Newton Piano Summit
2018 Season
The third Summit at the Waban Library Center — six acts spanning jazz vocals, gospel, Cuban piano, and the Global Music Ensemble’s genre-defying mashups. Performances streaming below.
The season at a glance
| Performance |
|---|
| Dominique Eade & Tim Ray — “the Next Thing in jazz singing” meets Lyle Lovett’s pianist |
| Dayramir Gonzalez — Cuban piano, Grammy contender |
| Mark Copeland Trio — deep groove on piano and organ |
| Wes Wirth & the Global Music Ensemble — jazz, gospel, reggae, calypso, Afro-pop |
| George Russell Jr. — gospel-jazz fusion |
| Jimin Park — Seoul prodigy, piano and voice |
Vocalist Dominique Eade with Tim Ray
David Hajdu wrote in the New York Times Magazine, “I already knew who the Next Thing in jazz singing would be: Dominique Eade. An impossibly versatile vocalist, composer, lyricist and instrumental arranger…” Tim Ray is the first call internationally prominent artists make when they come to town. Perhaps best known as long-time pianist for Lyle Lovett, Tim Ray’s wide-ranging skills as a soloist and accompanist have afforded him the opportunity to perform with legendary performers from Aretha Franklin and Bonnie Raitt to Phil Woods and the Boston Pops. As Dominique had a cold, it was her preference not to release the videos.
Dayramir Gonzalez
Dayramir moved to New York after graduating from Berklee — he was the first Presidential Scholar from Cuba — and has been recording and touring extensively. He released a critically acclaimed video from his new album and was up for a Grammy Award at the time of this season. He had such a great time performing the previous year that he agreed to return. Below, performances from the prior year’s Summit.
Mark Copeland Trio
Pianist and organist Mark Copeland grooves so strong, no wonder he has shared stages with Patti LaBelle, Al Jarreau, Kirk Whalum, Marcus Miller, George Duke, and Gerald Albright. When he’s not performing, he can be found teaching ensembles at Berklee College of Music. For his performance, he was joined by Alexander Toth on bass and Coran Henley on drums.
Wes Wirth and the Global Music Ensemble
“Wewh! That bass player is great,” said Carlos Santana with a smile as he listened to a recent recording of Wes Wirth, who regularly performs, teaches, and records in the Boston area. Fluent in many styles including jazz, gospel, reggae, calypso, and Afro-pop, his Global Music Ensemble performs music that is a unique blend of haunting melodies, intricate and pulsating rhythms, vocal effects, loops, and improvisation — all interpreted by world-class musicians including: Joh Camara, a master drummer, dancer, and Griot from West Africa — when Joh is not touring North America or Europe, he’s often found working with the Boston Ballet, Boston Symphony Youth Orchestra and Choir, Upward Bound, Planet Aid, and teaching classes at BU, Brown, and Harvard. Keyboardist Yuki Monolog Kanesaka — when he was 4 years old, he asked his mother how to become a NINJA, and his mother said, “First you better take piano lessons, then you can be a NINJA!” His reputation as a creative force has him running a studio and working with musicians who play with the likes of jazz legend Elvin Jones and superstar Prince. David ‘Fuze’ Fiuczynski on double-neck microtonal guitar, best known as the leader of the Screaming Headless Torsos and as a member of Hasidic New Wave — he has played on more than 95 albums as a session musician, bandleader, or band member. Drummer Josh Raymond joined to round out the ensemble.
George Russell Jr.
His playing is filled with passion, fire, soul and, most of all, spirit. As George continued studying music in college, he discovered jazz and the harmonies that were used in jazz. It was then that he began to understand what exactly he was playing, both in church and from his classical repertoire. In that period of time, George’s unique fusion of Gospel and Jazz was beginning to form. George is the Chair of the Harmony Department at the Berklee College of Music, having previously served as a Professor of Harmony and Piano. He will often refer to himself as “a drummer who happens to play the piano” — made clear by the strong sense of rhythm that envelops each and every performance. He was joined by drummer Sean Skeete and bassist and Summit headliner Wes Wirth.
Jimin Park
Park was born and raised in a musical family in Seoul, Korea. Introduced to classical music by her mother, she began classical studies at the age of four. By age nine, she had already won five awards at prestigious classical competitions. While preparing to audition for middle school, Park fell in love with the alluring sounds of jazz great Oscar Peterson. From that point forward, she knew in her heart that she wanted to pursue jazz studies. By age seventeen, Park was a veteran of the Seoul scene. Her audition at the famous Berklee College of Music resulted in a full scholarship. She has been turning heads and wowing jazz masters locally, quickly gaining a reputation as a formidable and talented pianist and vocalist. We also got her to sing one tune.