Eric Johanson, Katarina Pejak, Alastair Green
Biography Eric Johanson, Katarina Pejak, Alastair Green
Eric Johanson
stands at the forefront of modern blues music with his groundbreaking album, The Deep and the Dirty. Released in July 2023 on Ruf Records, his album skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard Blues charts, cementing Johanson's status as a trailblazing force in contemporary blues.
As Johanson embarks on his headlining tour in 2024, following an electrifying run on the Death Wish Blues tour with Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton, his innovative approach and unwavering commitment to musical authenticity continue to captivate audiences nationwide. He stands as a beacon of modern blues, redefining the genre's boundaries while staying true to its soulful essence.
His musical journey began at an early age when he received his first guitar at five, quickly becoming a self-taught prodigy. Embracing blues legends like Freddie King and Robert Johnson, he honed his craft on regional blues stages, sharing space with seasoned musicians from New Orleans to Memphis' Beale Street. Yet, his musical influences extended beyond traditional blues, drawing inspiration from diverse genres such as rock acts like Tool, Soundgarden, and Nine Inch Nails.
Time living abroad further broadened Eric’s musical horizons, shaping his eclectic approach. Settling back in New Orleans, he fused his myriad influences into a distinctive musical style that defied conventional genre boundaries. His solo albums, notably 2017's Burn It Down, introduced audiences to this unique amalgamation of blues, rock, and funk elements while his work as a sideman for acts like Cyril Neville kept his guitar skills razor-sharp.
The Deep and the Dirty, produced by Jesse Dayton, exemplifies Johanson's musical evolution. This album showcases sharp songwriting and incendiary guitar work, earning critical acclaim for its boundary-pushing style. Guitar Player lauded his "electric whiz" persona, praising his prowess on both acoustic and electric fronts, while American Songwriter drew parallels between Johanson and Hendrix, acknowledging his ability to push the blues/rock boundaries with compelling melodies and lyrics.
The album's tracks offer a diverse sonic landscape, from the fuzz-laden energy of "Don't Hold Back" to the raw, Delta blues-infused sounds of "Just Like New." It seamlessly
weaves together roadhouse roots-rock in "Undertow" and introspective, bluesy Americana in "Familiar Sound." Each song resonates with Johanson's commitment to authenticity and self-expression, a testament to his refusal to be confined by musical norms.
Eric Johanson's philosophy reflects his dedication to genuine musical expression: "Music is a way for me to try and make sense of my world and myself." His latest release, "The Deep and the Dirty," encapsulates this ethos, representing a dynamic fusion of his myriad influences. It's an album that embraces the rawness and humanity of blues while fearlessly venturing into new sonic territories.
Alastair Greene
A native of Santa Barbara,California and now residing in Austin, Texas Alastair Greene has ridden his Blues-soaked rock into the 21st century, traversing a constantly changing global (and musical) landscape. He’s well-equipped for the challenge, carrying the diverse musical interests he developed at an early age, intrigued by his mother’s piano-playing and a record collection that included The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John. His father introduced the youngster to the sophistication of Bach and Beethoven, yet it was Greene’s grandfather, the late trumpeter Chico Alvarez- a member of the Stan Kenton Band in the 1940s and ’50s- who inspired him to pursue a life in music.
As a youth, he took piano lessons and played the saxophone before discovering the guitar in high school. 1980s heavy rock icons Van Halen and Iron Maiden brought motivational thunder. Then, a vintage and seminal sound- the Blues- changed Greene’s course. Records by B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, The Allman Brothers Band, and Stevie Ray Vaughan exposed the burgeoning guitarist to a trove of musical treasure.
He received a scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied for two years, before returning in the early ‘90s to Southern California. Greene formed the Alastair Greene Band in 1997 and subsequently released eight solo albums (including two live sets and a compilation record) over nearly 20 years. 2017’s studio effort, Dream Team, landed a four-star review and Best Album of the Year nod in DownBeat; 2018’s Live from the 805 was nominated for Rock Blues Album of the Year by Blues Blast Magazine, garnering inclusion on many ‘Best of 2018’ lists.
