Jan Wouter Oostenrijk

Bio

Jan Wouter Oostenrijk (JWO) is a successful international artst known for navigating the crosscurrents between jazz, blues, rock, North African and Middle Eastern music. Originally trained as a western guitar player in the traditions of jazz, pop and classical music he obtained a masters degree in Middle Eastern improvisation where he did research on melodic maqam behaviour. He has toured with his band in Europe, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Sudan. He completed his professional jazz guitar studies at the Conservatory in Amsterdam (1994) and has been running his own guitar school there for more than 25 years. He received the “Gouden Notenkraker” award for his contribution to the Dutch live music with Moroccan formation Raï-land and a Radio indy “Golden Artist” award in the USA for his album Maghreb Jazz guitar. His course Desert Blues on Truefire Educators USA is a worldwide inspiration for guitarplayers. Jan Wouter connects the East and the West and plays a leading role in the development of the quarter-tone guitar in relation to North African and Middle Eastern music culture.

releases:

– Open up your eyes (2000) - album
– Meet the rhythms of Rai (2003) - album
– Maghreb Jazz Guitar (2006) - album
– Sharqi Blues (2013) f. Karim Ziad - album / Mountain records
– Gnawa in Your Soul(2015) - single
– We are Connected (2017) - album / Mountain records
– Desert Blues guitar (2018) video course/ Truefire educators
– Traveling East (2023) - album / Mountain records