Playhouse jazzes things up with Rosenthal
Jazz Masters, featuring pianist Ted Rosenthal & Trio, will perform Sunday, Nov. 4, at 4 p.m. at Woodstock Playhouse, 103 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock.
Rosenthal is one of the leading jazz pianists of his generation. He actively tours worldwide with his trio, as a soloist, and has performed with many jazz greats, including Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Phil Woods, Bob Brookmeyer and James Moody. The winner of the 1988 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition, he has released 15 CDs as a leader. “Rhapsody in Gershwin (2014),” which features his arrangement of “Rhapsody in Blue” for jazz trio, reached No. 1 in jazz album sales at iTunes and Amazon. ”Wonderland (2013),” was selected as a New York Times holiday pick and received much critical praise. “Impromptu (2010)” showcases his reimaginings of classical themes for jazz trio. Rosenthal’s solo album, “The 3 B’s,” received four stars from DownBeat magazine. It features renditions of the music of Bud Powell, Bill Evans and his improvisations on Beethoven themes. He is artistic director of jazz at the Riverdale Y and previously was artistic director of Jazz at Dicapo Theatre, both in New York City. He has also performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and Jon Faddis and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band. In addition, Rosenthal is the pianist of choice for many top jazz vocalists, including Helen Merrill, Ann Hampton Callaway and Barbara Cook. He appeared on Marian McPartland’s “Piano Jazz” on National Public Radio and performed with David Sanborn on NBC’s “Night Music.” Rosenthal’s orchestral performances include solo and featured appearances with The Detroit Symphony, The Boston Pops, The Grand Rapids Symphony, The Rochester Philharmonic, The Pittsburgh Symphony and The Fort Worth Symphony. A recipient of three grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Rosenthal regularly performs and records his compositions, which include jazz tunes and largescale works. He has also composed music for dance, including “Uptown,” for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. “The Survivor,” a concerto for piano and orchestra, has been performed by the Manhattan Jazz Philharmonic and the Rockland Symphony Orchestra, with Rosenthal at the piano. In 2011, Rosenthal premiered his second jazz piano concerto, “Jazz Fantasy,” with The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony in New York City. Rosenthal received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. Active in jazz education, he is on faculty and the Board of Trustees at Manhattan School of Music and also teaches at The Juilliard School. In addition, he presents jazz clinics throughout the world, often in con-
junction with his touring. Rosenthal was a contributing editor for Piano and Keyboard magazine and has published piano arrangements and feature articles for Piano Today, The Piano Stylist and The Juilliard Journal. Tickets are $43 and $38. The event is presented by the Bop Island Jazz Festival. The festival is comprised of a group of musicians and technicians participating in a series of performances at the playhouse. Call the box office at (845) 679-6900 or visit woodstockplayhouse.org for tickets or more information.