The music in the Modern Jazz Pianist encompasses most of the stylistic

approaches from the Bill Evans era to the present.

All the pieces were composed and performed by world-renowned artists, Renee
Rosnes, Brad Turner, Miles Black and Ron Johnston and most have been
recorded on their various CDs. For example, the 15 tunes performed and
composed by New York pianist Renee Rosnes (published by Second Floor
Music) are all available on her many CDs (on the Blue Note, EMI, Criss Cross
and Concord labels), including her latest, which features Jack DeJohnette,
Christian McBride and Chris Potter. As well as leading her own very successful
quartet, Renee has toured with Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, James Moody,
Bobby Hutcherson, and J.J. Johnson.

The Modern Jazz Pianist features 50 MIDI performances in solo, duo and trio
formats. Elements of style found in the playing of such pianists as Herbie
Hancock, Kenny Kirkland, Cedar Walton, Richie Beirach and others are
represented. Chord symbols, as supplied by the composer, are included. Most of
the tunes are trio performances with piano, bass and drums. On-screen notation
and Keyboard display are featured.

Black, Miles

Miles Black was born in Port Alberni, BC on April 13, 1966. At 27 years of age,
Miles Black has become one of Canada's leading jazz pianists and composers.
Miles began his musical training at the age of 12 in Victoria, BC. Although he was
raised on folk and rock 'n roll, it was the music of such greats as Keith Jarrett,
Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans that spurred him towards a career in Jazz. In
1987 Miles moved to Vancouver and enjoyed respect and support from the local
music community. In 1988 he joined Paul Horn's band and toured the Soviet
Union, and in 1989 he became a member of the award-winning jazz-fusion
recording group Skywalk for which he became a contributing composer. The
Miles Black Trio was formed in 1991 and has a dynamic and refreshing repertoire
of both traditional and contemporary jazz standards and originals. The trio is
currently enjoying critical acclaim as well as airplay on the CBC. Miles has
performed in the Vancouver area with Fraser MacPherson, PJ Perry, George
Robert, Oliver Gannon and Sweets Edison. Miles has gained prominent stature
as a versatile instrumentalist and is much sought after as a leader, a sideman,
and a session musician. He has played on a wide variety of records. He currently
teaches at Capilano College. His accomplishments on saxophone, bass, and
guitar, as well as piano lend depth to his arrangements and compositions.
Discography: Larger Than Life.

Johnston, Ron
Ron Johnston was born in Edmonton, Alberta on August 25, 1942. One of Ron's
first influences on piano was Canadian Jazz pianist Tommy Banks. At age 17,
Ron traveled to Toronto for an extensive study period with Oscar Peterson at the
Advanced School of Contemporary Music. Inspired by Oscar and Bill Evans, Ron
continues to be moved by the current crop of Jazz greats such as: Kenny Barron,
Fred Hersch, Renee Rosnes and Cedar Walton. Pianistically, Ron is noted for his
beautiful chord voicings, his touch and his impeccable time. Always in great
demand as an accompanist and brilliant soloist, Ron is also a dynamic and
prolific composer. He was one of the original members of the West Coast Jazz
sextet, Pacific Salt. He currently lives in Vancouver, BC where he performs with
his trio, and with long-time friends Ian McDougall and Oliver Gannon in the Ian
McDougall Quartet. He also works with his own quartet, 'The Johnston-Stafford
Quartet' (JSQ). He works and records with musicians and vocalists like: Guido
Basso, Moe Koffman, Dee Daniels, George Robert, Clark Terry, June Katz, Joani
Taylor and Paul Horn, (with whom he toured for seven years). His composition,
Sixth Sense, has been recorded by the Boss Brass, on the CD 'Even Canadians
Get the Blues', and the Ian McDougall Quartet, 'The Warmth of the Horn', on
Concord records. He can also be heard on two recent albums, 'Songs' with Ian
McDougall, Summit Records, and 'In Sonny's Shadow', Dylan Cramer.
Discography: Pacific Salt, Pacific Salt Live, Three, RIO, The Warmth of the Horn,
Songs, In Sonny's Shadow.

