Concerts with the finest Jazz artists brought to your home
GMF ONLINE CONCERT SERIES
Solo Concerts with some of the finest artists in Jazz today
Each concert will be 30 minutes (approx) and will be followed by a Q&A session with the performing artist(s).
The concerts will be live on Zoom. We have done all we can to achieve the best possible audio experience but we can only work within the bounds of the technology available at present. We advise using headphones.
ADVANCE BOOKING ESSENTIAL
Booking will close 90 minutes before the start of concert to allow time to process payments and send out the meeting ID and password. With the increased amount of traffic in cyberspace at this time some replies are being delayed. To ensure that you receive your meeting ID and password in time please book as far in advance as possible. The meeting ID will be sent to you approximately 1 hour before the concert starts.
ANTONIO CIACCA
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6
9.00 PM PARIS / 8.00 PM LON / 3.00 PM NY / 12.00PM LA
TICKET PRICE €10.00 / £10.00 / $13.00
Antonio Ciacca - solo piano
Born in Germany, raised in Italy and educated in the United States, pianist, composer, and arts-presenter Antonio Ciacca has established himself as an indomitable artist, consummate musician, and powerful advocate of the gospel and jazz tradition.
Ciacca’s extensive music industry experience and comprehensive artistic vision led to his being tapped to take on the position of Director of Programming at Jazz at Lincoln Center, a role he held from 2007 through 2011.
Throughout his career, Ciacca has served as a tireless jazz advocate and educator, and in 2009 expanded this role as he began teaching “Business of Jazz” at the esteemed Juilliard School of Music in New York.
As a bandleader, Ciacca’s work is documented in 12 highly acclaimed albums.
Ciacca began his career as a sideman for such acclaimed jazz artists as Art Farmer, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Jonny Griffin, Mark Murphy, Dave Liebman, Steve Grossman, who he cites as his mentor and with whom he studied for three years beginning in 1990.
One of the most important events in Ciacca’s career was an invitation to join the legendary saxophonist Steve Lacy’s quartet in 1997; he continued to perform with Lacy for seven years. Another key encounter that would have long lasting musical and professional repercussions for Ciacca took place in 1997. “Wynton Marsalis was performing in Italy with Elvin Jones, who was Antonio's son’s godfather. He first saw him at the Bologna Jazz Festival in 1989, and this is what really opened my eyes to jazz. He now performs regularly in New York and tours 3 times a year - under normal circumstances.
Ciacca’s skills as a vital composer are also documented in music books: The Music of Antonio Ciacca, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 as well as the companion books: Driemoty, Rush Life, Lagos Blues, Chococlate Suite, Orsara Suite, and the classical pieces String Quartet n.1 in F, Sinfonia n.1.
_____________
Booking closes 30 minutes before the start of concert to allow time to process payments and send passwords.
MICHAEL WEISS
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6
New York 8:00PM | Paris 2:00AM | London 1:00AM | Bangkok: 8:00AM |
Taiwan: 9:00AM | Tokyo: 10:00AM | Sydney: 12:00PM New Zealand: 2:00PM
TICKET PRICE €10.00 / £10.00 / $13.00
Pianist, composer, arranger and educator Michael Weiss has forged a formidable career working in the bands of jazz legends Johnny Griffin, Art Farmer, Slide Hampton, Frank Wess, Heath Brothers, George Coleman, Jazztet, Charles McPherson, Jon Hendricks, Lou Donaldson, and the Junior Cook/Bill Hardman Quintet. He has also performed with Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Clark Terry, Clifford Jordan, Phil Woods, Pepper Adams, Ron Carter, David Newman, Gerry Mulligan, Nancy Wilson, Randy Brecker, and other high profile jazz recording artists. Weiss’s big band work includes the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Mingus Epitaph Orchestra and Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.
As a band leader Weiss has headlined at festivals and clubs internationally as well as every major New York venue, including the Village Vanguard, Blue Note, Jazz Standard, Birdland, Bradley’s, Iridium, Sweet Basil and Smoke. At the Vanguard, the New York Times wrote that Weiss "demonstrated a strong sense of leadership and organization" exhibiting "sensitivity and logic, along with crisp control."
Television appearances include CBS-TV’s Nightwatch and PBS’ Live From Lincoln Center: The City of Jazz. NPR radio appearances include PianoJazz with Marion McPartland, Making the Music with Wynton Marsalis, Jazzset, and the Jazz Piano Christmas Special.
Weiss was a 1989 prizewinner in the Thelonious Monk Institute's International Piano Competition and won the 2000 BMI/Thelonious Monk Institute's Composition Competition grandprize presented to him by Wayne Shorter.
