Featured Musician – Johannes Linstead

21Nov08

Johannes Linstead

Johannes’ website: http://johanneslinstead.com

If you haven’t ever listened to Johannes Linstead now is a good time to check out his music. It’s amazing acoustic guitar.

From being named “Guitarist of the Year” in the 2007 Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, to winning three “best album” awards, to four top-ten charting albums, to top-ten radio airplay, Johannes Linstead has become recognized internationally as one of best selling guitarist/composers in the Instrumental and World Music genres. Johannes let’s loose a fiesta of Spanish guitar magic!

Johannes Linstead, one of Canada’s top guitarists, earned a nomination for the nation’s top music prize, a JUNO Award in the “Instrumental Album Of The Year” category, for his CD CAFÉ TROPICAL. The JUNOs are Canada’s equivalent of a Grammy. This album also reached the #1 position on eMusic.com World Music Chart within the first week of its’ release, and reached the #4 position on the coveted Billboard music charts in the US. MEDITERRANEA (Sept. 2004) shot straight to the Top Ten and reached the #6 position and was named “Best World Album” in the NAR Lifestyle Music Awards. All of Johannes’ CD have charted on Billboard and are available around the world.

Johannes’ live performances are nothing short of phenomenal. Bursting with tropical sounds, audiences are moved to dance and clap along to his music. In concert, as on his recordings, Johannes strives to create a festive mood, leaving plenty of room for lightning fast guitar improvisations and spicy percussion solos, which include bongos, congas, timbale and doumbek. Lively Latin and Mediterranean rhythms combined with Johannes’ technical virtuosity leave audiences breathless.

A hugely talented multi-instrumentalist, Johannes plays guitar, piano, mandolin, bouzouki, bass, wood flute and various percussion. On his recordings he is backed by world-class musicians from countries as diverse as Cuba, Columbia, Syria, Greece, Mexico, Russia, Venezuela, the Ukraine and India.

Influenced deeply by the journeys he experienced as a youth, Johannes states: “The integration of the many cultures I have experienced, from Spain, to the Caribbean Islands, to Latin America, have moved me to create new rhythms and sounds. Experiencing these cultures – not just the music but also the people’s everyday triumph over adversity – is what inspires my music.”