Rosnes, Renee

She's been enjoying as dynamic a career a jazz artist could hope to have. Renee
Rosnes has firmly established herself as a performer, composer and arranger of
note, having paid her dues backing a stellar cast of jazz greats, as well as
undertaking significant projects with her own acclaimed groups. Her new EMI
Music Canada/Blue Note release, As We Are Now, is not only beautiful musical
testimony to the fact, but as jazz writer Gene Seymour praises in his liner notes,
it's "a major advance in a career that has been collecting glory and respect at a
steady, accelerating rate." When first receiving attention on a worldwide scale as
a promising jazz artist a decade ago, Renee's biggest compliments were from
several masters who sought her out to perform with their groups, They included,
among others, Joe Henderson, J.J. Johnson, James Moody, and Jon Faddis.
She gained invaluable experience watching great leaders work. Rosnes toured
the world with them, building on an already solid musical foundation she made
for herself in her native Canada. She came to New York, thanks to a grant from
the Canada Council of the Arts in 1986, never imagining she would have such an
impact on the scene Her profile immediately ascended to a high level, as she
performed before audiences at virtually all the major festivals and clubs of world.
In between tours as a sideman, Renee assembled complementary units to play
her own music and kept a busy performance schedule as a leader. Renee's
recording history as a leader began with Toshiba-EMI in 1989 with the release
Renee Rosnes. It featured Herbie Hancock in a striking two-piano duet with
Renee and Branford Marsalis performed on several tracks. On her second effort,
For The Moment (Toshiba-EMI), Joe Henderson put in a guest appearance,
showing his support for the career of his pianist-of-choice of several years. The
recording garnered a Canadian Juno Award in 1991. Without Words (Toshiba-
EMI) showcased Renee's trio performing classic jazz works, lushly supported
with arrangements for string orchestra. It was named "Best Jazz Album of the
Year" by Canada's Jazz Report and voted one of USA Today's "Top Ten" in 1993.
Joining forces on her first recording for EMI Music Canada, Ancestors, were Al
Foster (drums), Don Alias (percussion), Peter Washington (bass), Nicholas
Payton (trumpet) and Chris Potter (saxophones). The six performed provocative
new Rosnes compositions and arrangements on the release, hich, in March
1997, earned Renee her third coveted Juno Award (Best Mainstream Jazz
Recording). Her strength and versatility as a leader, composer and arranger are
evident again in her new recording, which bears Renee's inimitable stamp -- from
the thoughtfully chosen musicians to the innovative compositions and equally
inventive arrangements. As We Are Now finds Renee, drummer Jack
DeJohnette, bassist Christian McBride and saxophonist Potter exploring the
deepest reaches of six Rosnes compositions written expressly for this date, and
three others: Tony Williams' "Pee Wee" (a tribute to the great drummer whose
untimely death at age 51, occurred two short weeks before this recording), Walt
Weiskopfs "Non-Fiction" (by an admired composer whose works Renee has
included on past recordings), and Potter's own "Absinthe". Renee considers it her
strongest outing to date, acknowledging her collaborators' significant roles in the
end product. "My own modesty aside, I think I picked the best possible
combination of players for this music." Although Renee and Jack DeJohnette
played together only once, when Jack sat in with Joe Henderson's band in Paris
in the late 80's, Renee has always looked for an opportunity to do it again. She
says of Jack: "He's one of the most creative and musical drummers. His
approach to the music is swinging, loose and full of surprises -- all of which I
found very empowering." Christian McBride, a young, yet widely regarded master
on his instrument, is known for his great intuitive abilities. He proves it with
finesse on this recording -- his first with Renee -- and she couldn't have been
more pleased with the results: "He interpreted my compositions the way I
envisioned them, bringing his own personality and verve into it at the same time
-- the mark of a great musician." Christian and Chris Potter shared many late-
night sets with Renee Rosnes at the now-defunct and sorely missed Manhattan
jazz room, Bradley's, so their compatibility was a known factor going in. Chris has
been a member of Renee's quartet for a few years and performed on her last
record. "/ composed the quartet selections for this record with Chris Potter's
concept and sound in mind, and the result is wonderful. Chris is incredibly
consistent in the studio, and his soloing is equally inventive from take to take,
which is no easy task." Renee's career continues to enjoy ever-broadening
experience and exposure. Add to her list of notable associations and awards in
recent years, recordings and performances with Bobby Hutcherson, Wayne
Shorter; being voted Acoustic Pianist of the Year (1994) by Canada's Jazz
Report; and a CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company) television documentary of
her career. In May of 1997, Wynton Marsalis invited Renee to join the Lincoln
Center Jazz Orchestra in a triumphant concert of Duke Ellington's international
suites. Renee is also a regular member of the acclaimed Carnegie Hall Jazz
Band, under the direction of Jon Faddis, and she performed on the band's debut
recording for Blue Note. Her composing has also received deserved attention.
J.J. Johnson chose Renee's "Malaga Moon" (from For the Moment) for his
Grammy-winning recording Tanaence (PolyGram, 1996). The Carnegie Hall band
commissioned Renee to arrange "Malaga Moon" for jazz orchestra, and the work
is now a part of its repertoire, as well. Wynton Marsalis' "Jazz At Lincoln Center"
program commissioned her to compose a piece and perform it live at that
prestigious venue. Those who missed the concert needn't worry, however;
"Abstraction Blues (For Georgia O'Keeffe)" is featured on As We Are Now. It's
clear that she's not just regarded as a great player any longer. Renee is, as
Seymour aptly observes, "as dynamic and ingenious a leader as any
instrumentalist in jazz music." If anybody is not yet convinced that there is more
to Renee Rosnes, As We Are Now will eliminate any doubt that she is a
formidable contributor to the modern jazz repertoire and a skilled band leader.

Turner, Brad

Brad Turner is one of Canada's most exciting young jazz musicians and is known
both nationally and internationally as an accomplished pianist, trumpeter,
composer / arranger and educator. A graduate with honors from the University of
North Texas' Masters Program in Jazz Studies, Brad has studied with such artists
as Joe Lovano, Wynton Marsalis and Victor Lewis. He has appeared in
performance with such artists as Oliver Jones, Joe Lovano, Victor Lewis, Steve
Allen, Doc Severinson, Eric Reed, Joe Williams, Freddie Hubbard, Ranee Lee,
Mike Murley and Ingrid Jensen. Brad's groups have opened for Oscar Peterson,
Clark Terry, Terence Blanchard, John Scofield, and McCoy Tyner, and have
performed at the Paris, Montreal, Dallas and Fort Worth jazz festivals, as well as
all of the festivals on the Westcan circuit. Recently, Brad has been on faculty at
the University of North Texas, and currently is a faculty member at Capilano
College in North Vancouver, B.C.

