Spivey Hall at Clayton State University

The Eric Reed Trio
Eric Reed, piano
Kevin Kanner, drums
Hamilton Price, bass

Friday, November 13, 2009
8:15PM
Spivey Hall Debut

$40

One of this generation's outstanding jazz pianists, Eric Reed is renowned worldwide for his hard-driving swing, daring expression, sophisticated and elegant artistry, formidable technique, and thunderous sound. In his highly-anticipated 2009 trio release, STAND!, Reed deftly melds his gospel influences with jazz. "Eric Reed is one of the most articulate and intelligent ambassadors of jazz performing today" (All About Jazz).

When you think of hard-driving swing, daring expression, sophistication and elegance in artistry, formidable technique, and a thunderous sound, there are only a small handful of pianists you think of, and one of them is most assuredly Eric Scott Reed.
Born in the musically rich city of Philadelphia, Eric grew up playing in his father’s storefront Baptist church: “My father was a minister who sang with a gospel group called the Bay State Singers; he was my earliest musical influence. I was also hit heavily by everything I heard on the radio – James Cleveland, Edwin and Walter Hawkins, Andraé Crouch, Donny Hathaway, Earth, Wind & Fire.” Soon after, he was bitten by the jazz bug after hearing recordings by Art Blakey, Ramsey Lewis, and Dave Brubeck.
A child prodigy born with a God-given gift, Eric started playing piano at age 2 and began private studies at 7 at Settlement Music School. He remained primarily self-taught, however, often confounding his instructors not by learning the written music, but listening to them play it first and memorizing the pieces note for note: “I wasn’t interested in practicing Bach; I was too busy digging Horace Silver!” His family moved to Los Angeles when he was 11, and Eric continued his formal instruction at the Colburn School (formerly the Community School of Performing Arts), where his theory teacher, finally realizing that he was destined for swinging, turned him on to more recordings of great jazz pianists. His research continued via records discovered at his neighborhood library.
Soon, the word was spreading about “this kid who is playing up a storm,” and as a teenager he was already working with West Coast luminaries such as Buddy Collette, Teddy Edwards, Clora Bryant, and Jeff and John Clayton. During his first year at California State University at Northridge, he received a call from famed trumpeter Wynton Marsalis to do a tour of the Midwest. Leaving college life behind, Eric began touring the world both as a leader and sideman, making serious waves in the music industry. He garnered great notice as a permanent member of Marsalis’s ensembles (1990-95), making many recordings and TV appearances with him. He also worked in the bands of Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson (1991-92) after which his résumé swelled with names such as Wayne Shorter, Jessye Norman, Patti Labelle, Edwin Hawkins, Quincy Jones, Natalie Cole, and numerous others. He has recorded more than 20 chart-topping, critically acclaimed, award-winning projects, supported by global performances to appreciative audiences. Such accomplishments and hard work have not gone unnoticed by legendary pianist Ahmad Jamal, who has called Reed “one of my very favorite pianists.”
Expanding his scope to Hollywood, Eric composed and arranged music for the Eddie Murphy comedy Life, various independent projects for Fantastic Four director and high-school chum Tim Story, plus commercials and TV spots. Annually, he conducts choreographer Alvin Ailey’s classic Revelations with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, under the direction of Judith Jamison. An ardent educator, he has served on the faculty of the prestigious Juilliard School of Music, and he gives master classes worldwide, covering the full spectrum of jazz history and discography.
Eric’s latest recording is entitled Stand!, which he describes as a musical journey that traces his early church-music experiences to present-day circumstances. The CD references the biblical passage of Ephesians 6:10-18, which, in a nutshell, “advises us to be strong and uncompromising – a profound directive in these troubled times.”

Eric Reed rehearsing original composition entitled "Stand!"

www.ericreed.net