a guitarist from Washington D.C.. Peter comes from a musical family in which he started playing guitar from as early as he could walk. With two degrees in music, extensive study of his instrument and performance experience, Peter has released two CD’s of international and national credibility. His first CD “Midnight Madrid” (2007) was with the Peter & Alex Guitar Duo. His second CD “The Dance of the Sea” (2009) was released on Shenandoah Records and received acclaim in Just Jazz Guitar Magazine, Jazz Journal (UK), Los Angeles Jazz Scene, Cadence Magazine, JazzChicago.net and more. So far, Peter enjoys corporate artist sponsorships with: Gibson USA, GHS Strings, Rocktron, Acoustic Image Amplifiers, and Steve Clayton picks. He has opened for progressive rock guitar extraordinaire Michael Fath and blues guitarist Johnny A as well as having shared the stage will jazz legends Mickey Roker, Bob Cranshaw, Tamir Hendleman, Jens Lindemann & Chuck Redd.

Peter is now the lead guitarist for the New York City based alternative rock band Trapped In Static which has performed live in some of New York City's hottest concert venues such as the Bitter End, Knitting Factory, Pianos, Bowery Electric and Arlene's Grocery as well as the cable TV show "Minding Your Business" on Time Warner Cable, RCN & Verizon. TIS have also appeared live on Ellas TV, Nexus Productions Radio, and Hellas FM radio. TIS will also participate in the Six Flags Live & Local Festival in New Jersey and Illinois in May & June 2012.

Sponsorships: Gibson, GHS Strings, Rocktron, Acoustic Image, Steve Clayton picks.

Record Label: Shenandoah Records.

Instrumentation

Peter Douskalis - Guitar

Discography

"Midnight Madrid" - Peter and Alex Guitar Duo (2007)

"The Dance of the Sea" - Peter Douskalis (2009) Shenandoah Records

Official Website

http://www.peterdouskalis.com

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Last.fm

Audio

• The Dance of the Sea
  Listen   Download
• My Favorite Things
  Listen   Download

Video

twosecondsSonicBids.mov

Hypocrisy.mov

Photo Gallery

Press

• CD Review from Just Jazz Guitar Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  “He has chops to spare and at times his ES175 sounds like more than one player…superb straight ahead...“He has chops to spare and at times his ES175 sounds like more than one player…superb straight ahead jazz playing”
  – Ed Benson – Just Jazz Guitar Magazine
  

• CD Review from Jazz Journal (UK) [+ Show ]
  

  “He follows in the footsteps of Joe Pass and other masters of the solo jazz guitar…he develops momen...“He follows in the footsteps of Joe Pass and other masters of the solo jazz guitar…he develops momentum in single-string lines but he is most accomplished in bass-line and chord-melody work”
  – Clive Cooper – Jazz Journal (UK)

• CD REVIEWS FROM THE APRIL 2010 ISSUE OF THE LOS ANGELES JAZZ SCENE [+ Show ]
  

  Peter Douskalis The Dance Of The Sea (Shenandoah) Guitarist Peter Douskalis, a recent graduate ...Peter Douskalis
  The Dance Of The Sea
  (Shenandoah)
  
  Guitarist Peter Douskalis, a recent graduate of the Conservatory of Shenandoah University, teaches at the New
  York City Guitar School, and is working on a graduate degree at New York University. He has an attractive tone on
  the guitar and an orchestral style that was heard on his recording debut, Midnight Madrid, as part of the Peter and
  Alex Guitar Duo.
  
  On The Dance Of The Sea, Douskalis is heard as an unaccompanied soloist. His playing is closer to Joe Pass
  than to Stanley Jordan (there is no tapping here), as can be heard on “Lady Bird” and “Whisper Not.” However
  Douskalis also stretches himself to perform his own title track, “My Favorite Things” and the Beatles' “Come
  Together.” While he is a melodic player, Douskalis sometimes emulates an orchestra and pulls it off. Melody,
  harmony, bass lines all interact logically, sometimes making it sound as if more than one guitarist is on the CD.
  