Barron, Kenny

Kenny Barron was born in Philidelphia on June 9, 1943 and began studying
piano at the age of 12 with pianist Ray Bryant's sister. Barron's professional
career began in 1957 when he joined Mel Melvin's orchestra, a gig he shared
with his older brother and saxophonist Bill Barron. He moved to New York in
1961, and he was soon playing with renowned musicians such as James Moody,
Lee Morgan, Roy Haynes, and Lou Donaldson. James Moody was taken by the
young pianist, and he recommended Barron to Dizzy Gillespie as a replacement
for Lalo Schifrin. After playing with Gillespie's band for four years, Barron teamed
up with Freddie Hubbard and then later with Yusef Lateef, whom he had played
with briefly back in 1960 in Detroit. In 1976 Barron began playing with the Ron
Carter quartet and remained there until 1980. Barron co-founded the band
Sphere in 1989 with saxophonist Charlie Rouse, which included Buster Williams
on bass and Ben Riley on drums. In addition to his dynamic performing career,
Barron has been a professor at Rutgers University since 1973.

Brown, Donald

Like his friend and fellow Memphian, James Williams, whom he replaced as
pianist in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Brown is a noted composer, educator,
and recording artist. After teaching at Berklee for 5 years, Donald moved to
Knoxville where he continued his teaching career at the University of Tennessee.
An active composer throughout the 1980s, his work, including contemporary
standards like "Affaire D'Amour," "New York," and "The Insane Asylum," have
been recorded by Wynton Marsalis, Art Blakey, Art Farmer, Donald Byrd,
Mulgrew Miller, T.S. Monk, and many others.

Corea, Chick

Armando Anthony Corea was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts on June 12, 1941.
A precocious child, Corea began studying the piano at the age of four and later
percussion when he was only eight. His potential as a musician was unbounded,
and by the age of seventeen he had moved to New York, playing with prominent
musicians such as Maynard Ferguson, Kenny Dorham, and Stan Getz. Corea's
early influences were an eclectic mix, with jazz legends like Charlie Parker,
Thelonious Monk, and Horace Silver; classical masters such as Beethoven and
Mozart; and Latin musicians like Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, and Cal Tjader.
By 1968, Corea had established himself as an inimitable pianist, as well as a
provocative and fresh composer. He joined the Miles Davis band that same year
and was soon internationally recognized as one of the leading players of the day.
He appeared with the Miles Davis band on such classic recordings as "Filles De
Kilimanjaro", "In A Silent Way", and "Bitches Brew." After leaving the Miles Davis
band, Corea and bassist Dave Holland formed the avant-garde ensemble Circle.
The ensemble toured the United States and Europe, and recorded two studio
albums and a live record in Paris. Shortly before Circle dissolved, Corea
recorded two introspective albums, Piano Improvisations Vols. I & II. Corea
joined with Stanley Clark, Flora Purim, Joe Farrell, and Airto Moreira to form the
landmark band Return to Forever in 1972. The music was a vibrant, eclectic mix
of jazz and rock, with a strong Latin influence, especially in the later recordings.
After enduring several personnel changes, Return to Forever broke up in 1990.
The 1980s saw a resurgence of some of Corea's earlier influences. In 1984, he
recorded Mozart's concerto for two pianos, and he later collaborated with Bobby
McFerrin and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra to create "The Mozart
Sessions" for Sony Classical. Corea also returned to an electric platform with the
enormously successful Chick Corea Elektric Band, featuring John Patitucci on
bass, Dave Weckl on drums, and later Frank Gambale on guitar, and Eric
Marienthal on sax.

Evans, Bill

William John Evans was born August 16, 1929 in Plainfield, New Jersey and died
on September 15, 1980. Evans' musical studies began with the violin but he was
more captivated by the piano, watching his older brother Harry's piano lessons
from a distance and then practicing them later by ear. Evans is considered to be
the next major innovative and influential jazz pianist after Bud Powell. His unique
style of lush piano voicings, played with a sensitive, introspective touch, and
lyrical, melodic improvisations has been adopted by countless pianists. Evans
made his first solo recording in 1956. He joined the Miles Davis Sextet in 1959 as
a replacement for Red Garland; however, his tenure with Davis only lasted eight
months, after which he left the sextet to form his own trio, which included Scott
LaFaro on bass, and Paul Motian on drums. LaFaro was well suited to Evans'
musical persona, his playing was known for its lyricism and harmonic interplay.
Evans wanted the trio to "grow in the direction of simultaneous improvisation
rather than one guy blowing followed by another guy blowing. If the bass player,
for example, hears an idea that he wants to answer, why should he just keep
playing 4/4 in the background? The men I'll work with [will] have learned how to
do the regular kind of playing and so I think we now have the license to change it.
Especially, I want my work (and the trio's if possible) to sing." The trio's initial
recordings, such as "The Village Vanguard Sessions," are evidence of Evans'
commitment to this ethos. Evans liked to explore the more impressionistic
aspects of the piano, as exemplified on "Conversations with Myself," on which he
overdubbed several tracks. He could reach deep into the music and himself,
hypnotically leading the listener to places unknown. As an example, his solo
rendition of "Never Let Me Go" is a particularly reflective and poignant
performance, which occupies an entire side of the record "Alone". Evans
received numerous awards, including five Grammys for the albums
Conversations with Myself (1963), Live at Montreux (1968), Alone (1970), and
The Bill Evans Album (1971). Discography: (In addition to the above); The Village
Vanguard Sessions; Intuition; Montreux II; Peace Piece and Other Pieces; Kind
of Blue; Undercurrent; New Conversations With Myself; The Tokyo Concert.

