Picks from Seattle Art and Performance for June 11–September 16, 2018
Sept 4–5, 2018
Larry Fuller World-class pianist Larry Fuller is deeply rooted in the hard-swinging tradition of classical jazz. A concert of his is like a master class in the history of jazz. (Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, $16)
Published on: July 4, 2016 | Last Updated: July 4, 2016 3:44 PM PDT
The 2016 TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival has blown its last note, plucked its last string and struck its last key.
It’s time to recap the 10 concert moments that took our breaths away and made us gaze in wonder.
Joe Jackson
June 24 | Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Is he really playing jazz fest? Indeed he did, putting on a career-spanning set boasting some dazzling musicianship — drummer Doug Yowell is a monster — and most of the big hits. He’s still the man. (SD)
Larry Fuller Trio
June 25 | Frankie’s
Sometimes you can’t beat old-school jazz. Pianist Fuller, in the company of American drummer Lewis Nash and Vancouver bassist Russ Botten, performed parallel lines and ringing chords in a set that ranged from Clifford Brown to Joni Mitchell, closing with a New Orleans second-line rhythm. (MA)
Oliver Jones Trio
June 25 | Vogue Theatre
Legendary Canadian jazz pianist Oliver Jones, 81, capped a career spanning more than seven decades with a masterful performance at the Vogue. From classic cuts by hero/teacher Oscar Peterson to a medley of Gershwin’s works, Peterson played with a fluid, melodic gusto, backed impeccably by bassist Eric Lagace and drummer Jim Doxas. Considering his history, his call for more support for young artists at the end of the show was stirring. (FM)
Pianist Larry Fuller brought his trio to Tula’s for the final weekend of last fall’s Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle. The evening was recorded for Jazz Northwest and will air on Sunday, April 17 at 2 p.m. Pacific on 88.5 KPLU and stream online at KPLU.
Now a New York resident and a touring musician, Larry Fuller was Ernestine Anderson’s music director from 1988 to 1993 and was also active on the Seattle jazz scene. He later toured with the Jeff Hamilton Trio, was Ray Brown’s pianist until his death in 2002, and more recently pianist with the John Pizzarelli Quartet. He has two CDs under his own name in addition to sideman credits with others.
Joining Larry Fuller in this performance recorded at Tula’s are New York bassist David Wong and L.A. drummer Matt Witek.
Inspired by the great trios of Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown, the Larry Fuller Trio swings with a bluesy, deep groove that is reminiscent of its illustrious predecessors. Whether playing ballads, blues, or standards; the trio is deeply satisfying music on several levels, and this location recording captures the feeling of being there.
Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU and online at KPLU. The program airs at 2 PM Pacific on Sundays, and is available for streaming after broadcast online at Jazz Northwest.
Larry Fuller Trio
Jazz at Kitano
New York, NY
November 22, 2015While jazz is a music founded and fed on innovation, it’s also an art form steeped in tradition, forwarded through the passing of the torch to the next generation(s) in order to keep the life force of the music in good and capable hands. That fact was never as obvious as it was during Larry Fuller’s appearance at Jazz at Kitano on a crisp autumn evening. The fifty-year-old pianist—the last person to man the eighty-eights in bassist Ray Brown‘s trio—showed that he’s upholding his former employer’s vision, swinging with gusto and seducing with heartfelt balladry. He also made clear that he’s following Brown’s lead via his adoption of bandstand mentorship tactics, sharing his hard-earned knowledge with two rising star rhythm players—bassist-vocalist Katie Thiroux and drummer Matt Witek.
“Whether playing rapid-fire, intricate passages or subtly interpreting a tender ballad, Fuller is always totally in command and engaging.” — JazzTimes, November 2014
“Here’s the thing about Larry Fuller–he’s not just a stellar straight-ahead jazz pianist. He’s also one of those guys who acts as a sort of walking encyclopedia of jazz styles, shifting without apparent effort from fleet-fingered bebop to stride and boogie-woogie approaches.” — CD Hot List, September 2014 http://cdhotlist.com/2014/09/01/september-2014/
“Ray Brown may be gone, but the legacy of his trio is safe in the hands of people like Larry Fuller.” — All About Jazz, August 2014
“The self-titled CD from pianist Larry Fuller…is simply marvelous….For fans of swinging mainstream piano, Larry Fuller’s self-titled CD comes highly recommended.” — Audiophile Audition, August 2014
“An exceptionally talented pianist…Larry’s deft and always imaginative solos build upon a repertoire of the best of popular music.” — Jazz Mostly, August 2014