  An excellent early effort, The Dance Of The Sea succeeds both as superior background music and for close
  listening. It is available from www.peterdouskalis.com.

• CD Review from Cadence Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  “displays an easy flowing sense of melody...surges live a wave...” – Jerome Wilson - Cadence Magazi...“displays an easy flowing sense of melody...surges live a wave...”
  – Jerome Wilson - Cadence Magazine

• Jazz CD Reviews Peter Douskalis/The Dance of the Sea [+ Show ]
  

  "Douskalis is clearly a gifted musician, and his fleet-fingered attack often manages to make his Gib..."Douskalis is clearly a gifted musician, and his fleet-fingered attack often manages to make his Gibson ES-175 sound like several instruments."

• CD Review from JazzChicago.net [+ Show ]
  

  “Noteworthy technique, a creative approach, assured touch and glorious tone.” – Brad Walseth – Jazz...“Noteworthy technique, a creative approach, assured touch and glorious tone.”
  – Brad Walseth – JazzChicago.net

• Hellenic Strings [+ Show ]
  

  Astoria-based guitarist Peter Douskalis is a solo musician nurturing a dream to inspire others throu...Astoria-based guitarist Peter Douskalis is a solo musician nurturing a dream to inspire others through music. In between teaching guitar lessons at the New York City Guitar School and Queens Guitar School, Douskalis recently put out his second album, “The Dance of the Sea.”
  
  “My hope is to express myself while inspiring others and also to maintain the integrity of the jazz genre and keep it alive,” Douskalis said.
  
  Douskalis said his Greek heritage is an influence on his music.
  
  “My father is Greek and my mother is Greek-Cypriot, so naturally I have a lot of the culture in my personality and I express that through my music,” he said. Douskalis combines traditional elements of jazz and jazz guitar with some Greek musical elements.
  
  “When I play solo jazz guitar or any kind of guitar style in general, I like to impersonate the sounds of the Greek bouzouki,” he said, referring to the traditional string instrument associated with the music of Greece.
  
  He also names New York City as a major musical influence.
  
  “One of the great things I love about New York is the culture of music and the different types of music you hear every day just by walking down the street,” Douskalis said.
  
  His professional influences include jazz guitarists Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Bruno, and guitarists that cross genre, like Alex Skolnick.
  
  His first release, “Midnight Madrid” (2007), blended the sounds of traditional Spanish, Greek, Latin American, and American music with accompaniment from his high school friend and fellow guitarist, Alex Freidah.
  
  “The Dance of the Sea” is Douskalis’ most recent instrumental release and first solo album.
  
  “This CD really defines my personality as a guitarist because it is a solo jazz record, but has all my personality from my Greek heritage and influences of rock n’ roll in my playing,” Douskalis said.
  
  The album features a funky jazz cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together,” and also the title track, which Douskalis said is meant to capture the essence of jazz, Greek and rock music combined into one romantic, moving piece that defines him as a musician.
  
  Douskalis came to love jazz during high school, about the same time he decided to become a professional musician. He was about that age when he first saw the Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra play live. He said the performance blew him away.
  
  “I knew that was what I wanted to do. It was one of those moments when you’re doing something that just makes you so happy, you know that you have to keep doing and you know it is what you’re meant to do,” he said.
  
  “The Dance of the Sea” is available for purchase at PeterDouskalis.com, guitar9.com and CDBaby.com. It is also available for digital download from both iTunes and Amazon.com.

• Review - Peter Douskalis "The Dance of the Sea" [+ Show ]
  

  It's refreshing to hear a soloist in touch with his instrument and the sounds that come out of it…wh...It's refreshing to hear a soloist in touch with his instrument and the sounds that come out of it…what is perhaps most impressive is Douskalis' touch and ability to emote a melody line.