Weiss' four recordings as a leader are on the CrissCross, SteepleChase, DIW and Sintra labels. About his latest recording, “Soul Journey” critics write:
"Warmth, integrity and above all, originality. Weiss’ originals sound as if they were standards of the genre." – JazzTimes
“the songs simply smoke” – Detroit Free Press
“About as close to perfection as a recording can get. If there is truly justice in our world, this should be a Grammy nominee.” – Jazz Improv
“This music lives and breathes freshness and exhilarating originality. The individual selections are strong and attractive enough, to still be played as jazz vehicles in 10, 20, or even 50 year’s time.” – Jazz Journal
_____________
Booking will close 90 minutes before the concert to allow time to process payments and send passwords.
JIM RIDL
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7
9.00 PM PARIS / 8.00 PM LON / 3.00 PM NY / 12.00PM LA
BOOKING IS NOW CLOSED FOR THIS CONCERT
TICKET PRICE €10.00 / £10.00 / $13.00
Jim Ridl is in high demand as a New York City jazz pianist, composer, teacher and band leader. His ongoing residency at the internationally known jazz club The 55 Bar is in its fifth year, where he and his quartet perform his original compositions monthly. Jim performs worldwide with a variety of jazz artists, including The Joe Locke Quartet, The Dave Liebman Big Band, The Paul Jost Quartet and the Mingus Big Band. He has toured with the US State Department American Music Abroad program (’12 and ’15), performing in Russia, South Korea, China, the Philippines, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Slovenia and Malta. As a composer and leader, Jim has released 7 recordings, the latest titled Door in a Field, Volume 2. Jim was a Princeton University Visiting Artist for three separate semesters (’12, ’14, ’16), coaching jazz ensembles in repertoire and performance. Jim continues as adjunct educator in Jazz Piano Studies at The City College of New York and the New York Jazz Workshop in Manhattan. From 1994 – 2004, Jim performed with jazz guitar legend Pat Martino, receiving critically acclaimed reviews of performances around the world, and producing four outstanding recordings: Interchange, Night Wings, The Maker and Nexus. Jim was raised on a farm and ranch in North Dakota, and discovered his love for piano and jazz at an early age. He attended the University of Colorado at Denver, where he earned his Bachelor Degree in Scoring and Arranging, and was awarded its Student Achievement Award for composing “Ocean Sojourn,” an orchestral tone poem, performed with the Denver Symphony Orchestra, James Setapen conducting.
_____________
Booking will close 90 minutes before the concert to allow time to process payments and send passwords.
STEVE ASH
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8
9.00 PM PARIS / 8.00 PM LON / 3.00 PM NY / 12.00PM LA
BOOKING IS NOW CLOSED FOR THIS CONCERT.
TICKET PRICE €10.00 / £10.00 / $13.00
Steve Ash, piano
New York City pianist Steve Ash is a favourite of those in the know - the ultimate sideman, and an extremely fine trio pianist as well. In his 40 years on the scene, he has appeared with Frank Wess, Jon Hendricks, Kurt Elling, Sheila Jordan, Jimmy Cobb, Louis Hayes, Eddie Harris, Warren Vache, Harry Allen, Joe Magnarelli, Annie Ross, Mel Lewis and Vernell Fournier, just to name a few.
He has performed in many New York City jazz clubs, including:
The Blue Note, Village Vanguard, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Birdland, Smoke Jazz and Supper Club, Smalls, Mezzrow, Jazz Gallery, Iridium, Django, 55 Bar, Zinc Bar, and the 75 Club.
Steve was honored to be selected by The Kennedy Center and The U.S. State Department to tour West Africa and France as part of The Jazz Ambassadors in 2004. His touring experience also includes performing at The Bern Jazz Festival with Warren Vache’s All Stars in 2001, The Caesarea Jazz Festival in Israel with The Harry Allen Quartet in 2006, The New Mexico Jazz Festival with Jon Hendricks in 2012, Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai in 2018 with The Bruce Harris Quintet.
His recordings include Steve Ash, “Once I Loved”, The Steve Ash Trio, “Everything I Love,” Warren Vache’s “ Swingtime”, the Metropolitan Bopera-House, “Still Comin’ On Up”, Barbara Lea with The Loren Schoenberg Big Band, “Black Butterfly”, The Neal Miner Sextet, “The Evening Sound”, and Fabien Mary, “Conception”.
Steve’s piano can be heard in the movie “Evening” (2007), accompanying Claire Danes on “Time After Time” as well as on the movie’s soundtrack recording, playing a solo version of “Pretend”.
__________________
