Born in Sydney, Australia in 1957. Early Studies at Academy of the Guitar under George Golla, Sydney Conservatorium as well as jazz clinics under Aebersold, Dave Liebman, Randy Brecker, John Scofield & Hal Galper.

Professional work around Australia 1976-81. Prizewinner for Jazz Composition 1980 & 1982, awarded by the NSW Jazz Action Society. First record album "Peter O'Mara" released 1980, receiving widespread critical acclaim. Awarded the "Don Banks Memorial Fellowship" for overseas study. 1981 studies in New York under Liebman, Scofield, Roland Hanna, Jimmy Raney & Attila Zoller.

Moved to Munich, Germany in late 1981 and has since worked with many musicians on the European Jazz scene including... Kenny Wheeler, Jon Christensen, Joe Nay, Maria Joao, Uli Beckerhoff, John Marshall,John Taylor, Anders Jormin, Adelhard Roidinger, Randy Brecker, Rainer Brüninghaus, David Friedman, Peter Herbolzheimer, Charlie Mariano, Benny Bailey, Robben Ford, Mike Nock, Albert Manglesdorf, Ack van Rooyen, Herman Breuer, Johnny Griffin & Jasper van't Hof....

1982-90 "Sundial" trio with US bassist Wayne Darling & drummer Billy Elgart, which recorded 3 albums (South German Radio Record of the Week 1987) as well as three tours & CD with Kenny Wheeler as guest. Festival appearances in Cologne, Munich, Vienna, Aachen, Zurich as well as numerous European tours.

1989 CD release on ENJA Records "Avenue U", featuring Joe Lovano, Dave Holland, Adam Nussbaum & Roberto Di Gioia. The French Jazz Magazine called it "a thoroughly passionate recording" and Peter "a glorious player, truly a discovery!"

He joined Klaus Doldinger's "Passport" in 1990 and has toured Europe a number of times with this group, as well as South Africa in 1995. Their 1991 release "Blues Roots" featured Texas Blues singer/guitarist Johnny Copeland The group performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1993 & 1995 In Jan 1991 Peter toured Australia with pianist Mike Nock as well as recording the CD "Kuranda", released in Europe on ITM. This tour was followed up again in 1993.

From 1991 on Munich-based quartet "Cross Rhythms" performing at many festivals, clubs & radio recordings. CD released in 1994 on Jazz-4-Ever Records. Widespread critical acclaim for this group.

1992 CD "Stairway" on ENJA Records, featuring Russell Ferrante, Anthony Jackson, Tony Lakatos, Alex Acuna & Tom Brechlein, recorded in Los Angeles at Chick Corea«s Mad Hatter Studio. 3 week European promotion tour with this group.

1995 CD "Symmetry" on GLM Records, featuring Bob Mintzer, Marc Johnson & young German drummer Falk Willis. Tour in March/April with this group to promote the CD. European festival tour with own quartet, performing at Northsea,Munich, Düsseldorf & Wiesen, Austria. European tour & CD with "Passport". A brief return to Australia end of the year brought him together with Adam Armstrong (bass) & Andrew Gander (drums). This trio was acclaimed by Peter Jordan (SMH) as "scintillating" and O'Mara "one of our less well-known success stories...startling!"

1996-97 formation of quartet with fellow Australian trombonist Adrian Mears...A-STRAIN (Australian?), a trio with acclaimed bassist Henning Sieverts & Guido May (FIRST FLUSH) as well as various freelance work around Europe. "Passport" Jubilee Tour around Europe from May-July to promote new CD. Another Passport CD MOVE recorded October 1997.

Late 1997 Quintet with Johannes Enders (sax) as well as a new band project PETER O'MARA BAND, which recorded CD now released. This group made it to the finals of the HENNESSY JAZZ SEARCH, 3 groups chosen from 500 entries (German National Jazz Competition for Professional Groups) winning a DM 5,000 prize.

