Results for "piano"

Stefano Battaglia

Born: August 31, 1965

Stefano Battaglia (b. 1965, Milan) is an Italian classical and jazz pianist. He has played extensively on the international circuit, performing as a soloist with the European Youth Orchestra in Barcelona (1981), and winning the "J.S. Bach Festival" award in Düsseldorf as the best new pianist of the year (1986) and the Brussels National Radio Award as the best young European pianist (1997). He has taught at major Italian jazz seminars such as the "Siena Jazz" summer program. Battaglia is a founder of the jazz group Triplicity and Theatrum as part of the Permanent Workshop for Musical Research in Siena

Django Bates

Born: October 2, 1960

Django Bates is a pianist, Eb horn player, and composer, who credits the variety of musical influences in his work to his father who was a collector of Jazz, South African and Romanian folk music. He is currently a professor of jazz at Bern University of the Arts.

A founder member of Loose Tubes, Django was a leading light in the 1980s European jazz renaissance. He has appeared alongside Michael Brecker, Bill Bruford, Jack Dejohnette, Sidsel Endresen, Wynton Marsalis, Marius Neset, Evan Parker, Dudu Pukwana, Ronnie Scott, Cleveland Watkiss. In 1997 Django was awarded the prestigious Danish Jazzpar prize, dubbed the ‘Nobel Prize of Jazz’.

Count Basie

Born: August 21, 1904

Bill Basie studied music with his mother as a child and played piano in early childhood. He picked up the basics of early ragtime from some of the great Harlem pianists and studied organ informally with Fats Waller. He made his professional debut as an accompanist for vaudeville acts and replaced Waller in an act called Katie Crippen and her Kids. He also worked with June Clark and Sonny Greer who was later to become Duke Ellington’s drummer. It was while traveling with the Gonzel White vaudeville show that Basie became stranded in Kansas City when the outfit suddenly broke up. He played at a silent movie house for a while and then became a member of the Walter Page Blue Devils in 1928 and ’29

Kenny Barron

Born: June 9, 1943

Kenny Barron's unmatched ability to mesmerize audiences with his elegant playing, sensitive melodies and infectious rhythms is what inspired "The Los Angeles Times" to name him "one of the top jazz pianists in the world" and "Jazz Weekly" to call him "The most lyrical piano player of our time." Philadelphia is the birthplace of many great musicians, including one of the undisputed masters of the jazz piano: Kenny Barron. Kenny was born in 1943 and while a teenager, started playing professionally with Mel Melvin's orchestra. This local band also featured Barron's brother Bill, the late tenor saxophonist

Sweet Emma Barrett

Born: March 25, 1897

Sweet Emma Barrett - New Orleans Pianist ( 1897 - 1983) ‘Sweet Emma’ was pianist and vocalist Emma Barrett, who had sung in the bars, clubs and saltier venues of New Orleans since 1910, when she was 12. 'Sweet Emma' Barrett played constantly, and remained one of New Orleans' favorite entertainers all her life. She was one of the most unforgettable musicians who ever played New Orleans Jazz. By 1923, pianist and singer Emma Barrett was playing with Papa Celestin and Bebe Ridgley's Original Tuxedo Orchestra. Emma remained with Ridgley until 1936, a period in which she also performed under such well-known leaders as John Robichaux, A.J

Rob Bargad

Born: September 7, 1962

ROB BARGAD Piano, Organ, Songwriter, Arranger (b. 1962, Boston, MA) After studying piano for 3 years with Kenny Barron at Rutgers University, Rob moved to New York City in 1984, where he started his Jazz career as accompanist for singing legends Little Jimmy Scott and Dakota Staton. In 1987 he spent a year as pianist for the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, touring the United States, Europe and Japan. And in 1991, Rob joined the Nat Adderley Quintet, with whom he played for nearly 8 years, toured the world and recorded 8 CD's. Rob also performed, toured and/or recorded with: Gloria Lynne, Jeannie Bryson, Roy Hargrove, Laverne Butler, the Walter Booker Quintet, Bud Shank, Ronnie Jordan, and Alvin Queen, Jimmy Cobb’s Mobb and many more… Rob has recorded several CD's as leader and co-leader - "Better Times" (Criss Cross), "The Shadow Of Your Smile" (Alfa Jazz), “Mom’s Good Wishes” (Central Station Music), and “Steal The Moon” (Sunnyside Records) with vocalist Carolyn Leonhart

Patricia Barber

Born: November 8, 1955

In 2011 Patricia Barber has just finished a new 'live' album of the Patricia Barber Quartet recorded ' by Chris Grabowski at the wildly popular Green Mill residency. “Monday Night, vol2” is available through her website: patriciabarber.com She is also putting the finishing touches on other Floyd Records projects, one a DVD entitled Patricia Barber & Kenny Werner— 'Live' in Concert . This chronicles a resplendent evening with Patricia and Kenny and two 9' Steinway pianos at the sold-out 1000 seat Pick- Staiger Auditorium—this DVD will be available in the spring

Marcia Ball

Born: March 20, 1949

For more than 30 years, Ball has been delivering her signature brand of Texas blues, Louisiana R&B and Gulf Coast swamp pop to audiences all over the world. She has earned a huge and intensely loyal following through critically acclaimed albums and continued non-stop touring. Live, she’s simply unbeatable. Previously, the only way for Marcia Ball’s fans to hear one of her stellar live performances was to see her in person. But now that all changes, as Ball rewards her fans with her first-ever full-length live album, the Grammy-nominated “Live! Down The Road,” a blistering set recorded at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in 2004

Ronnie Ball

Born: December 22, 1927

Birmingham born pianist Ronnie Ball was born in December 1927. He played local gigs from the age of fifteen before moving to London in 1948 with Tony Kinsey and worked with Reggie Goff's Sextet as well as leading his own trio. He joined Cab Kaye in 1949 before working on the Queen Mary on the transatlantic cruise run to New York He had become fascinated with the individual approach to jazz development favoured by pianist Lennie Tristano and had actually had an opportunity to study with Tristano while working on the cruise liners. In London he worked as part of the house trio at the Studio 51 club, where he accompanied virtually all of the leading British modern jazzmen at one time or another

Jon Ballantyne

Born: October 8, 1963

Saskatchewan born, New York-based jazz pianist Jon Ballantyne started playing piano at a very early age, and began formal study at the age of six. His father is also a pianist and both parents’ jazz enthusiasts; therefore Jon was hearing the recordings of greats such as Lenny Breau, Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis, Bill Evans and Duke Ellington from the beginning of his life. After the early years of absorbing his father's blues-based approach to piano, classical piano studies, and a stint in a garage rock band as a young teenager, Jon realized his passion and decided to more thoroughly investigate the art form of jazz