Nat Janoff: smooth jazz


“...Janoff isn’t John McLaughlin; he has his own style. But if you like John McLaughlin,chances are you will like Janoff!” – Walter Kolosky • www.allaboutjazz.com

Guitarist, composer and teacher Nat Janoff, has been working steadily in the contemporary jazz scene for the past 15 years. Nat’s earliest experience with music started with the piano. Then, he switched to bass. After hearing Eddie Van Halen, Nat had to play guitar. Growing up in the 80’s, Nat’s musical interests were all things rock and metal and Nat earned a reputation for being one of the best shred guitarist in the area. Nat’s transition from metal and rock guitar to jazz occurred when he sought out a platform to improvise for longer than the standard rock riff. That, and hearing Mahavishnu Orchestra’s Birds of Fire for the first time. Pursue jazz he did and after earning his Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance from William Paterson University in 1996, Nat set to work forging his own musical path. 

The first marker on that path was Nat’s debut album, Looking Throughfeaturing the rhythm section of world renowned electric bassist, Matthew Garrison and drummer Gene Lake, putting Nat on the map as both a player and a composer.

“Any 29 year old that can hang with this duo (Garrison & Lake,) let alone lead the date, has transitively proven himself worthy of attention.”
Review of Looking Through by Phil DiPietro for allaboutjazz.com 2000


Nat Janoff- Guitar
Francois Moutin- Bass
Chris Carroll- Drums

Nat Janoff Group

Comments