Live Review – Jan Knutson, Blues Alley

How many people release two albums at the same time? Let's up the odds....how many people release two solo jazz guitar albums at the same time. Well, here's Jan Knutson. You're welcome! Two very fine, inventive, and enjoyable albums at that.

Jan has performed with some of the world’s finest guitarists including, Frank Vignola, Martin Taylor, and Julian Lage. His earlier releases, Looking Both Ways and Out of Nowhere, were beautifully performed works focussed mainly on interpretation of jazz standards in band settings with stellar musicians and musical mentors.

Jan has participated in festivals such as the Savannah Acoustic Music Seminar, the Richmond Folk Festival, the True Blue Jazz Festival, and the Marlow International Guitar Series. He’s also an alumni of the prestigious Artist in Residence at the Strathmore Music Center in Washington, DC.

At Blues Alley, Jan's solo guitar performance showcased compositions from both of his 2023 solo guitar album of original compositions "Tunnel Visions" and "Here's the Thing". For those of us familiar with the earlier albums the new releases mark a significant change. Obviously, they’re solo affairs, but they’re also packed with original compositions. There’s a funkiness and modernity about the explorations Jan embarks on with these tunes. At times angular, but always melodic, and accessible. The technique is awesome, but it’s the musicality that hits.

There have been solo shows at Blues Alley in the past. I remember Chick Corea performing solo. For Jan, though, this was a debut performance at the iconic venue. He exuded on on-stage ease and rapport with the audience. His virtuosic command was in display, along with a great deal of quirky, goodhearted humor, for instance, dedicating his composition “You Were Right” to his mother, who was sitting in the audience.…o doubt enjoying the moment! With nothing but a Knutson guitar built by his father, luthier Jeffrey Knutson, and a Quilter combo amp he held the crowd’s attention for the full show. His inventive playing, and the constantly shifting moods of his compositions erased any thought that 75 minutes of solo guitar might be more than enough.

A brilliant Blues Alley debut and two brilliant albums. Not a bad start to 2023 for Jan Knutson.

For more information: www.janknutson.com