JOHN NILSEN
Pianist, guitarist, songwriter and recording artist, John Nilsen, is one of the most successful recording artists in the Northwest. With CD sales approaching one million copies, Nilsen can be seen performing his original instrumental pieces of jazz, classical, folk and rock throughout the United States and elsewhere in the world. John has toured throughout the USA, in Europe and Asia. Look for his music on the Magic Wing record label, founded by Nilsen in 1986.
INFLUENCES & BACKGROUND
Influenced by The Beatles, Neil Young, Pat Metheny Group, Bruce Cockburn and others, Nilsen, a graduate of Southern Oregon University and winner of the 1995 Distinguished Alumnus Award performed as a guitarist/vocalist in many folk and rock bands in the '70s and '80s before dedicating himself to recording seventeen recordings. In addition to touring, John is currently composing for what will become his eighteenth recording with the first sessions having been completed in early fall, 2010. John has had another twenty CDs released in countries around the world including England, Singapore, Taiwan, The Philippines, Germany, Canada and others. Furthermore, Nilsen's songs have been released on additional fifty sampler CDs world wide. Born in 1956 in Seattle, Wa., John has been a resident of Oregon since 1960.
LATEST RELEASES John's first book of sheet music "Selected Piano Works of John Nilsen" is now available and includes ten Nilsen classics, including favorites Dakota Rose, The Wild Blue, Coming Home and Something About Candlelight. It is currently available by calling Magic Wing at 503.657.4018 and will be available at www.magicwing.com in early December, 2010. Cost is $15. per songbook plus $3.00 shipping within the United States. John Nilsen's seventeenth recording on Magic Wing, and most recent solo piano CD, Places I Go, was released Feb. 16, 2010 and is John's first solo piano recording in twenty-four years. Places I Go, features nine Nilsen originals with two additional tracks and features John's distinct piano sound combining elements of folk, jazz and classical music. John Nilsen has once again delivered a collection of music which demonstrates why he has been a leader in instrumental music for twenty-five years. Places I Go is a must have for any Nilsen fan and is now available.
John Nilsen's previous release on Magic Wing is a folk-rock recording featuring John's vocal and guitar work with his band, Swimfish.
John Nilsen and Swimfish is an inspired collection of twelve Nilsen originals like nothing you've heard before from John and is extremely well done. Driven by acoustic guitar and rich vocal harmonies, this is the first recording John has released of guitar and vocal songs. Dan Peek, original member of the rock group, AMERICA, says, "Major kudos on your new CD. The music is superb, the lyrics inspired and the production/arranging is top notch. The songwriting hangs together well and the tracks flow, carving out a groove as natural as a river carves a canyon. You deserve to be heard!"
PERFORMANCES
John currently performs solo piano concerts, concerts with the John Nilsen Trio and can also be seen performing with his guitar/vocal band, John Nilsen & Swimfish. For a complete viewing of John's performances please click on "live" at www.johnnilsen.com or www.magicwing.com.