A much in-demand guitarist and vocalist, Greene traveled the world, touring with the legendary Alan Parsons Live Project from 2010 – 2017, as well as stints with Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and, most recently, (2018-2019) Blues Music Award-winner Sugaray Rayford. His work with Parsons, in particular, sparked a conversation with renowned multi-instrumentalist and producer Tab Benoit at a Las Vegas blues festival. In 2019, Greene signed with Benoit’s Whiskey Bayou Records label and released 2 records, “The New World Blues’ (2020) and “Alive In The New World” (2023). Greene toured the U.S. consistently in 2021 and 2022 opening over 100 shows for Benoit.
After running into Thomas Ruf on a tour of Germany in 2022 opening for Walter Trout Alastair signed signed with Ruf Records and released Standing Out Loud in May of 2024. Standing Out Loud was produced by Greene. 8 of the albums 11 tracks were recorded in Nashville, TN with JD Simo and the remaining 3 songs were recorded in Greene’s adopted hometown of Austin, TX with Hunter St.Marie.
With a strong batch of original songs rooted in blues and southern rock traditions, STANDING OUT LOUD builds upon the momentum created by his critically acclaimed solo releases of recent years. “Teaming up with Ruf Records for this album feels like a natural and perfect fit for the progression of my career,” says the California native and multi-charting Billboard artist that Blues Music Magazine called “a major talent in the blues-rock category.”
With the album complete, Greene is itching to hit the road. His 2024 tour schedule will include festival and club dates across the U.S. and over 40 European dates. “I’ve toured Europe many times as the guitarist with the Alan Parsons Live Project, and I’m excited to be bringing my music to the people.”
Featuring funky, swampy grooves and flights of muscular guitar, Greene delivers rock and blues stirred by touchstones such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, yet perhaps most often guided by the roadmap of Gov’t Mule and that band’s synthesis of The Allman Brothers Band’s improvisational firepower and the raw, stripped-down electric Blues-rock of Cream.
Katarina Pejak
is a singer-songwriter and pianist known for an eclectic approach to Blues and related genres. She is a Ruf records recording artist, with a second album for this label, "Pearls On A String" (2024).
Katarina started performing in her late teens, playing blues clubs in her hometown (Belgrade) and other cities in Serbia. She put out three albums in her home country, "Perfume & Luck", 2010, and "First Hand Stories", 2012 and “Old, New Borrowed and Blues”, 2016, a live mini album recorded in 2015.
Though she has been classically trained at piano, she strayed away from classical music found her passion for songwriting and improvised music in her high school years. Through her father's music collection, she discovered her main influences: Otis Spann, Ray Charles, Tom Waits, Nina Simone, Norah Jones and many others.
In January 2011, she began her studies at Berklee College of Music, where she was admitted on a scholarship. She graduated in May 2014, from the Songwriting major and in her last semester was awarded the Songwriting Achievement Award for her overall success within the department.
In the summer of 2018, Katarina signed with Ruf Records, a German-based blues label, known best for their cross-over approach, and joined the long list of internationally acclaimed artists such as Victor Wainwright, Mike Zito, Ana Popovic, Samantha Fish, Bernard Allison and many others. In 2019, Katarina was a part of the Blues Caravan 2019, a Ruf records travelling show and has played over sixty shows all across Europe.
Her fourth album, "Roads That Cross", came out in February 2019, and has been listed as one of the 2019 Favorite Blues Albums at allmusic.com. In 2020, Katarina released an EP of home recordings: Outside Looking In.
Katarina's 4th studio album and her second release on Ruf records is to come out on April 19, 2024. The album was recorded in Poitiers, France where Katarina currently lives, at Studio des Bruères. It was produced by Pejak herself with her band: bassist Sylvain Didou, drummer Johan Barrer and guitarist Boris Rosenfeld. Also appearing on the album are: Californian guitarist Laura Chavez, saxophonist Dana Colley, as well as Serbian-based singer Ana Protulipac.