Green, Benny

Born in New York on April 4, 1963, Benny Green began studying music at the
age of seven and was later introduced to jazz by his father. His family moved to
Berkeley, California while he was still a child, and he spent his teenage years
studying with pianists Ed Kelly, Bill Bell, Dick Whittington, and Smith Dobson. In
1983 Green moved back to New York where he continued his jazz studies with
Walter Bishop and Walter Davis. His career as a pianist began to take off as well,
with the beginning of a four-year association with vocalist Betty Carter, in addition
to frequent gigs with saxophonist Bobby Watson. Green joined Art Blakey's Jazz
Messengers in 1987, the traditional training ground for rising jazz musicians,
bringing him well deserved international recognition and acclaim from fans and
musicians alike. He continued playing with some of the most famous names in
jazz, including Freddie Hubbard from 1989-92 and the Ray Brown Trio beginning
in 1992. In June of 1993, Oscar Peterson was awarded the distinguished Glenn
Gould award, and he named Green as his choice for the Glenn Gould
International Protege Prize in Music and Communication. In that same year,
Green was named Pianist of the year in the Jazz Times Readers Poll.

Hancock, Herbie

Herbie Hancock was born on April 12, 1940 in Chicago, Illinois. He began his
musical studies early, at the age of 7, and he performed Mozart's D Major Piano
Concerto with the Chicago Symphony when he was only 11. Throughout his
childhood, Hancock's parents had encouraged him to study classical music, but
when he began attending high school his attention began to shift towards jazz
and other musical genres. After graduating from high school, Hancock went to
Grinnel College to study electronics, but during his second year he changed his
major to music, and he later graduated with a degree in music composition. He
then moved to New York in 1961 with trumpeter Donald Byrd, and it wasn't long
before he was working with names like Phil Woods and Oliver Nelson. Hancock's
true arrival on the jazz scene came with the release of his debut album, Taking
Off, which featured the enormously successful top-10 hit 'Watermelon Man.'
Hancock's rising popularity soon attracted the attention of Miles Davis, and he
persuaded Hancock to join the Miles Davis quintet in 1963. While playing with
Davis' quintet, Hancock was introduced to the sounds of funk music, in particular
the music of James Brown and Sly Stone. This melting pot of musical styles had
a profound influence on Hancock, and he was particularly taken by the ostinato
rhythms he heard in funk music. In 1973 he released the album 'Headhunters,'
which featured predominantly electronic instruments, and was his first recording
using synthesizers . Headhunters quickly became the best selling jazz album in
history with the hit single 'Chameleon,' and the album helped catapult Hancock
into the realm of jazz superstars. In 1977 Hancock reunited with his former Miles
Davis bandmates and formed the group VSOP, with Freddie Hubbard taking over
the trumpet chair. Always the well-rounded musician, Hancock diversified his
interests throughout the 1980s. In 1983 he won a Grammy award for best R&B
instrumental with the tune 'RockIt' from his Future Shock album. Hancock also
began making soundtracks for films like 'Colors' and 'A Soldier's Story,' and in
1987 he won an Oscar for his scoring of the film 'Round Midnight. 'Hancock lives
in California, and he continues to maintain an active performance and recording
schedule playing with his trio or quartet and touring with jazz artists such as
Wynton Marsalis, Pat Metheny and his close friend, Wayne Shorter. Discography:
Maiden Voyage; Speak Like a Child; V.S.O.P.: The Quintet; Head Hunters. (With
Miles) E.S.P.; Miles Smiles; My Funny Valentine.
Hays, Kevin

Born in New York City in 1968, Kevin Hays grew up just north of the border in
Connecticut. Making frequent late night forays into Manhattan as a teenager,
Hays visited the many jazz clubs in the city. He began sitting in on after hours
jam sessions (often needing to slip through the door without the bouncer oticing
his underage status). At age 18 he began working with baritone saxophone great
Nick Brignola, and at age 22 he joined The Harper Brothers Band. Since then, he
has toured and recorded with an impressive roster of jazz talent including:
Joshua Redman, Benny Golson, Eddie Henderson, Donald Harrison, Roy
Haynes and Joe Henderson. In 1995-96, his role as Sonny Rollins' pianist
afforded him a high profile in the jazz world. Most recently he has been a touring
member of the John Scofield Group. This is not the first time he has worked with
Bob Belden. He has appeared on no less than seven of Belden's recordings.
Featuring five of his own compositions, Andalucia also finds Hays choosing some
more familiar material to explore. Perhaps one of the most remarkable things
about Hays has to do with his attitude and approach to music. "I don't think I've
listened to a jazz record for about five years," says Hays. "At a certain point I felt
the need to look (and listen) inward. As a result, I found myself connecting more
to what I was playing." If jazz isn't what you'll find coursing through his home
studio monitors, what does Mr. Hays listen to? "Some things I can't get off my CD
player are Roberta Flack's First Take, which, incidentally, includes some great
Ron Carter playing; any Stevie Wonder, and quite a bit of 20th century classical
music: Berg, Stravinsky and Bartok. And how 'bout that Beck?!...."

Hope, Elmo

Elmo Hope was born in 1923 and died in 1967. Hope was a classically trained
pianist whose technique rivaled even that of his childhood friend Bud Powell. As
a composer whose inventiveness and complexity approaches that of Thelonious
Monk, Hope is now beginning to receive the recognition he so richly deserves,
thanks in part to recent reissues of his work and the efforts of his widow Bertha
Hope. Although his career was marred with problems of drug abuse, he recorded
several albums as leader with John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, Blue Mitchell,
Frank Foster, and Jimmy Heath. His compositions have been recorded by such
jazz greats as Clifford Brown, Art Blakey, Charlie Rouse, James Spaulding, Lou
Donaldson, Harold Land, T.S. Monk, and Ralph Moore.

