Results for "piano"

Mike Catalano

Jazz pianist, composer Mike Catalano, best known for his jazz CD, A Manhattan Affair and his work for Television and film. A Manhattan Affair, co-produced by Grammy winning bassist Will Lee, featuring an all star lineup of special guests and legends including Will Lee, Ivan Lins, Rob Mounsey, Lou Marini, Bob James, Randy Brecker, Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine, Jeff Mironov, Chris Parker, Mark Egan, Chuck Loeb, Nico Assumpcao, Sean Pelton, Bashiri Johnson, Ricardo Silveira.

In addition Mike Catalano is known for his composing hundreds of pieces of music for TV and film, including Fox Tv’s A Current Affair, Fox News, Good Day New York, and other programs.

Dave Hepler

Dave Hepler has been playing music since the age of 8 when he began his first piano lessons followed by trumpet lessons at age 9. He started playing music professionally with his dad as an 11-year-old lead trumpeter. While studying music at Indiana University, as a trumpet major, Dave reacquainted himself with the piano, doing required class piano and studying privately as he improved very quickly. As a music student the habit of playing piano by ear and for fun started. For hours in practice rooms at night he worked simple melodies out and experimented with left-hand parts that would fit or sound interesting. Having grown up with a trumpet-playing father (nightly in the basement or with big band records on the hi-fi), Dave became familiar with a lot of jazz standards

Christine Spero

Born: June 24

Our latest show is "Spero Plays Nyro", a celebration of the music of Laura Nyro with a new CD in January 2015. Steve Katz of the Blues Project and Blood, Sweat and Tears will occasionally be joining the show. We continue to bring our original nujazz, Latin, pop music to fans. The group brings their own kind of power to the music of Laura Nyro. Laura was a Grammy winning quintessential singer/songwriter/pianist. Her groundbreaking music crossed the genres of folk, rock and jazz and she was one of the most covered artists in the 1960's and 1970's (Eli's Coming, Stoned Soul Picnic, Wedding Bell Blues, Sweet Blindness)

Turya Mareya

Born: August 25, 1956

Mareya was raised in the vibrant border of Tijuana and San Diego. She started playing with Mexican dance bands at a young age and later studied Jazz under the direction of Mr. Daniel Jackson, one of the West Coast Jazz Legends. She studied also at the Creative Music School in Woodstock but most of her musical instruction came from the streets, the clubs and fellow musicians. She began playing Latin Jazz with the Tambu International Ensemble, moving to Vera Cruz and living later in Mexico City. Returning to the border she was active in the jazz and latin music scenes. She became the musical director and pianist for the Kokopelli Latin Jazz Ensemble. In 2003 Turiya began working as a solo artist going first to Juneau Alaska where she performed with Afro-Cuban Percussionist Antonio Diaz and to Anchorage where she performed with Hector Diaz y su Orchesta Tropical

Ralston van der Schyff

Born: July 9, 1976

Introducing one of South Africa's finest musicians, jazz pianist and entertainer Ralston van der Schyff has developed his own unique style of piano playing. His reputation for panache and sophistication is echoed by many audiences who have enjoyed listening to him play. Throughout his 31 years of playing the piano, Ralston has learnt how to produce just the right sound that is easy on the ear. Beneath his selection of rich jazz harmony and improvisation, lie subtle nuances of classical melodies and patterns, transforming each song into an inspiring musical journey. First taught by his father at age around 7, he then went on to pursue formal classical training at the Battswood College of Music in 1986 at the age of 10 through till 1994

Alexey Lapin

Born: December 17, 1966

We can say very little about the music we play. The music itself could say much more about us. Why is it interesting to know where we are from, who we are, when were we born, and so on, if you come to listen to music? Destiny is a strange thing too… We could do something, but we can't. We could be somewhere, but we are not. And what will be the last point in our life? No one knows. So what is the point of talking about ourselves? ...It's better to play... Meanwhile, I love to play free jazz and all that's beyond it. Before I played hard bop. Some of my projects still sound like hard bop. But the thoughts run outside of standards

Chris Rob

Born and raised on Chicago's south-side, Chris Rob was first introduced to music at age 4 by his mother, a renowned classical pianist. Today a respected singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, he's created an international following due to his musical genius, and captivating live performances. In just a few years after relocating to New York, Chris Rob worked his way to musical director, keyboardist and back-up vocalist for the best in popular music. He recently served these roles for R & B vocalist John Legend on his Grammy-Award winning "Get Lifted Tour", and can be seen highlighted throughout the "John Legend: Live at The House of Blues" DVD released last year

Neil Podgurski

Neil Podgurski lives in Philadelphia where he works as a sideman and leads his own band, New Fire. Neil has performed with Mickey Roker, the late Arthur Harper, Larry Mckenna, Frank Tibiri, George Garzone, David Schnitter, the late Jimmy Oliver, Tim Warfield, Eric Alexander, the late Dennis Charles, Joe Cambers, the late Arnie Lawrence, Byron Landham, and Robert Landham. Neil also acknowledges the great lessons he has learned in rhythm section playing as a pianist from his good friend and mentor Sid Simmons. The band repertoire consists of a steadily growing book of Neil's originals. The band is a quintet comprised of John Swana on trumpet, Brian Settles on tenor saxophone, Mike Boone on bass and Doug Hirlinger on drum set

Taylor Eigsti

GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist and composer Taylor Eigsti started playing the piano when he was four years old. Growing up in Menlo Park, CA, Eigsti was quickly labeled a prodigy, and has since released 8 albums as a bandleader, in addition to appearing on over 60 albums as a sideman. Eigsti recently won a 2022 GRAMMY® Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for his most recent album “Tree Falls”, released in 2021 on GSI Records. In addition to this recent honor, Eigsti has garnered 3 individual GRAMMY® nominations over the years for his work as a recording artist and composer, including Best Instrumental Composition, and Best Jazz Instrumental Solo. Eigsti has also been featured on several other GRAMMY® nominated albums by Gretchen Parlato and Julian Lage, and co-wrote a featured composition with Don Cheadle for the GRAMMY® - winning soundtrack to the motion picture “Miles Ahead” (2017).

Aaron Goldberg

For the Boston-born, New York-based Aaron Goldberg, Worlds his 2006 release on the Sunnyside label, is an encyclopedic circumnavigation of his ever-evolving musicality, which began with piano lessons at the age of seven. In high school Aaron got hooked on jazz by Bob Sinicrope of Milton Academy and continued his pursuit with saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, two master educators. "At first improvisation was a mystery and a puzzle, but soon it became a profound inner and outer journey as life and music entwined." After receiving awards from Berklee School of Music and DownBeat, Aaron left at age 17 for NYC