performance

jazz guitarist/roots musician • producer/composer

"Jim Kanas is a hot tasty musician with big tone and real swing."

Bluesman Catfish Kieth, two-time W.C. Handy Award nominee

jazz guitarist

roots musician

producer/composer

"Jim Kanas, guitarist, folk musician, multi-instrumentalist, composer, teacher, producer and Illinois Arts Council Artstour artist has won awards and thrilled audiences across genres. Few musicians achieve success in both the jazz and folk realms."
Keisha Smith, Presenter/Marketing

In Jim Kanas' playing Doc Watson peacefully coexists with Jim Pass. Creating a distinct personal style from
such disparate influences isn't easy
to do. Jim pulls it off with aplomb."
Pat Donahue, 1996

Jim Kanas sings and plays an assortment of instruments including guitars,
fiddle, banjo, dobro, pedal steel guitar, autoharp, mandolin, harmonica ,
spoons, Native American flutes and more! His concerts bridge jazz and classical to bluegrass, folk and blues.

You can hear Jim Solo, with the Jim Kanas Trio and
the Jim Kanas Jazz Quartet.

Jim has been described as world class and is one of the most highly regarded guitarists and diverse musicians in the Midwest. He has been featured in concert at colleges, theaters, festivals and recorded and broadcast media throughout Illinois. Jim Kanas' professional collaborations have included concerts, recordings and/or performances with other Midwest musicians such as harmonica/pianist, Howard Levy; violinists, Johnny Frigo, Randy Sabien; mandolinist, Don Stiernberg; bassist, Larry Gray; bluesmen, Eddy Snow and "Pistol Pete"; guitarist, Muriel Anderson; percussionist, Rubén P. Alvarez; singer/songwriters, Art Thieme, Anne Hills and others.

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