Michael Kanan

Photo: www.michaelkanan.com

Pianist MICHAEL KANAN in Recital with JANE MONHEIT (vocals), GREG RUGGIERO (guitar) and NEAL MINER (bass) at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall

Wednesday, March 30 at 8 P.M.

“Like his heroes Jimmy Rowles and Hank Jones, Michael Kanan is a poetic player… His playing has a stealthy power and an impressive integrity.” – Jazz Lives.com

“…Mr. Kanan is an articulate pianist, and his trio...adheres to a melodic and unhurried variety of post-bop…” – Nate Chinen, NY Times

Jazz pianist Michael Kanan, best known as a brilliant and sensitive accompanist for Jane Monheit, Jimmy Scott and other great jazz singers, steps into the spotlight as a soloist and band leader at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on Wednesday, March 30 at 8 p.m.

The concert is the first of four piano recitals sponsored by The Abby Whiteside Foundation featuring the students of New York City piano guru (and Whiteside disciple) Sophia Rosoff. She has taught Kanan and the three other musicians in the series, jazz pianist Jacob Sacks, and the classical pianists Hiroko Sasaki and John Kamitsuka. Past performers in the series, all students of Rosoff, include the celebrated pianists Barry Harris, Fred Hersch, Ethan Iverson and Pete Malinverni.

The March 30th concert will bring together two important parts of Kanan’s life: his 15-year partnership with the critically acclaimed Monheit, and his current trio with guitarist Greg Ruggiero and bassist Neal Miner. “Jane has a beautiful instrument and a deep connection to music,” Kanan says. “All four of us love the Great American Songbook. We never feel limited by these songs – they are standards because they are so great.” Beginning with solo works, Kanan will then duet with Monheit in a program likely to include Gershwin and Ellington selections from their duo show. The second half of the program will feature Kanan’s highly intuitive trio, joined by Monheit in the finale.

Kanan feels a profound connection to the 95-year-old Rosoff, who still teaches and hopes to attend the concert. “She is all about the ear-hand connection, getting a good tone, and connecting to the music’s emotional content and rhythm. It doesn’t matter whether it’s jazz or classical music – the same principles apply,” Kanan says.

Who: Michael Kanan in Recital, with Jane Monheit, Greg Ruggiero and Neal Miner

Where: Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 154 W. 57th St., New York.

When: Wednesday, March 30 at 8 P.M.

from: Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services
jim@jazzpromoservices.com

www.jazzpromoservices.com

Joel Press and Michael Kanan

I had first heard the saxophonist Joel Press on a CD called HOW'S THE HORN TREATING YOU? some years ago. I was delighted by his imagination, his ease, his sense of self--he knows and has lived through an entire jazz tradition from Lester and Hawkins to free jazz and beyond, but he sounds utterly like himself.

Then, more recently, I had the good fortune to hear his duet sessions with pianist Kyle Aho, UNTYING THE STANDARD, which impressed me greatly. (Both of these CDs are on the Cadence Jazz Records label, numbers 1184 and 1204, and both are consistently uplifting.) And the beautifully idiosyncratic photograph -- legs and untied shoes--is by Joel's daughter Maya Francesca Press, a questing artist herself.
Complete on  >>  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=61066