Hiromi: The Trio Project and Gerald Clayton Trio

In celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month, the final concert of the season will feature two of the most in-demand, emerging jazz pianists today and highlight how these young artists are redefining this ever evolving art form!

Hiromi: The Trio Project will offer audiences a spectacular performance, led by Japanese-born pianist who has fused jazz, progressive rock, and classical music into a unique personal style. Winner of Swing Journal's New Star Award and Pianist of the Year Award, she is widely acclaimed for her virtuosic technique and energetic live performances. Hiromi's first big break came at the age of 17 when a chance meeting with Chick Corea led to a performance with the well-known pianist the very next day. A few years later, she enrolled at Boston's distinguished Berklee College of Music where she was mentored by Ahmad Jamal. "She is nothing short of amazing," says Jamal. Since then, she has been touring the world and performing to sold-out audiences.

Sharing the bill is Grammy-nominated Gerald Clayton who, despite his young age, has already performed extensively with numerous leading jazz musicians, including Kenny Barron, Roy Hargrove, Lewis Nash, Mulgrew Miller, and Clark Terry, to name several. In 2002, Clayton was recognized as a national YoungArts winner and was named a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, in addition to receiving a scholarship award from the Music for Youth Foundation. Four years later, he received Second Place in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Piano Competition. In 2008, Downbeat magazine's Reader's Poll named him one of the top up-and-coming pianists to watch!


Other exciting shows:
Esperanza Spalding