Internationally acclaimed pianist Kenny Drew, Jr. matches talents with multi-instrumentalist Richard Drexler, composer and arranger.  Hear these two dynamic keyboard players perform swinging standards and more, in their individual style.  Then, listen to them joust in a musical showdown as they go head to head in an exciting keyboard duel.

Lending their superior musical support to these keyboard warriors will be former Duke Ellington bassist John Lamb and  premiere jazz drummer........

Don Capone.  This concert will actually be two concerts in one!!

THE MAIN PLAYERS

            Richard Drexler, is a multi-instrumentalist, composer/arranger and producer; an Illinois native, based in Florida since 1985 and is frequently on the road with the Jeff Berlin Trio.  A couple of long house pianist stints kept him busy for nine years in the Tampa Bay area, where he performed with many visiting artists.  More recently he has done some touring with the Jeff Berlin Trio and with the Woody Herman Orchestra and trombonist John Allred, among others.  He has been working as bassist in the Kenny Drew, Jr. Trio, the Ira Sullivan Quartet and regularly appearing as a bassist or pianist/vocalist in the jazz clubs of Central Florida.  Singers he has accompanied include Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Frankie Laine, Bob Dorough, Mose Allison, Roseanna Vitro, Vic Damone, Al Jarreau, Connie Francis, Dena DeRose and Karrin Allyson.

            Dave Brubeck says about Drexler’s keyboard and vocal talents: “Richard Drexler has a wonderful ability to allow the melody to shine through very advanced harmonic lines and polytonal chords.  He is an amazing pianist and on this recording proves to be a surprisingly good vocalist too.”

       Kenny Drew, Jr. started playing piano at the age of four.  Inspired by the work of his father, the great jazz pianist Kenny Drew, he soon branched out into the area of jazz music.  As a leader Kenny has record 20 plus albums, featuring jazz musicians like Al Foster, Buster Williams, Terence Blanchard and Wallace Roney.  He also worked as a sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Slide Hampton and the Jazz Masters, Stanley Jordan, Michael Mossman, Steve Grossman, Frank Morgan, the Mingus Big Band and many others.

                He has a solid reputation as a performer of classical music and was invited in 1996 to the Barossa Chamber Music Festival to play the Bach Concertos and new classical music by African-American composers.  Kenny was the winner of the 1990 Great American Jazz Piano Competition.  New York Times says “Kenny Drew, Jr. is the perfect pianist.”

You can finde Don Capone here onDrummer Conneciton or check out his websire by clicking HERE!