Peter Katz — Cassette

Intro

Peter Katz creates music that feels like a direct conversation between two people in a very small room. His sound is defined by a striking intimacy, often characterized by 'close-mic' vocal techniques that capture every breath and subtle inflection. It is folk music at its most empathetic, trading in the currency of vulnerability and quiet strength. Whether he is backed by a sparse acoustic guitar or a lush arrangement of strings and piano, the emotional core remains centered on his gentle, expressive voice.

What truly distinguishes Katz is the physical sense of space in his recordings. Many of his key works were recorded 'live off the floor' in non-traditional spaces like cabins, which imbues the tracks with a natural, woody resonance and a lack of artifice. He avoids the over-produced sheen of modern pop-folk in favor of a sound that feels lived-in and honest. His guitar playing often incorporates a percussive, rhythmic quality that provides a steady heartbeat to his more ethereal vocal melodies.

For those new to his catalog, the best entry point is the album 'First of the Last to Know'. It perfectly balances his knack for hooky, accessible songwriting with the raw, emotional gravity that has made him a staple of the Canadian folk scene. It is the kind of music that doesn't demand your attention with volume, but earns it through a persistent, quiet beauty that rewards focused listening.

Peter Katz is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Katz is a 2012 Juno Award nominee and Emerging Artist of the Year nominee at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. Katz has sold over 15,000 copies of his discs and performed with artists such as The Swell Season (The Frames), Dan Mangan, The Good Lovelies, Joel Plaskett, Bahamas, Royal Wood, Lucky Fonz III, Donavon Frankenreiter, and Garth Hudson from The Band, members of Levon Helm's band (on stage with Glen Hansard's band). Katz's 2010 studio record First of the Last to Know debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes singer-songwriter charts and features a guest appearance by Academy Award winner Glen Hansard (The Swell Season, 'Once'), Juno Award winners The Good Lovelies and Melissa McClelland (Whitehorse, Sarah Mclachlan). In 2011, Katz released a live CD/DVD entitled Peter Katz and Friends: Live at the Music Gallery. It earned him a Juno nomination for Music DVD of the Year. Katz released a studio album called Still Mind Still on 24 April 2012. Recorded mostly live off the floor at a cabin in the woods, the album features the singles “Still Mind Still”, “Little One”, and “It Was You” (with Emma-Lee). In 2015, Katz released We Are The Reckoning, produced by co-producers Royal Wood (multiple Juno Award Nominee) and Bill Lefler (Ingrid Michaelson, Cary Brothers), featuring the singles “We Are The Reckoning” and “Brother”, the latter of which was ranked #3 on CBC Radio 2’s Top 20 ‘Fan Favourites’ of 2015, #8 on the CBC Top 100 Most-Played Songs of 2015, and #55 on CBC Radio 2’s Top 100 Songs of 2015. In 2015, Katz released We Are The Reckoning, produced by co-producers Royal Wood (multiple Juno Award Nominee) and Bill Lefler (Ingrid Michaelson, Cary Brothers), featuring the singles “We Are The Reckoning” and “Brother”, the latter of which was ranked #3 on CBC Radio 2’s Top 20 ‘Fan Favourites’ of 2015, #8 on the CBC Top 100 Most-Played Songs of 2015, and #55 on CBC Radio 2’s Top 100 Songs of 2015. Renowned CBC Radio 2 radio host Tom Power called it “one of the most heartfelt, beautiful and vulnerable records of the year. The new Peter Katz is an astonishing record.” Katz’s most recent release was 2020’s City of Our Lives, featuring the singles “Paper Thin,” “Like We Used to Be,” and “Take Mine.” His newest studio album, Everything Unfolding, will be released in 2025. Peter’s acoustic version of Beyoncé’s Halo has amassed more than 30 million views.

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