Birth name Peter John O'Mara Years active 1976–present Genre Jazz | Genres Jazz Website peteromara.com Music group Passport | |
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Born 9 December 1957 (age 59) ( 1957-12-09 ) Origin Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Occupation(s) Musician, composer, teacher, writer Education Sydney Conservatorium of Music Albums En Route, Doldinger Jubilee Concert, Passport Live Similar Patrick Scales, Henning Sieverts, Klaus Doldinger, Carlo Mombelli, Roberto Di Gioia | ||
Peter John O'Mara (born 9 December 1957) is an Australian-born jazz guitarist, composer and teacher. He has been based in Germany or Austria since 1981.
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Biography
O'Mara studied at the Academy of Guitar under George Golla, at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and at jazz clinics under Jamey Aebersold, Dave Liebman, Randy Brecker, John Scofield and Hal Galper.
O'Mara began his professional career in Australia between 1976-81. He was a Prizewinner for Jazz Composition 1980 & 1982, awarded by the NSW Jazz Action Society. His first album "Peter O´Mara" was released 1980, receiving widespread critical acclaim. He was awarded the "Don Banks Memorial Fellowship" for overseas study. 1981 he was studying in New York under Dave Liebman, John Scofield, Roland Hanna, Jimmy Raney and Attila Zoller.
O'Mara moved to Munich, Germany in late 1981. He joined Klaus Doldinger's band Passport in 1990 and has toured Europe a number of times with this group, as well as South Africa and Brazil.
His teaching activities include, among many workshops throughout Europe, a professorship for Jazz guitar at the Anton Bruckner Private University for Music, Drama, and Dance Austria, as well as the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich. He is also author of four highly acclaimed books published by internationally renowned Jazz publishers Advance Music.
In 2012 O'Mara issued a solo album, My Time, with studio musicians used Tim Collins on vibraphone, Matthias Gmelin on drums and Henning Sieverts on contrabass. Alan Bryson of All About Jazz found it provided "Tasteful restraint, a mellow after hours sound that represents an appealing alternative to smooth jazz. It's an album (four covers, six original titles) that works well as mood music, yet the interaction is energetic and intricate, and the solos are imaginative, melodic, and well conceived."
Musicians that O'Mara worked with
He has worked with many musicians on the European Jazz scene including: Kenny Wheeler, Jon Christensen, Joe Nay, Maria Joao, John Marshall, Patrick Scales, John Taylor, Randy Brecker, Charlie Mariano, Benny Bailey, Robben Ford, Mike Nock, Albert Mangelsdorff, Ack van Rooyen, Johnny Griffin, Willy Qua, Tony Lakatos, Tim Collins.
Books
Discography
Songs
Ataraxia Part 1Sky Blue · 1977
AtaraxiaLifelike · 2003
Looking ThruLooking Thru · 1973