Berklee Solo Jazz Piano

During three decades of performing, jazz pianist Skip Wilkins has played with many great musicians, including saxophonists David Liebman, Stanley Turrentine, Bobby Watson and Plas Johnson; vocalist Mark Murphy; trumpeters Clark Terry, Conte Candoli; trombonist Al Grey; bassist Milt Hinton; drummers Bob Moses, Joe Hunt, and Peter Erskine; and flutist Jill Allen.

Fresh and intense solo piano. Debut album produced by Makoto Ozone. After graduating from Keio University, she moved to the U.S. and was selected for the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, where Danilo Perez serves as music director. In November, she held her first recital "Departure" at the Ginza Yamaha Hall. In November, she held her first recital "Departure" at Ginza Yamaha Hall. Her debut album, produced by Makoto Ozone, consists entirely of her own original compositions. The album is a perfect showcase of her talent, with original compositions reminiscent of Rachmaninoff, Chopin, and others, and her fresh and intense playing reminiscent of a young Keith Jarrett. The sound of the piano, recorded in a classical hall, is also notably beautiful.

Great artists can’t help but respond to the world around them, absorbing the tensions, angst and joys vibrating throughout society. At the same time, musicians provide energy for the necessary struggle, “washing away the dust of everyday life,” as drum legend Art Blakey said, describing jazz’s transformative power. This double duty is at the core of pianist Laszlo Gardony's new solo album Serious Play. He created most of the music spontaneously in the studio, with a few soulful reimaginations of beloved standards added, providing a potent reminder that the longtime Berklee College of Music professor is one of jazz’s most emotionally trenchant and melodically inventive solo piano practitioners. His 12th album and 9th recording for Sunnyside, Serious Play is slated for release on July 14, 2017.

On the heels of winning the 2019 Blues Music Award for “Best Acoustic Album” this past May at The Annual Blues Foundation Awards in Memphis, Bruce Katz releases his solo acoustic piano album, Solo Ride on August 16, 2019 through American Showplace Music. This marks his tenth album to date. The album was produced by Katz with label owner Ben Elliott. Katz’s manager and agent Legare Robertson co-produced it.

James Fernando began his music exploration at an early age. Playing classical piano at the age of five. It was in middle school that his first exposure to jazz transpired. The connection was immediate. Working tirelessly to develop his skills Fernando received awards from both Downbeat Magazine and the National Young Arts Foundation and was nominated for the Jazz Fellowship Awards of the American Pianists Association. He was also selected for the prestigious Jazz Band of America and Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop. Fernando then attended Berklee College of Music on scholarship, where he graduated summa cum laude after only three years of study.

Learn to Form and Play Major, Minor, and Dominant 7th Rootless Chords for use in Jazz Standards and Jazz Improvisation

Israeli born, NYC-based pianist and composer Daniel Meron is proud to announce the August 2nd release of his upcoming album “Embracing Wild” on Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Records. On his fourth record as a band leader, Meron exposes a clear musical identity, a sound that is both adventurous and intimate. Returning to his favorite band setting, Daniel Meron delivers a mature and concise message on Embracing Wild, one that is fueled by spontaneity and playfulness. The album features drummer Felix Lecaros (Chile), bassist Pablo Menares (Chile), and vocalist Kéren-Or Tayar (US/Israel). Together, these artists deliver wonderfully impactful performances of Meron’s unique compositions which tie together themes, rhythms and other musical elements from an array of countries, regions and cultures.

Trumpeter Sean Jones received his master's degree at Rutgers University, and then quickly began his rise into the upper echelon of the jazz world. Serving for six years as the first-chair trumpeter for Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, he toured Europe with Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller and, with Wayne Shorter, in a Miles Davis project; he is also now in his fifth year as a member of the SFJAZZ Collective. Heavily involved in education, Jones has taught at Duquesne University, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and is now chair of the brass department at Berklee College of Music.