Results for "Jazz piano"

Phil Wilkinson

Born: November 21, 1978

Philip Wilkinson was born in 1978 in Nottingham, United Kingdom. He started playing keyboards at age four and, as of 1985, studied organ—his main instrument—or seven years.

He became interested in Jazz in the early nineties, alternating piano and organ, and by the time he was twenty he was teaching piano and improvisation at the Clarendon (Nottingham) University.

Phil later met Darius Brubeck, son of the legendary Dave Brubeck. He studied with Darius for one year, and had the opportunity of playing several two-piano concerts with him.

Between 2012 and 2023, Wilkinson has had the opportunity to work with Jazz legends like Larry Coryell, Alvin Queen, Mark Whitfield, Ulf Wakenius, Phillip Catherine, Peter Bernstein and Jesse Van Ruler.

Kevin Toney

Born: January 1, 1953

Let it be stated – no shouted from the highest mountaintop – that the root source of piano virtuoso Kevin Toney’s dynamic musical artistry has ALWAYS been hardcore straight-ahead Jazz. As an A+ disciple of the Art Tatum’s, Oscar Peterson’s, McCoy Tyner's, Errol Garner’s, and Herbie Hancock’s of the idiom (as well as Detroit-born schoolmate of Geri Allen), Kevin Toney began his journey into the dexterous essence of Jazz absorbing the richness and excellence of its most exploratory players. Though as a child of the `60s, Kevin additionally enjoys and throttles the thrilling sounds of raw, unbridled Blues, Soul, and Rock ‘n Roll – and as a deeply spiritual man serves GOD in Gospel – Jazz is the music Toney has returned to time and time again to flex the freedoms and disciplines it offers in quantifiably equal measure.

Melvin Johnson

Born: October 5, 1985

Houston-born keyboardist/composer Melvin Johnson is an artist as adept at creating his own dynamic expressions as he is a most valuable team player in realizing the visions of others. Church-grounded and college-educated, he has trained himself thoroughly to be an all-around musician who doesn’t just play his instrument but understands the fundamentals of all that he plays and composes, as well as his role as the leader of his band. At 36 years old, Melvin recently released his debut album, Little Red Wagon, a conceptual piece inspired by wisdoms passed down to him from his adopted father, Robert Lloyd Parker, as well as his own musings on life, family and spirituality. Musically, the project covers the full spectrum of African American musical styles, presented in configurations of solo, duo, trio, quartet and quintet. Melvin states, “These first fully arranged instrumental songs do not belong in any genre box, be it Jazz, Classical, Choral, Gospel, etc. All of that and more is in this! I love the space of creating at will.”

Benjamin Schaefer

Benjamin Schaefer (*1981) is a jazz pianist/ composer based in Hamburg, Germany. He studied jazz piano and composition at Cologne conservatory and is a former member of the German Youth Jazz Orchestra (BuJazzO). Concert tours have led him to 26 countries on four continents. He has played hundreds of club and festival shows, many of them with his own bands Benjamin Schaefer Trio (2004-14), Expressway Sketches (2008-21), Quiet Fire (2014-19), Hive Mind (2017-19), Stone Flowers (2020- ) and solo (2022- ). He leads his own concert series open.fundus (2019- ) in Hamburg.

Eric Zadan

Born: April 27, 1959

45 years of professional experience (pianist/music director) coupled with 40 years of teaching experience. Has worked with many major names. Jazz pianist for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra for 40 years. 

Chris Foster Music

Born: July 27, 1983

Lucas Brown

Born: May 28, 1980

Lucas Brown is a performing artist, composer and educator. He actively performs both Jazz and classical music and has performed around the US and Canada at such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kimmel Center, the Jazz Standard and the Blue Note, as well as in Europe and Asia. His compositions have been presented throughout the US and Europe. A member of the faculty at Temple University’s Esther Boyer College of Music, Lucas holds a BM in Jazz Performance from Temple University and a MM in Organ Performance from Westminster Choir College. 

Lucas was a member of saxophone legend Bootsie Barnes' organ trio from the age of 21. He has performed with such Jazz artists as Joey DeFrancesco, Pat Martino, Eric Alexander, Terell Stafford, and Gerald Veasley, and is a sideman on numerous recordings. He was awarded the Clef Club Jazz Award in 2014 in recognition of his contributions as an organist in Philadelphia. Lucas was a member of the Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour (PennPAT) artist roster as a member of the group Three Blind Mice, with Victor North and Wayne Smith Jr. Lucas has also performed with Opera Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Lucas toured for three years with Joey DeFrancesco's final trio and is featured on Joey’s album, More Music, released in September of 2021.

Christopher Lucas Wilson

Christopher Lucas Wilson is a hard-swingin’ jazz pianist, originally hailing from metropolitan Detroit. His musical journey brought him to Los Angeles for a decade before he eventually settled in Chicago, where he continues to perform, record, and hone his craft.

Christopher was first introduced to music on a Grinnell Brothers piano in his parents’ living room as a young child. It was the enlightening and liberating sound of swing that first drew Christopher to jazz. That feeling sparked an exploration of Detroit’s rich musical history, a city long known for its legacy of musical legends. He first studied with the late greats Bess Bonnier and Marcus Belgrave and would proceed to join the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Jazz Program, where he met esteemed bassist and educator Rodney Whitaker. By the time he graduated high school, Christopher was entrenched in swing and bebop and went on to further his studies in the jazz program at Michigan State University.

Samvit Prem Singhal

Born: December 10, 2004

Christopher Wilson

Christopher Lucas Wilson is a hard swingin' pianist originally from metropolitan Detroit, transplanted for a decade to Los Angeles, and now living in Chicago. As a child, Christopher was first introduced to music on a Grinnell Brothers piano in his parents’ living room by a now unknown piano teacher. Although this teacher’s name remains a mystery, Christopher remains indebted for his role in instilling a lifelong passion for music. 

The enlightening and freeing sound of swing is what first attracted Christopher to jazz. His interest in this feeling is what led him to begin exploring Detroit’s rich musical history which was and is replete with musical legends. He first studied with the late greats Bess Bonnier and Marcus Belgrave. Later, he would join the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Jazz Program where he first met esteemed bassist and educator Rodney Whitaker. By the time Christopher graduated from high school, he was entrenched in swing and bebop and would go on to further his studies within the jazz program at Michigan State University. While at Michigan State, he had the pleasure of studying and performing with Rodney Whitaker, Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson, Derrick Gardner, Vincent Chandler, Randy Gilespie, Diego Rivera, and Rick Roe. After graduating Christopher immediately began performing with his trio in Detroit, including a weekly jam session at the heralded Baker’s Keyboard Lounge. A short year later, Christopher relocated to sunny swingin’ Los Angeles where he fell in love with Southern California and spent nearly a decade there as a result. During that time he played regularly with his trio and released two albums, "Feelin' Better" and “Leaving Los Angeles." Christopher moved to Chicago in 2019 and is honored and excited to be part of another incredible city rich with musical history. His most recent release, "Solemn Moments" was released in January 2023 and features accomplished musicians and friends Jesse Kramer and Noah Jackson.