January 1999 joined UNITED JAZZ & ROCK ENSEMBLE, contributed 2 tunes for the legendary group's new CD. Performed at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Teaching activities include, among many workshops throughout Europe, the Bruckner Conservatorium in Linz, Austria, as well as the Music Highschool in Hamburg & the Richard Strauss Conservatorium in Munich. He is also author of the book "Chordal Concept for Jazz Guitar" published by internationally renowned publisher Advance Music., which has sold 1500 copies to date. A 2nd book on improvisation is on the way.

Selected Discography:

As a leader:

• "Peter 0'Mara" - 1980 Battiazz Australia
• "Sundial"  - 1986 RST
• "Illiad" - 1987 RST
• "0'Mara-Darling-Elgart" - 1988 Core
• "Five Forces" - 1989 Koala
• "Avenue U" - 1990 Enja
• "Kuranda" - 1991 ITM
• "Stairway" - 1993 Enja
• "Cross Rhythms" - 1994 Jazz-4-Ever
• "Symmetry" - 1995 GLM
• "Too Early For This World" - 1997 GLM
• "Heritage" -  1998 SBF
• "Back Seat Driver" 1999 ENJA RECORDS

Co-production:

• "Travellers" with ANTHONY JACKSON, TONY LAKATOS ROBERTO DI GIOIA & WOLFGANG HAFFNER recorded 1994 released November 1998 SBF
• "A-STRAIN" with ADRIAN MEARS, PATRICK SCALES & FALK WILLIS recorded 1995 released November 1998 SBF

As sideman:

• "Headwinds" - 1986 Jürgen Seefelder
• "Message" - 1986 Joe Nay
• "Abstractions"  - 1988 Carlo Mombelli
• "Wolfgang Haffner" - 1989 Jazz-4-Ever
• "Dale Barlow" - 1989 Spiral Scratch
• "Happy-Sad"  - 1990 Carlo Mombeili
• "Blues Roots" - 1991 Klaus Doldinger
• "Movin'On" - 1992 Wolfgang Haffner
• "Down to Earth" - 1993 Klaus Doldinger
• "Passport To Paradise" - 1996 Klaus Doldinger
• "Straight Talk" - 1997 Helmut Schönleitner
• "Move" - 1998 Klaus Doldinger

REVIEWS

Jazz Journal
"He loves to play! ... O'Mara's blend of various tremolo effects, tough tinged runs and fine,relaxed legato ideas certainly suggests there's a lot more to come from him. Look out for it!"

Downbeat
"Peter O'Mara's trio posess the power to create - freely and spontaneously music of real power and coherence!" 4 1/2 Stars

"O'Mara guides his group through a series of well-constructed funky Jazz instrumentals, with punches that the Brecker Brothers would be proud of!" 4 1/2 Stars

"O'Mara acts like a poker by a fire, occaisionailly stoking the blaze, stirring things up. ..and it works!"

Evening Standard, London
"Peter O'Mara is a fluent & imaginative guitarist..."

Melbourne Age
"O'Mara's music reveals a strong melodic sense and the outstanding virtue of his improvising is his ability to sustain and develop his ideas logically, in a variety of moods and structures."

Fachblatt,Germany
"O'Mara is a completely convincing soloist, from ßlues to superb Modern Jazz..."

Süddeutsche Zeitung
"...his brilliant solos and elegantly placed chords gave the music it's roundness, which made it a pleasure to listen to.,."

Jazz Podium
"...his guitar is sometimes gruff, jagged, but then melodically phrased, floating and bluesy. lt was breathtaking!..."

Hi Fi, Germany
"...jazzy single-note lines, aggressive melodic development... a 6 string sound that moves from an expressive extrovertism to introspective moods. Always present is the open communication between the musicians

CD Monthly, Germany
"...This is melodic sensitive Jazz. O'Mara never pushes himself into the forefront but uses his virtuosity to serve the band. He lets Bob Mintzer's warm tenor and soprano sax state the rnelodies, then supports the rhythm-section and finally joins in with crystal-clear, catchy solos..

Contact and booking:
Peter O'Mara
Von-Kahr-Strasse 28b
D-80997 München
Fon & Fax +49-89-8126152
email : peter.omara@t-online.de