Laszlo Gardony returns to the Berkshires for Feb. 15 solo concert
“New Branches on Ten Old Trees”
Saturday, Feb. 15, 7:30pm
Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield
Beer and wine bar at 6:30pm
Piano virtuoso Laszlo Gardony performs fresh, modern but soulful arrangements of beloved familiar tunes, and covering ten styles and genres (jazz, spirituals, rock, funk, Broadway, Neapolitan, etc.). Based in part on his new, highly-acclaimed CD “La Marseillaise,” his adaptations include the title song and nine other familiar tunes, from Misty to Eleanor Rigby, Lady Madonna to Summertime, and myriad in between.
Plus, some surprises.
Known as an innovator for both his composing and performance approaches, Laszlo will be performing unaccompanied, on the marvelous Steinway grand piano at the Berkshire Museum, home of so many wonderful cultural events. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 on the day of the event. They are available now at our online box office (click here).
Hungarian-born Laszlo Gardony is a professor of piano at the Berklee College of Music. He made his local debut at the Berkshire Museum nearly 25 years ago, and has developed a strong regional and national following. This program was devised specially for Berkshires Jazz, and is presented in conjunction with Pittsfield’s 10×10 Upstreet Winter Arts Festival.
The wWinning paintings include (with judges’ comments):
an iconic jazz pianist, and has performed worldwide, both as a leader and as a sideman with many jazz greats, including Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Phil Woods, Bob Brookmeyer, and Jon Faddis. His classical/jazz crossover performances include solo and featured appearances with the Boston Pops, the Baltimore Symphony, the Kansas City Symphony, and many other orchestras. His work includes adapting themes by Brahms, Schumann, Tchaikovsky and others into a mainstream jazz idiom. Local audiences are still talking about his interpretation of “Rhapsody In Blue” at the Berkshire Museum last year.
erhaps “adventures” would say it better) of love. From fascinating to flirting, from courting to marriage to family and who-knows-what, Atla brings unique vocal stylings to our stage. She will be accompanied by her equally amazing pianist –her husband Matt– and their group. Rounding out the band are Matt Dwonszyk on bass and Tony Davis on guitar. A veritable who’s-who of next-generation jazz talent who call New England “home.”
prestigious Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition in 2015, and her album from that same year, “Lonely Woman,” features some of the hottest young jazz players on the scene including Emmet Cohen, Benny Bennack III, Daryl Johns (with whom she shared the Grammy Choir/Band experience), Matt Wigler, and Scott Lowrie.
named creative director of the Newport Jazz Festival. His New Jawn Quartet comprises Josh Evans, trumpet; Marcus Strickland, saxophone; McBride, bass; and Nasheet Waits, drums. Their first CD, “Christian McBride’s New Jawn,” will be released in October, shortly after the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival.
, tours, and celebrated work. Though earning a full scholarship for a voice major at Hartt College of Music, he chose to focus on jazz piano and composition, emerging primarily self-taught. His work is a testament to his gifts: freelancing with such notables as Archie Shepp and Eddie Henderson to leading Gospel choirs to composing for theatre and dance. He is co-founder/leader of Duo Laroo/Byrd and the Afro-Semitic Experience, performs as a freelancer, with Saskia’s other groups, as a solo pianist and with his own Byrdspeak Ensemble.