Audio Track: Ripples of the Nile
from the album Live at Caramoor by Aaron Diehl
Friday, September 18, 2009
8:00 p.m.
Mahaney Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Aaron Diehl Trio
Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as “the most promising discovery that Wynton Marsalis has made since Eric Reed,” Juilliard grad Aaron Diehl’s distinctive piano interpretations of the music of Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, and other jazz masters pay homage to the tradition while establishing his own original voice. Sponsored by the Middlebury College Performing Arts Series.
Reserved Seating. Tickets: $24/18/6
http://go.middlebury.edu/tickets or 802-443-MIDD (6433).
Program:
Program to be announced.
Artist Biographies:
Aaron Diehl, piano
Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as “The most promising discovery that [Wynton] Marsalis has made since Eric Reed,” Aaron Diehl’s distinctive interpretations of the music of Scott Joplin, “Jelly Roll” Morton, Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, and other masters pays homage to the tradition while establishing his own original voice.
Mr. Diehl has performed with the Wynton Marsalis Septet, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, Benny Golson, Hank Jones, Wycliffe Gordon, Wessell Anderson, Benny Golson, Loren Schoenberg, and has been featured on Marian McPartland’s NPR radio show “Piano Jazz.” His international touring includes major European jazz festivals as well as performances in South America and Asia.“Mozart Jazz,” his first CD as a leader, was released in 2006 on the Pony Canyon label (Japan). Recent performances include the Caramoor Festival and the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall.
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Mr. Diehl is a 2007 graduate of the Juilliard School where his teachers included Kenny Barron, Eric Reed, and Oxana Yablonskaya. His honors include Lincoln Center’s prestigious Martin E. Segal award in 2004, winner of the 2003 Jazz Arts Group Hank Marr Jazz Competition, and Outstanding Soloist at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2002 Essentially Ellington Competition. Immediately following graduation from high school he toured with the Wynton Marsalis Septet.
Mr. Diehl currently resides in Manhattan where he serves as music director of St. Joseph of the Holy Family Church in Harlem.
David Wong, bass
David Wong was born and raised in New York City. He began his musical instruction on the violin at the age of four playing classical music but grew up listening to jazz through the influences of his family. At the end of middle school, he picked up a double bass for the first time and soon after was accepted into LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts. Following high school, David continued his studies at the Juilliard School of Music. While at Juilliard, he studied with the world-renowned Orin O’Brien. He has also studied with Ron Carter, John Clayton, Ben Wolfe, and Rufus Reid.
David has performed in Orchestral and Jazz ensembles worldwide. In high school, he was a member of the All American Grammy High School Jazz Band. He has also played in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel (New York), and The Plush Room (San Francisco).
He has performed with such esteemed musicians as Wynton Marsalis, Roy Haynes, Jimmy Heath, Eric Reed, Mark Gould, Carla Cook, Paula West, and Illinois Jacquet. He also appears on several recordings, such as with the Dan Nimmer Trio (Venus) and the Jeb Patton Trio (A Lovesome Thing).
Currently, David holds a faculty position with the Middle School Jazz Academy at Jazz at Lincoln Center as well as teaching private students. He continues to perform nationally and internationally.
Quincy Davis, drums
Quincy Davis was born in 1977 in Grand Rapids, MI, into a musical family. Davis began his formal music study during his 11th grade year at a private arts high school called Interlochen Arts Academy (IAA). There he studied classical percussion as well as trap-set drumming. IAA is where he received his first experience playing jazz in a group setting. IAA proved to be an important contribution to Davis's future successes.
In 1995, Davis graduated from IAA and began college at Western Michigan University. It was here that he studied with drum master, Billy Hart. Along with learning more about the drums, Mr. Hart instilled in Davis a deep knowledge of the music, which has proven to be very beneficial to his career. For all 4 years, he was quite involved in various performing ensembles such as orchestra, band, as well as jazz combos and big band. Along with emerging as an excellent drummer, he emerged as a great composer. The combos he played with often played his compositions. At various collegiate jazz festivals, musicians such as Roy Haynes, Wallace Roney, Sir Roland Hanna, and Benny Green heard these compositions. Davis graduated in 1999 and substitute taught elementary and middle school music in the Grand Rapids area for one year before moving to New York City.
In the summer of 2000, Davis moved to New York City. Within a week of moving, he landed his first gig at a well known jam session spot, Cleopatra's Needle in Manhattan. He became their house drummer every Friday, which he did for over a year. His name spread quickly in the jazz community and within a couple of months, he had steady work. Within just his first year, he met and played with many great musicians such as Wynton Marsalis, Frank Wess, Russell Malone, Eric Reed, Cyrus Chestnut, Paquito D'Rivera, Lew Tebakin, Marcus Printup, Warren Vache, Ron Blake, Jon Faddis, Stefon Harris, Peter Berstein, Roy Hargrove, Paula West, Nicholas Payton, New York Voices, Ryan Kisor, Regina Carter and Wessell Anderson.
In December 2000, he received a called to go on the road with trumpet master, Tom Harrell. Davis's first tour with Tom was in March of 2001. The band which includes Xavier Davis (pianist), Jimmy Greene (Tenor Sax), and Ugonna Okegwo (bass) recently recorded a live CD at the Village Vangaurd for RCA Victor. Along with Mr. Harrell, Davis has been working with the piano wizard Benny Green. Between the two bands, Davis has played in over 10 different countries and in many well known jazz clubs such as: The Village Vangaurd and The Blue Note in New York City; The Jazz Showcase in Chicago; Paris, New Morning Jazz Club; The Jazz Bakery, Yoshi, and Catalina Bar and Grill in California.
Davis's talents have clearly been recognized and admired by many and because of his humble spirit, great attitude, and deep knowledge and passion for the music, he will continue to move forward in the jazz scene. He is unquestionably a young and up-coming jazz talent with a great future ahead of him.
Artist website:
http://www.aarondiehl.com/
Other links:
Diehl's YouTube channel
Diehl on NPR: "Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz" (2006)
JazzReview.com Interview (2007)
Press Quotes:
“The most promising discovery that [Wynton] Marsalis has made since Eric Reed”--Chicago Tribune