Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame, Veteran Journeyman Pianist, Phil DeGreg releases his 12th CD.

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Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame, Veteran Journeyman Pianist, Phil DeGreg releases his 12th CD. A Professor Emeritus of Jazz Studies at CCM in the University of Cincinnati. A graduate of Yale and the University of North Texas, he toured with Woody Herman Orchestra, including Besides teaching at CCM, he has been on staff the past 31 years with the world-renowned Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops

"Phil DeGreg is definitely a player, abundant evidence of which can be found on his enormously pleasurable, the music is first-class and the core trio is as securely anchored and synchronous as they come…a well-rounded set with a little something for everyone."
-All About Jazz

"..well-wrought linear playing imbued with a flowing lyricism…these four players settle into a comfortable empathy shaped by keen ears for the carefully chosen pieces and solid musicianship."
-Cadence Magazine

"…a superbly fluent technician who values melodicism over pianistic gymnastics."
-American Reporter

"… a deep understanding of the blues. His moves swing and jazz is not mere reflex. Highly recommended…"
-The Grand Rapids Press

"…a masterful way with a piano trio…surprisingly varied, displaying the huge range of what a piano trio is capable of."
-The Cincinnati Enquirer

A longtime treasure of the Cincinnati jazz scene, pianist Phil DeGreg is a versatile modernist who plays with the sort of supple authority that raises the eyebrows of his fellow musicians.
-Detroit Free Press

Phil's latest trio incarnation can be heard on this new CD, Queen City Blues. What is immediately apparent is the profound chemistry and mutual respect of this working trio of ten years, which includes Phil on piano, bassist Aaron Jacobs and drummer John Taylor. As individual players and as a unit they demonstrate the chameleon quality of all great rhythm sections; they enhance, propel and interpret the music at the highest level while never sounded forced or out of place. The repertoire is broad based and challenging, including both choice standards with tasteful harmonizations of gems from Jobim, Gershwin and four by DeGreg himself.

1. Westside Getaway 4:44 (Phil DeGreg)
2. Embraceable You 6:51 (George Gershwin)
3. Fountain on a Square 4:23 (Phil DeGreg)
4. I've Got a Crush on You 5:16 (George Gershwin)
5. Falling Grace 4:41 (Steve Swallow)
6. Queen City Blues 3:42 (Phil DeGreg)
7. All The Things You Are 5:51 (Jerome Kern)
8. Five For All 5:42 (Phil DeGreg)
9. My Foolish Heart 5:55 (Victor Young)
10. Favela 6:01 (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
11. My Romance 6:28 (Richard Rodgers)
12. Cherokee 6:28 (Ray Noble)

FEATURING: Phil DeGreg-Piano; Aaron Jacobs-Bass; John Taylor-Drums

Phil DeGreg is an internationally known jazz pianist and educator. He is Professor Emeritus of Jazz Studies at CCM in the University of Cincinnati, where he taught for 27 years. A graduate of Yale and the University of North Texas, he toured with the Woody Herman Orchestra in the 1980's. For 13 years the Phil DeGreg Trio accompanied many national and international jazz artists in at Cincinnati's famous Blue Wisp Jazz Club, and received two of the Cincinnati Enquirer's prestigious "Cammy" Awards, and has been nominated seven times for CityBeat magazines "Cincinnati Entertainment Awards" in the jazz music category. Phil has produced 12 CD's as a leader, including two recorded with Brazilian musicians, and projects featuring Tim Ries, Don Braden, Paul Keller, Dan Faenhle, and other well known jazz musicians. In the spring of 2017 Phil was inducted into the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame.

Besides teaching at CCM, he has been on staff the past 31 years with the world-renowned Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops, and has performed and taught extensively in Europe and South America. In 2008 he was awarded a 4 month Fulbright Fellowship as a lecturer in Brazil. His text "Jazz Keyboard Harmony" is used all over the world for private study and in universities.

Phil has performed and taught throughout the United States and in England, France, Germany, Italy, and Brazil. In the Greater Cincinnati area, Phil has played countless jazz concerts at Xavier University, CCM, the Public Library, Fountain Square, and many churches, retirement communities and other venues. He performs solo or in small group settings (duo, trio, or quartet) with Cincinnati's most respected musicians. You can hear his recording of Harold Arlen's "Come Rain or Come Shine" as the theme music for WVXU's "Around Cincinnati" program every Sunday night.

Aaron Jacobs is a busy and in demand upright and electric bassist in Cincinnati, OH. He studied classical and jazz performance at College Conservatory of Music (CCM) where he is now on faculty. He plays all over the city in styles ranging from jazz, rock, latin, funk, classical, and hip hop. At present, Aaron freelances and plays in various bands around the city, including Phil DeGreg and Brasilia, the John Zappa Trio, Eclipse Movement (hip hop), and the Rick VanMatre Quintet.

John Taylor is a freelance drummer, composer, arranger, and educator based in Dayton, Ohio. In addition to drums and percussion, he also plays piano, guitar, and electric bass. A remarkably versatile player, John maintains a busy performance calendar playing a wide variety of Jazz, Pop, and World styles. He performs regularly with Brasilia, Puzzle of Light, and as leader of the John Taylor Trio. John studied at Berklee College of Music and later earned a B.A. in Music Education from Wright State University. He arranges for competitive high school marching bands and percussion groups throughout the Midwest. He is also adjunct instructor at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

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