Party: Jon Mayer / P.J. Perry - Fri and Sat, May 12 and 13, 2017

Party: Jon Mayer / P.J. Perry - Fri and Sat, May 12 and 13, 2017

CROSS-BORDER JAZZ SERIES
From Los Angeles, Edmonton, Toronto and Winnipeg
www.jonmayer.com
www.pjperry.com
Jon Mayer has long been a fixture in the Los Angeles area, playing piano at the head of many different combos. An excellent modern mainstream pianist who earlier in his career worked with Kenny Dorham, Jackie McLean, the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra and Sarah Vaughan in addition to recording with John Coltrane, he settled in L.A. in 1991 and has since released a string of satisfying recordings.

His most recent CD "The Art of the Ballad" is different. It is a set of unaccompanied solos recorded live in Portland. Mayer interprets a dozen of his favorite ballads at slow to medium-slow tempos. While it is a challenge for most pianists to perform a full set of music in this setting, Mayer builds his solos off of the rich melodies and comes up with continually fresh variations while keeping the themes in mind. Whether performing "Prelude to a Kiss," "My Romance," "Never Never Land" or "When I Fall In Love," he emphasizes the beauty of the songs while infusing the music with his own personality and adding to the legacy of the timeless compositions.

P.J. Perry and Jon Mayer became musical friends during Jon's 2013 weekend at the Yardbird Suite and they have performed together several times since, both in Edmonton and California.

P.J. Perry is considered by many critics and fans alike to be Canada's greatest alto saxophonist. Among his many awards and honours are an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Alberta, a Juno nomination for his 1999 recording with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, a 1993 Juno Award for Best Jazz Recording for his album "My Ideal", and his recent appointment to the Order of Canada.

P.J. has shared the stage with countless jazz greats including Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Shaw, Michel Legrand, Pepper Adams, Kenny Wheeler, Tom Harrell, Rob McConnell, Slide Hampton, Bobby Shew, Fraser McPherson, Joe La Barbera, Clarence "Big" Miller, Red Rodney and, of course, Tommy Banks.

For this weekend, P.J. and Jon have added Toronto bassist Steve Wallace and Winnipeg drummer Quincy Davis for a project that will be recorded for future release.
http://www.yardbirdsuite.com/Yardbird-Shows/2017-05-1213.htm