Peter Lerner Biography
Jazz guitarist Peter Lerner was born and raised in the multicultural, musically diverse,
Hyde Park area on the South Side of Chicago. Piano player Ahmad Jamal lived
across the street, and members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative
Music were only a few blocks away. Lerner's earliest musical influence was his
mother, Ruth, who played guitar and sang folk songs to him. By the age of eight, he
had composed his first original song, and his musical journey began.
Peter credits Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana for inspiring him early on. In high
school, Peter fell in love with jazz after hearing Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar" on
which guitarist George Benson played. Peter began listening heavily to and learning
from the great jazz masters and continued to study jazz, classical guitar, composition,
and improvisation. Lerner earned a bachelor of music degree from Chicago's
American Conservatory of Music in 1983, and has been working as a professional
musician, composer and recording artist ever since. Peter Lerner is acclaimed as
“one of Chicago’s finest guitarists, a player with great technique and an equal amount
of taste, soul and versatility," Chicago Tribune's Metromix.
He has toured with Grammy award winning pianist Ramsey Lewis. He has played
with acclaimed trumpeter Orbert Davis, and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble at the Jazz
Showcase where he performed with such luminaries as Lee Konitz. A versatile
performer Peter has also played with Gladys Knight, Funk icon Bootsy Collins,
Charlie Wilson of Gap Band, The Fifth Dimension, Tito Puente, Little Anthony and
Imperials, Patti LaBelle, blues harpist Suger Blue among others.
Peter Lerner has played numerous venues, including the South Shore Jazz Festival,
Sarasota Jazz Festival, Downbeat Jazz Museum, Taste of Chicago, Jazz Showcase,
Chicago Cultural Center, Andy's Jazz Club, just to mention a few. He also dedicates
himself to raising the next generation of musicians at Columbia College of Chicago as
a faculty member since 1996.
Peter's first CD "South Side" was nominated for Chicago Music Award Best Jazz
Album/CD. His second CD is called "Six String Christmas" consisting of two guitars
and a bass. His new CD "Cry for Peace" (Blujazz), released in November 2007, hit
#25 in the national jazz album chart and has been garnering critical acclaim.
Jazz guitarist Peter Lerner was born and raised in the multicultural, musically diverse,
Hyde Park area on the South Side of Chicago. Piano player Ahmad Jamal lived
across the street, and members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative
Music were only a few blocks away. Lerner's earliest musical influence was his
mother, Ruth, who played guitar and sang folk songs to him. By the age of eight, he
had composed his first original song, and his musical journey began.
Peter credits Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana for inspiring him early on. In high
school, Peter fell in love with jazz after hearing Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar" on
which guitarist George Benson played. Peter began listening heavily to and learning
from the great jazz masters and continued to study jazz, classical guitar, composition,
and improvisation. Lerner earned a bachelor of music degree from Chicago's
American Conservatory of Music in 1983, and has been working as a professional
musician, composer and recording artist ever since. Peter Lerner is acclaimed as
“one of Chicago’s finest guitarists, a player with great technique and an equal amount
of taste, soul and versatility," Chicago Tribune's Metromix.
He has toured with Grammy award winning pianist Ramsey Lewis. He has played
with acclaimed trumpeter Orbert Davis, and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble at the Jazz
Showcase where he performed with such luminaries as Lee Konitz. A versatile
performer Peter has also played with Gladys Knight, Funk icon Bootsy Collins,
Charlie Wilson of Gap Band, The Fifth Dimension, Tito Puente, Little Anthony and
Imperials, Patti LaBelle, blues harpist Suger Blue among others.
Peter Lerner has played numerous venues, including the South Shore Jazz Festival,
Sarasota Jazz Festival, Downbeat Jazz Museum, Taste of Chicago, Jazz Showcase,
Chicago Cultural Center, Andy's Jazz Club, just to mention a few. He also dedicates
himself to raising the next generation of musicians at Columbia College of Chicago as
a faculty member since 1996.
Peter's first CD "South Side" was nominated for Chicago Music Award Best Jazz
Album/CD. His second CD is called "Six String Christmas" consisting of two guitars
and a bass. His new CD "Cry for Peace" (Blujazz), released in November 2007, hit
#25 in the national jazz album chart and has been garnering critical acclaim.
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Peter Lerner
Guitarist, Composer, Recording Artist
Guitarist, Composer, Recording Artist