Jarrett, Keith

Keith Jarrett was born on May 8, 1945 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He began

studying the piano at the age of 3, and he performed regularly throughout his
childhood, with appearances at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia and at
Madison Square Gardens. At the age of 17, he was given the opportunity to
study composition with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, but instead he chose to study
jazz at the Berklee School of Music in Boston with Ray Santisi whose playing he
admired. After leaving Berklee he moved to New York, where he joined Art
Blakey's Jazz Messengers in 1965. The following year he left the Jazz
Messengers and joined the Charles Lloyd quartet. Jarrett toured extensively with
Lloyd and recorded a triumphant performance in 1966 at the Monterey Jazz
Festival, which was later released under the title "Forest Flower." By the end of
the 1960s, Jarrett had developed for himself a unique sense of style. In 1970 he
joined Miles Davis' band playing electric piano and in 1971 he recorded the
double album 'Expectations' for CBS. Jarrett also recorded the albums 'Live Evil'
and 'Miles Davis at Fillmore' during this period. Jarrett's solo albums 'The Koln
Concert,' 'Bremen,' and 'Lausanne' were recorded in 1971 on ECM. They were
milestone albums at the time which featured Jarrett's marathon improvisations
over entire sets without any stopping. The music was approachable and
romantic, and these records gained Jarrett a worldwide host of new fans. After
the electric and synthesizer sounds of the 1970s, Jarrett's solo concert albums
created a market for the sound of the grand piano once again. More recently, he
has teamed up with bassist Gary Peacock and his old drummer friend Jack
DeJohnette to produce a series of recordings of jazz standards. This marks a
distinctive break from the long period of solo concerts which were starting to
become a little overbearing and self-indulgent. These trio albums raised the art of
the jazz trio to the level of onsistency not heard of since Bill Evans. Discography:
Charles Lloyd, Dream Weaver - Atlantic; Miles Davis, Live/Evil - Columbia/CBS;
Miles Davis, At Fillmore - Columbia/CBS; Facing You - ECM; The Koln Concert -
ECM; Solo - Concerts, Bremen & Lausanne, ECM; In The Night - ECM;
Luminescence - ECM; Arbour Zena - ECM; Ruta & Daitya - ECM; Belonging -
ECM; Expectations - Columbia; Fort Yawuh - Impulse; Treasure Island - Impulse;
Birth - Atlantic; Death and the Flower - Impulse; Backhand - Impulse; Mysteries -
Impulse; Shades - Impulse; Staircase - ECM.

King, Johnny

After receiving his BA and JD degrees from Harvard University, King, like fellow
alumnus Joshua Redman (who is featured on Johnny's recordings on Enja and
Criss-Cross), decided he preferred solos to sidebars. His swinging, yet complex
works have been recorded by Billy Pierce, Billy Drummond, and many others.

Keezer, Geoff

Geoff Keezer studied piano at the University of Wisconsin and then later at
Berklee on a full scholarship. He completed his jazz education as pianist with Art
Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Already an in-demand jazz veteran, Keezer recorded
his first solo album when he was only 17. He has recorded with Art Blakey, Dizzy
Gillespie, Art Farmer, Roy Hargrove, and James Williams.

Kuhn, Steve
Born in Brooklyn in 1938, Kuhn first made a name for himself in the mid-1950s in
Boston, where he accompanied a wide range of visiting jazz players including
Coleman Hawkins, Chet Baker and Vic Dickenson. This was a crucial part of his
musical education, as was his daytime study with renowned teacher Margaret
Chaloff, who schooled him in the so-called "Russian technique," which he has
always held to be an invaluable tool for tone production and projection on the
piano. After graduating from Harvard, where he majored in music, he attended
the Lenox School of Music at a particularly adventitious time. The faculty then
included Bill Evans, George Russell and Gunther Schuller, and amongst Kuhn's
fellow students were Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Gary McFarland and Freddie
Hubbard. While at Lenox he met Kenny Dorham and began a fruitful
collaboration, interrupted when Kuhn was asked to join John Coltrane's newly-
formed quartet. In 1961, Scott LaFaro brought Steve Kuhn into Stan Getz's band,
and the virtuoso bassist and virtuoso pianist planned a group of their own.
LaFaro's untimely death put a stop to this idea. Through the early and mid 60s
much of Kuhn's work was with Art Farmer and Gary McFarland. Farmer's rhythm
section of Pete La Roca and Steve Swallow became, simultaneously, two-thirds
of the Kuhn Trio for the pianist's first recordings as a leader, while the association
with McFarland led to the critically acclaimed collaborative album October Suite
in 1967.Between 1967 and 1971, Kuhn lived in Sweden. When he returned to
America anew generation of pianists - Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea and Herbie
Hancock among them - was in the ascendant. Critics have often speculated that,
had Kuhn stayed in the States, he would have achieved a greater degree of
public recognition. Be that as it may, the fact remains that Kuhn has been
regarded as a "musician's musician" his entire performing life: he has always had
the respect of his peers. His ECM recordings of the 70s variously featured Kuhn
solo, with Jack DeJohnette and Steve Swallow, and with the group he called
Ecstasy (featuring the saxophones of Steve Slagle). At the decade's end he co-
founded a group with singer Sheila Jordan which made studio and jazz club
recordings for ECM. In the last decade, Kuhn has recorded primarily for the Jazz
City and Concord labels (his contribution to the latter's Maybeck Recital Hall solo
piano series was lauded both by the critics and by fellow pianists). He was,
however, featured as a soloist on the(ECM-distributed) XtraWatt label, in the
context of a Steve Swallow album, in1991(Swallow, XtraWatt 6).

