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“All that Jazz”
Salon Jazz at Bösendorfer New York
www.bosendorfernewyork.com
200 Lexington Avenue
Suite 902
New York, NY 10016
212.684.1956
Gerhard Feldmann, President
Lisa L. Feldmann, Executive Vice President
Second Year, Début Series, Spring 2007
Bill Mays
The Music of Billy Strayhorn
(Billy Strayhorn Website)
Featuring:
Bill Mays on Solo Bösendorfer
(Bill Mays Website)
And
Bösendorfer Loudspeakers, powered by Art Audio and Gill Audio Design Amplifiers, fed by Einstein's "The Last Record Player" and – connected via Dynamic Design cabling
(Read about Bösendorfer’s New Loudspeakers)
Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower
April 19, 2007
(See a Review of Bill Mays’ CD)
Tonight Gerhard Feldmann and Lisa L. Feldmann, President and EVP at Bösendorfer New York, hosted the first solo piano event in their jazz series, titled “All that Jazz”. This was a personal tribute from Bill Mays to Billy Strayhorn, not only Strayhorn’s music, but also a recommendation to read Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn, by David Hajdu, published by Farrar Straus Giroux. Bill even played a recording of Strayhorn and Ellington playing Tonk and Strayhorn playing and singing Lush Life. Mays prepared a handout for the audience, with sheet music of Strayhorn’s Satin Doll, arranged by Mays, and a photo of Strayhorn from 1941. As the unique evening progressed, Mays even played a Strayhorn trivia quiz with his Bösendorfer fans, and the prizes were Mays’ signed CD’s.
Program (all Strayhorn compositions):
Isfahan (1964); from the “Far East Suite”, originally entitled Elf
Day Dream (1940)
Chelsea Bridge (1941)
Johnny Come Lately (1942); also known as Stomp
Satin Doll (1953)
Medley: A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing (1941) & Passion Flower (1944)
Something To Live For (1939)
U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group) (1956)
Blood Count (1967)
Bill Mays has been involved in 100 recordings, with 17 under his name. He has performed with Sarah Vaughan, Gerry Mulligan, and Benny Golson. He tours the world as a soloist and with his trio that includes Martin Wind on bass and Matt Wilson on drums. Mays has a new trio CD in the works with Alisa Horn on cello and Marvin Stamm on trumpet, called Fantasy, on Palmetto Records. During Christmas, Mays tours with a classical/jazz combo called the Toronto Chamber Jazz Septet.
Tonight’s concert was lively, eclectic, and sophisticated, a perfect combination for the first solo Bösendorfer “All that Jazz” event. There were two stars tonight, Bill Mays and the beautiful Bösendorfer. By switching from piano performance, to Strayhorn anecdotes, to Strayhorn quiz, to an original recording, and back again, Bill Mays exuded virtuosity exemplaire. And, the Bösendorfer switched from elegant to electric, melodic to dissonant, whispery to wild, and structured to abstract. The sold-out crowd surrounded Bill Mays as he completed this bravura concert. Bill Mays wrote me, following the performance, that this was a "wonderful intimate space with a quiet, hip audience. The piano was excellent and sounded wonderful in that space. I chose Strayhorn because of my long love for his music; melodically so interesting and rich harmonies for improvising!"
A wine and cheese reception followed with an edible fruit arrangement, courtesy of Roberta and Edible Arrangements, West 38th Street, NYC, followed by social networking and some browsing of the fine, assembled Bösendorfers.
The remaining 2007 Spring event for the “All that Jazz” Series at the Bösendorfer New York showroom (Reserve now for guarantee seating.) is below:
May 17, 2007
Latin Jazz, Grammy Trio
Bill O'Connell, Piano
Dave Valentin, Flute
Richie Flores, Congas
Bill Mays Greets a Guest
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Gerhard Feldmann Serves Wine
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Bösendorfer Guests at the Reception
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Lisa Feldmann Greets Guests
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Sayuri Goto at the Reception
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Bösendorfer Guests at the Reception
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Guests from Brasil
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Bill Mays Greets His Fans
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Edible Fruit Bouquet from Edible Arrangements
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Bill Mays at the Bösendorfer
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Bill Mays at the Bösendorfer
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Bill Mays at the Bösendorfer
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Bill Mays and Roberta
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
Bill Mays and Mrs. Mays
Photo courtesy of Roberta Zlokower
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