Father's Day Concert to Feature Jazz Trio

Performing June 17th in Stamford (top to bottom, left to
right): John Chin, piano; Clovis Nicolas, bass and Kenny
Washington, drums.

Jazz at the Cyr Center -- it's true! In September 2011 Friends of Music presented its first jazz concert ever, to the great delight of those in the audience. Four talented young jazz musicians from the Juilliard School's acclaimed Jazz Program performed a fabulous set of standards from the American songbook. From my vantage point at the back of the room I can attest that all heads were bobbing, all toes were tapping in rhythm with songs that we all knew and loved.

The group was led by Clovis Nicolas, bass, and we invited him to organize another group for us this year. Joining Mr. Nicolas on Sunday, June 17th at 3:00 PM will be John Chin on piano and Kenny Washington on drums. The trio will take us “Around the World with Jazz Standards,” a program that's sure to be fun for the entire family and a great way to celebrate the day and spend some quality time with Dad!

Sunday, June 17th 2012, 3:00 PM

Around the World with Jazz Standards

John Chin, piano

Clovis Nicolas, bass

Kenny Washington, drums

1.  Broadway     Woods/Bird?McCrae

2.  On a Slow Boat to China     Frank Loesser

3.  A Night in Tunisia     Dizzy Gillespie

4.  April in Paris     Vernon Duke

5.  Girl from Ipanema     Antônio Carlos Jobim

6.  Serenade to Sweden     Duke Ellington

7.  Foggy Day (in London Town)     George and Ira Gershwin

8.  Autumn in New York     Vernon Duke

John Chin began playing piano at the age of four and has taught others to play the instrument since 1994. Born in Korea and raised in Los Angeles, Mr. Chin completed his undergraduate work by the age of nineteen and earned his Masters of Music from Rutgers University in 1999 as Kenny Barron's protégé. In 2011 John graduated from the Juilliard School as part of the prestigious Artist Diploma program. He has performed extensively in California, Dallas/Ft. Worth and in New York City with musicians including Ron Carter, Joe Chambers, Benny Golson, Mark Turner, and Vincent Herring. For more information and to hear samples from his recording Blackout Conception visit his Web site at http://www.johnchin.com/.

Clovis Nicolas  has performed and recorded extensively both in his native France and in New York since he moved here over 10 years ago. He has studied at Juilliard with legendary bass player Sir Ron Carter and shared the stage with prominent artists including Grant Stewart, Harry Allen, Benny Powell, Curtis Fuller, Branford Marsalis, James Williams, Peter Bernstein, Joe Magnarelli, Sacha Perry, Sachal Vasandani, Simon Shaheen, Carl Allen, Jane Monheit and Dan Nimmer.

One of the many young hard-bop revivalists to arrive on the scene in the late '70s and early '80s, drummer  Kenny Washington has played with such legendary veterans as Lee Konitz, Betty Carter, Johnny Griffin, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, and Tommy Flanagan.

Born in Brooklyn, Kenny Washington studied with the former Dizzy Gillespie drummer Rudy Collins and attended New York’s LaGuardia High School for Music & Art. A prolific freelancer, Mr. Washington has compiled an enormous discography, performing on dozens of sessions by many of jazz's most prominent figures. He currently teaches at the Juilliard School, and we are honored and thrilled that he will perform in Stamford with Mr. Nicolas and Mr. Chin!

Read more about the musicians and their extensive credentials at the Friends of Music Web site, friendsmusic.org.

We hope to see you at 3PM on Sunday, June 17th 2012, at the Cyr Center in Stamford for a great afternoon of classic jazz. As always we thank our many donors and especially the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation for your generosity which makes these concerts possible.