Kelly, Wynton

Wynton Kelly was born in Jamaica on December 2, 1931. He died in Toronto,

Canada on April 12, 1971. Wynton's family moved to the U.S. when he was four
years old. He played with Eddie Davis in the 40's. He accompanied Dinah
Washington and played with Dizzy Gillespie before and after his military service
from 1952 - '54. He formed his own trio in '58 and played with Miles Davis from
'59 - '63 replacing pianist Red Garland. His playing always had a very natural,
rhythmical groove and he excelled in his blues playing. Wynton had the ability to
compose a seemingly endless stream of melodic ideas "on the fly" for chorus
after chorus. He began to record under his own name in 1951 and his complete
Blue Note sessions have been issued in Japan as "Piano Interpretations by
Wynton Kelly". After he left Miles Davis he lead a trio with Paul Chambers and
Jimmy Cobb. This trio regularly teamed up with Wes Montgomery, in fact most
Wes fans would agree that this was one of the best formats for Wes' playing.
"Undiluted, Smokin' at the Half Note" (with Wes) was one of his great albums in
the 63' to 65' period, (try to obtain the original quartet version without the added
strings, if possible, available on a Japanese release.) His trio rendition of Tad
Dameron's "If You Could See Me Now" is a classic. Discography: "New Faces,
New Sounds", Bluenote - 1951; "Piano Interpretations by Wynton Kelly"; "Kelly
Blue '59"; "Kelly Great" and "Kelly at Midnight"; "Wynton Kelly"; "Undiluted,
Smokin' at the Half Note"; "Blues on Purpose"; "Full View"; "In Concert".

Kirkland, Kenny

Kenny Kirkland was born in 1957 in Brooklyn, New York. A creative and
competent pianist, Kirkland began his piano studies at the age of six. He was
later educated at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied classical
piano, theory, and composition. Kirkland's early influences were the legendary
Kenny Barron, Herbie Hancock, and Larry Willis of Blood, Sweat, and Tears. In
1977 he toured Europe with Michal Urbaniak, playing keyboards, and then later
he teamed-up with Angelo Bofill and Don Alias. Kirkland met Wynton Marsalis in
1982 and toured extensively and recorded a couple of albums with the young
traditionalist. From 1985-6 he was a member of Sting's much touted band,
recording on the best-selling 'Dream of the Blue Turtles' album and then
embarking on a marathon world tour. Kirkland has performed with many artists,
including Miroslav Vitous, Angela Bofill, John Scofield, Chico Hamilton, Chico
Freeman, David Liebman, Dewy Redman, Carla Bley.

Mathews, Ronnie

An alumnus of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Mathews is currently the pianist for
the T.S. Monk Sextet, which has featured many of his compositions, and he has
also made several albums as a leader. He studied piano, theory, and composition
at the Manhattan School of Music. During the 1960s he played and recorded with
Kenny Dorham and Roy Haynes, and he had lengthy associations with Max
Roach and Freddie Hubbard. In the 1970s he worked with Louis Hayes, Clark
Terry, Dexter Gordon, and Johnny Griffin. In the 1980s he toured with Dizzy
Gillespie's U.N. band.

Mehldau, Brad

Brad Mehldau's career began, as did many jazz pianists today, with heavy
classical training long before he was exposed to jazz. He started experimenting
with the piano when he was just four and began taking lessons when he was six,
continuing until he was fourteen. He then attended Hartford, Connecticut's Hall
High School and played in its jazz band. A perennial winner of the Berklee School
of Music's High School competition, he subsequently studied there and won its
"Best All Around Musician" award while in his junior year. Brad continued his
education at the prestigious New School For Social Research in Manhattan as
part of the Jazz and Contemporary Music Program. While there, he studied with
such notable jazz pianists as Junior Mance, Kenny Werner, and Fred Hersch. He
took a class devoted to rhythmic development from noted percussionist Jimmy
Cobb, and along with fellow student Peter Bernstein, he ended up playing gigs
with their teacher in a quartet called Cobb's Mob. Through his associations with
other students, Brad began to tour the U.S. and Europe in various configurations,
recording a number of other albums as a sideman, including Christopher
Hollyday's 'The Natural Moment,' Jesse Davis' 'Young At Heart,' and his own
Mehldau /Rossy Trio's Fresh Sounds recording 'When I Fall In Love.' Brad's first
major international exposure came as a member of the Joshua Redman Quartet,
with which he recorded MoodSwing (Warner Records) and toured the US and
Europe for a year and a half. In 1995 Brad released his debut album as a leader
for Warner Records, titled appropriately, 'Introducing Brad Mehldau.' Chicago
Tribune wrote that it was ". . . a recording that achieves its most vivid moments
when Mehldau is playing original compositions. The elliptical lines, volatile
rhythmic figures and unexpected bursts of color and dissonance . . . proves that
Mehldau writes as cleverly as he plays. The originality of these compositions is
startling to behold." Brad's second Warner album, 'Art of the Trio, Vol. 1,' was
released in February, 1997 to almost instant critical acclaim. Down Beat's 4 1/2
star review stated ". . . he never displays chops for their own sake but moves
among time signatures and ambiguous progressions of chords and liberated
tonalities in order to craft brilliant fragments into wholes." At his Village Vanguard
debut coinciding with the release of the album the New York Times commented,
"Mr. Mehldau, who spent most of the hour with eyes closed and head crooked
into his chest like a sleeping bird, reached into the subconscious and took the
songs at a run, re-arranging all the accents of the melodies; his song-like
improvisations took off from those jumbled rhythms." Brad's classical training
informs more than just his astonishing technique. Speaking of "Young Werther" a
composition on 'Introducing,' he observed that it "came about as a result of
studying a lot of the contrapuntal aspects of classical music. I tried to get away
from just a one-note melody and a chord under it, and tried to explore the
relationships between several notes moving independently. The whole tune is
based on four notes in different configurations. The idea of generating a whole
composition from a small amount of thematic material is a very alluring to me,
and resulted from studying the compositions of great classical composers like
Beethoven and Brahms. After completing the composition, I realized that I had
unconsciously taken the four-note motif from a Brahms Piano Capriccio." In
addition to Brahms, Mehldau cites Schubert, Beethoven and Schumann as some
of his influences. On the jazz side, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly,
McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, and Keith Jarrett round out the list with Miles
Davis and John Coltrane getting more than a nod for their contribution to his
musical philosophy. More than one critic has commented that Brad's posture at
the piano recalls the late Bill Evans, but rather than modeling himself after Bill,
Brad shares with him as well as the late Glenn Gould an almost Zen-like desire
to become one with the piano, to merge with it and eliminate the physical
separation. In 1997 Brad Mehldau is planning on extensive tours of the US and
Europe as well as Japan. His next Art of the Trio will be recorded live at the
Village Vanguard in New York, and a live recording with Lee Konitz and Charlie
Haden will be released on Blue Note.

