Peter Douskalis

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. - the Times Ledger

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

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

“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) - Jazz Journal

“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
- Just Jazz Guitar Magazine

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. - Wildy Haskell - Wildy's World

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. - Los Angeles Jazz Scene - Scott Yanow

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

view the full article at:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=335402&paper=62&cat=104 - The Fairfax Connection Newspaper - Centre View

View the full article at:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/articleprint.asp?article=234797&paper=62&cat=104 - The Fairfax Connection Newspaper - Centre View

"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 - Isaac Davis Jr.

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! - Mossip - Andrea Guy