My Music

Classical Jazz

Jazz is my music. My style is classical jazz: predominantly swing, bebop, hardbop. With two important additional elements: Blues and Latin. Primarily mainstream jazz from between around 1920 and 1970 and also a little from before and after this period. Melody, harmony and rhythm – none of these basic musical elements can be missing from my rich and ever growing repertoire.

Swinging the Great American Songbook

I play the music that was composed for Broadway and the Hollywood studios and made into standards by jazz musicians. The melodies of George Gerschwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rogers. Ballads by Jerome Kern, Victor Young and Van Heussen and a fine selection from the life’s work of the jazz legends Fats Waller and Duke Ellington.

Modern Jazz, Blues, Latin & more

I play the bebop “lines” from Charlie Parker to Milt Jackson, from Bud Powell to Dizzy Gillespie, from Sonny Rollins to J.J.Johnson and as much Thelonious Monk as possible.

I play hardbop themes composed by giants like Benny Golson, Horace Silver or Kenny Dorham. The most innovative titles by Miles Davis, John Coltrane or Bill Evans. Latin music by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Louis Bonfa and Johnny Mandel. Some rock tunes by Joe Zawinul and Ray Rivera. Blues themes as composed by Ann Ronnel, Toots Thielemans or Oliver Nelson.

We Are All Together

I play special masterpieces by Mary Lou Williams, Claus Ogerman and Sara Cassey. My repertoire contains contemporary artists such as Ray Drummond and Al Foster. I know a little from the musical world of Thad Jones. And I know a lot from the life’s work of his brother, my mentor, Hank Jones.