Miller, Mulgrew

Mulgrew Miller was born in Greenwood, Mississippi on August 13, 1955. As a

teenager Miller played extensively with local gospel and R&B bands, and he later
studied music at Memphis State University. During the late 1970s, he toured with
the Mercer Ellington Band, and in 1980 he began playing regularly with Benny
Carter. From 1983-86 Miller was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and
then later he worked with the Tony Williams quintet. In addition to his well-
rounded performance career, Miller is a much sought after session musician.

Monk, Thelonious

Thelonious Sphere Monk was born in North Carolina on October 10, 1918. He
died on February 17, 1982. In the early 40's, Monk (along with Dizzy Gillespie
and Charlie Parker) was one of the original founders of the Bebop movement.
Pianistically he comes from the stride style of James P. Johnson and Duke
Ellington. Where as most of the bebop players were playing lines that had a
melodic curve, Monk's lines had sharp angles. His improvisation, spare and
choppy like his composing was always provocative. Although he played in bands
with Dizzy Gillespie and with Coleman Hawkins, most of Monk's work was as a
soloist or as the leader of small groups, usually quartets which featured such
tenor players as Johnny Griffin, Charlie Rouse and John Coltrane. As a
composer he contributed numerous pieces that are still standards in the jazz
repertoire. Among them are "Round Midnight", "Ruby My Dear" "In Walked Bud",
"Well You Needn't", "I Mean You", "Epistrophy" and "Straight No Chaser." Miles
Davis said of him; "Man, Monk taught me more about music than anyone else on
52nd Street". In 1964 he made the cover of Time Magazine. In the late 50's,
Monk performed with his quartet (usually featuring John Coltrane) for about two
years at the Five Spot in New York City. The club was always full, due in part to
Monk's funny hats, dark glasses and his eccentric stage mannerisms (such as
dancing trance-like in circles during Trane's solos). His harmonic manipulations
stretched the boundaries of conventional jazz tonality. Monk could take an old
standard like "Tea for Two" or "Just a Gigolo" and totally revitalize it by using his
regular musical devices; re-harmonizing the chord structure, applying unusual
intervals, dissonance, tri-tone substitutions and rhythmic displacement. Bill Evans
wrote that Thelonius Monk is "an exceptional uncorrupted creative talent. Make
no mistake, this man knows exactly what he is doing in a theoretical way... We
can be further grateful to him for combining aptitude, insight, drive, compassion,
fantasy and whatever else makes the "total artist" ...in an age of insurmountable
conformist pressures." In the 70's, his appearances became more and more
infrequent due to an illness which seemed to affect his mental state. He became
more and more withdrawn until his death in 1982 with his wife Nellie at his side. A
feature documentary "Straight, No Chaser" produced by Clint Eastwood and
available in video stores is one of the best movie treatments of jazz to date.
Discography: Complete Genius (1947-52); High Priest (1963-64); Pure Monk; In
Person; The Riverside Trios; At The Five Spot; Thelonius Monk: The Complete
Genius (1047 - 1952); Monk/Trane;

O'Farrill, Chico

Born and raised in Havana, Afro-Cuban jazz legend Chico O'Farrill moved to
New York in 1947, and wrote charts for Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Machito,
Mario Bauza, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie, including Under current Blues
(recorded by Goodman), Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite (recorded by Machito and
Charlie Parker), and Manteca Suite (recorded by Dizzy Gillespie). He later
served as staff writer for the Count Basie Orchestra. Chico is much in demand as
a composer of jingles and scores for film, radio, and television, and he continues
to write in a variety of classical and jazz styles, and has even written
arrangements for David Bowie's Black Tie White Noise. With feature articles in
the December 1995 issues of both Downbeat and Jazz Times magazines, a
recent Lincoln Center retrospective of his works (including the premiere of his
Trumpet Fantasy performed by Wynton Marsalis) and a brand new album
featuring his big band charts, O'Farrill shows no signs of slowing down.

