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| Valentine’s Day With Cyrus Chestnut and Eric Reed Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola continues the Stretchin’ The Ivories Festival with a swinging Valentine’s Day and week featuring the soulful and sophisticated music of pianists Cyrus Chestnut and Eric Reed, joined by bassist Gerald Cannon and drummer Willie Jones III. Holding the After Hours spot is the prodigious Pete Malinverni, performing music from his upcoming CD releases Theme & Variations and Joyful!. Eric Reed sticks around for a week long celebration of the music of the legendary Cedar Walton. Cyrus Chestnut will also be back for another week at the end of February to close out the Stretchin’ The Ivories Festival with a celebration of his debut Telarc CD release, Genuine Chestnut. February 14-19 7:30pm & 9:30pm w/additional 11:30pm set on Friday only Valentine’s Sweetheart of a Week with Two Great Keyboardists Sharing the Bill. Every Night: Cyrus Chestnut and Eric Reed play in duet, with trio and quartet. Cyrus Chestnut, Eric Reed (piano), Gerald Cannon (bass), Willie Jones III (drums). This week the soulful, sweet and serious pianist Cyrus Chestnut teams up with the swinging, sophisticated artistry of pianist Eric Reed for a Valentine’s Sweetheart of a Week. Cyrus Chestnut began his professional life working with such celebrated modern artists as Wynton Marsalis and his Jelly Roll Morton influences can still be heard. But, Cyrus has learned from great jazz musicians of many eras and this shines through in his music. Born in Baltimore, Maryland on January 17, 1963, Chestnut first received musical training at age 5 from his father. His first public performance was two years later at the Mt. Calvary Star Baptist Church in Baltimore. He received further musical training at the Peabody Institute where he obtained a certificate in Piano and Music theory. Between 1981 and 1985, Chestnut attended the Berklee College of Music where he graduated with a degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging. While there, he received the Eubie Blake Fellowship in 1982, the Oscar Peterson Scholarship in 1983, and the Quincy Jones Scholarship in 1984. Cyrus began his professional career working with Jon Hendricks (1986-88), Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison (1988-90), and Wynton Marsalis (1991). In September of 1991 he began a two-year tenure with jazz legend Betty Carter. Then, Chestnut actively launched his career as a leader with the album titled Revelation which was released by Atlantic Jazz in 1994. Born in Philadelphia on June 21, 1970, Eric Reed grew up playing Gospel music in his father’s storefront Baptist church, starting at the age of five. Reed was bitten by the jazz bug at a young age after hearing recordings of Art Blakey, Ramsey Lewis and Dave Brubeck. Eric started out in the bands of Teddy Edwards, Gerald Wilson, Clora Bryant and John Clayton. He attended Cal State Northridge for one year during which he toured briefly with Wynton Marsalis at age 18. A year later, Eric joined Marsalis’ Septet (1990-91; 1992-95). He spent two years with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (1996-98), making countless recordings and TV appearances with them. Reed also worked in the bands of Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson (1991-92). Eric continues to perform and record with an assorted multitude of masters such as, Benny Carter, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Cassandra Wilson, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry, Dianne Reeves and a host of other diverse performers including Natalie Cole, Patti Labelle, Oleta Adams and Quincy Jones. Since 1995, Eric has been touring the world with his own ensembles, making serious waves in the jazz community. The legendary Ahmad Jamal has called Eric, "one of my very favorite pianists." Eric’s recording Pure Imagination, shot to #1 on the Gavin chart and stayed there for seven weeks, earning him the 1999 Gavin Artist of the Year award. His next recording, Manhattan Melodies was also #1 on Gavin for several weeks. Eric’s latest CD releases include Merry Magic and Mercy and Grace, both on the Nagel-Heyer label. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |