Artist Statement


The entire world within us is reality, at times more real than the commercial world we see. If we listen to our dreams, the force of gravity is suspended, as in a Chagall painting or a Yeats lyric, and our energies may develop freely.

 

“Joy” is what listeners often see and feel coming from Yata as he sings and performs the songs he has written; and he's written quite a few, many of which are on his twelve  original CD recordings.

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Yata Peinovich began as a songwriter of love ballads while a freshman at St. Olaf College and over five decades has explored musical genres such Americana, folk-rock, swing jazz and gospel.

 

Early in his career he formed Artesian Dreams with jazz guitarist Dave Peterson and classically trained violinist Jim Price and won a Minnesota Music Award for Best Folk Band, and were also nominated in the jazz category.

 

Next, he moved to Western Wisconsin where he began a family, continued to write and record original music. 

 

Yata has a passion for performance, connecting with the audience from concert stages and outdoor festivals, to intimate venues such as churches and classrooms. He also organizes  community music events and mentors emerging artists.

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Each winter for the last twenty years, Yata and his wife artist Jean Accola have traveled afar to be immersed in new cultures including Thai, Lao, Cambodian, Kenyan, South African, Moroccan, French, Spanish, Italian, Swiss, Norwegian, Mexican, Guatemalan, Caribbean, Japanese and Hawaiian. The people, places and experiences are reflected in their compositions and expanding views of art, music, photography and culinary arts.

 

Yata and Jean lived for forty years in a converted country schoolhouse in rural Pepin County, Wisconsin before moving to a wilderness lake in the north woods of Wisconsin.   They enjoy every minute they can with their grandchildren.