Silver, Horace

Horace Silver was Born in 1928. Pianist and composer, Horace began as a Bud
Powell disciple like many others of his generation. After a stint with the Stan Getz
Quartet he began to develop his own influential style. Along with drummer Art
Blakey, he co-founded The Jazz Messengers which featured a hard-bopping fire
and brimstone attack. In the 50's he wrote tunes for The Jazz Messengers such
as: Quicksilver, Doodlin', Cookin' at the Continental, Nica's Dream, and in
particular, The Preacher which started a trend towards "Soul" and a funky mixture
of Gospel and Blues over a simple backbeat which emulated a call and response
pattern along the lines of that between a preacher and his congregation. Early
albums by The Jazz Messengers such as: A Night at Birdland, At the Cafe
Bohemia and Horace Silver & the Jazz Messengers were all excellent. In 1956
Horace left the group to form his own Quintet which has included over the years,
tenor men Junior Cook, Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson and Bob Berg -
trumpeters, Woody Shaw, Blue Mitchell, Art Farmer and Tom Harrell - and
drummer Louis Hayes. Pianistically, he has a percussive, blues-based approach.
His accompaniment is almost perfect in it's answering of the horn statements. He
favors an "on top of the beat", "no messin' around" approach and always swings.
Aside from the above mentioned tunes, some of his other well-known
compositions include: Song for my Father, Filthy McNasty, Senor Blues, The
Cape Verdean Blues, Peace, The Jody Grind, Nutville and Sister Sadie.
Discography: (with The Jazz Messengers), A Night at Birdland, At the Cafe
Bohemia, Horace Silver & The Jazz Messengers; The Stylings of Silver; Silver's
Serenade; Doin' The Thing; Six Pieces Of Silver; Song For My Father; The Cape
Verdean Blues and Silver & Wood.

Terrason, Jacky

Jacky Terrason was born in Berlin, in 1965 and was raised in Paris from the age
of 2. He began playing piano at five and took classical lessons exclusively until
the age of twelve. After discovering the sounds and sensibilities of Duke
Ellington, Billie Holiday, Nat "King" Cole and other jazz greats in his mother's
record collection (she's a Black American from the south), he was drawn to the
music's "freedom of expression in improvisation." Soon thereafter, he started
studying jazz with Jeff Gardner, an expatriate American who introduced
Terrasson to the basics of jazz piano. An artist of Jacky Terrasson's caliber
comes along maybe once a generation. His piano playing is influenced by the
greats of yesteryear such as Art Tatum, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Bill
Evans as well as today's giants like Keith Jarrett and Herbie Hancock. But unlike
many artistic journeymen, Terrasson has defined his own style and voice and has
the potential to join the pantheon of jazz greats. After working with artists like
vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, Terrasson moved to New York City in 1990 and
was soon working with the likes of Arthur Taylor, followed by Betty Carter. In 1995
he recorded his trio's first date under Blue Note, titled Jacky Terrasson. The
group's fluid stylistic approach is as much influenced by mid-sixties Miles Davis
quintet groups as by the classic trio approach of Ahmad Jamal. The trio took off
on a whirlwind national and international tour, playing 150 dates. This was a
ground-breaking period for Terrasson as a leader. The trio recorded their second
Blue Note release, Reach, where once again, Terrasson provides some
unexpected and fresh interpretations of standards, and reveals more of his
compositional personality through five originals.

Timmons, Bobby

Bobby Timmons was heavily influenced by gospel and blues music, and he is
best known as the writer of such soul-jazz classics as "Moanin'," "This Here," and
"Dat Dere." After playing with Kenny Dorham, Chet Baker, Sonny Stitt, Maynard
Ferguson, and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Timmons recorded several albums
on Riverside in the early 1960s. His compositions have been recorded by Art
Blakey, John Coltrane, Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Smith, Wynton Marsalis, Quincy
Jones, Sarah Vaughn, Wes Montgomery and many others.

Tyner, McCoy

Alfred "McCoy" Tyner was born in Philadelphia on December 11, 1938. He is one
of the most influential performers of the post-bop era, and he is well known for
his singular interpretations, flowing keyboard improvisations, sensitivity, and
commitment to jazz and to the spirit. Tyner was born into a musical background,
and he later studied music in college. In 1959 he began playing with Art Farmer
and Benny Golson, and the following year he joined the John Coltrane Quartet
and became an integral part of that historic and ground breaking group. Together
with drummer Elvin Jones and bassist Jimmy Garrison, he contributed greatly to
the distinctive sound of Coltrane's quartet. Tyner's unique pianist style
incorporates fluid, left-hand three-note voicings in fourths which move in parallel
motion and are often played over a low, thunderous pedal notes in fifths. His
approach to the piano is percussive, with both hands working in a rhythmical
juxtaposition. His comping figures, in combination with the fiery drumming of
Elvin Jones, were the driving force behind Coltrane's move from conventional
harmony to a modal, scalar direction. Tyner remained with Coltrane's band for
five years, touring the world and recording intensively. After leaving Coltrane's
quartet, he worked on other artist's sessions in addition to heading his own. "The
Real McCoy," released in 1967, shows him at his compositional best. When he
signed with Milestone Records in 1972, he recorded the album 'Sahara,' which
was voted Record of the Year by Down Beat magazine. A deep, passionate and
sincere man, McCoy, who has been a Muslim since the age of 18, said of the
musical experience: "When you remove yourself and just become a vehicle,
that's when those moments happen....I play what I live." Discography: The Real
McCoy, Time for Tyner, Extensions, Expansions, Trident, Sahara, A Love
Supreme, Live at the Village Vanguard, Coltrane, Juju.