• A musical journey with jazz and blues guitar that will take your cares away. Peter Douskalis creates a perfect album for chilling out and enjoying life! You’ll want to check this album out for the wonderful rendition of Come Together as well as Peter’s gorgeous The Dance Of The Sea. [+ Show ]
  

  Sometimes you listen to an album from beginning to end, but when I put Peter Douskalis’ The Dance Of...Sometimes you listen to an album from beginning to end, but when I put Peter Douskalis’ The Dance Of The Sea in my player, I had to play the last track first. Why? Because the last track is Come Together, one of my favorite songs by The Beatles, and curiosity made me want to experience that track first. Peter’s interpretation stays true to the original while spicing it up just a tad, giving it added oomph, that’s needed when you remove the vocals from a track. After giving the album a full listen, I found it to be the perfect album closer. Its more bluesy than the rest of the album and a whole lot more funky. It leaves the listener wondering what to expect next from Peter.
  
  What’s really amazing about this disc is the choice of songs and the age of the performer. Peter Douskalis is just twenty two, an age when you’d be thinking that an aspiring guitarist would be rocking and wailing with his instrument, but no, Peter is playing songs like My Favorite Things from The Sound Of Music. Another interesting choice is The Girl From Ipanema. This is one of those songs that’s quietly lively. It gets your foot tapping and soon you are humming along with the soft strains of Peter’s guitar.
  
  What I love about this CD is its ability to really draw you in. Acoustic guitar has the tendency to be relaxing and when you see the title The Dance Of The Sea, a stunning track that is written by Peter, you know that this album is going to do just that, but it does more. Somehow Peter’s guitar reaches out and touches your soul. The music caresses you like a lover’s hand, and your troubles just seem to melt away. The title track is a particular favorite. Its got a light and airy feel to it. Its very upbeat. It gives you the sense that you should be frolicking in a field somewhere. Yes, frolicking.
  
  When you want to take it down a notch or two there’s Whisper Not a more mellow track that has a bit of a bluesy feel to it. The two versions of the Miles Davis classic, Blue in Green, are a must listen as well for their extreme beauty.
  
  The Dance of The Sea is something different for the music lovers ears. Its an album of beautiful sounds some new and some familiar. Its an album to be treasured and savored and shared with other music loving friends. One listen and you’ll be entranced. It is like a breath of fresh air. I love this CD and I think you will too. The Dance of The Sea is a rare find an instrumental CD that keeps you coming back again and again. For that we should thank Peter. We should also thank him for creating an album that just may relieve the stresses of the workday better than any anti-depressant. So, Thank you Peter! Keep the great music coming!

• Jazz Music Artist/Band of the Week [+ Show ]
  

  "Professional Jazz Guitarist Peter Douskalis has had a love affair with music every since he can rem..."Professional Jazz Guitarist Peter Douskalis has had a love affair with music every since he can remember. The talented musician is lighting up the Jazz industry with his amazing Jazz guitar performances that are sure to delight music fans."
  
  http://www.juniorscave.com/Peter-Douskalis.html

• Douskalis Debuts His Second CD [+ Show ]
  

  view the full article at: http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=335402&paper=6...view the full article at:
  
  http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=335402&paper=62&cat=104

• Local Musicians open for rock legend Percy Sledge [+ Show ]
  

  View the full article at: http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/articleprint.asp?article=234797&pap...View the full article at:
  
  http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/articleprint.asp?article=234797&paper=62&cat=104

Setlist

Originals (Progressive Rock/Jazz Fusion set list can last at least 2 hours)

Let's Go For A Ride
Stefanie
The Proposal
The Only One
Chasing You
When She Dances
Culture Crisis
In the Bar at 12 Blues
The Dance of the Sea
and many more....

Jazz Standards (solo guitar and band set list can last at least 3 hours):

Black Orpheus
Blue Bossa
Whisper Not
Blue In Green
My Favorite Things
Summertime
Darn That Dream
The Girl From Ipanema
Lady Bird
Come Together
Satin Doll
When You Wish Upon A Star
and many more...


Classical Guitar (solo set list can last at least 2 hours)
Rumores de la Caleta
Leyenda (Asturias)
Romanza
Torna A Surriento
Andante in A Minor
Pavana I - IV
Hie Folget Ein Welscher Tantz Wascha Mesa
Estudios Sencillos VI
Greensleeves
Minuet
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Fur Elise
Bourree
Malaguena
and many more...

Basic Requirements

Calendar