GRAMMY Award-nominated Kevin Bales is a musician, teacher, performer, and accomplished pianist, with classical chops. At age 16 he was invited to audition for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, then under the direction of the famed conductor Robert Shaw.

While studying at the University of Florida in their jazz program he met, performed and toured with a number of jazz artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Louie Bellson, Eddie Daniels, Nat Adderley, and the fiercely individual saxophonist Bunky Green, who he toured with for five years. As a senior at North Florida he was drafted into a full teaching load, and continued to be an integral part of the school’s jazz program for over a decade. Today, Kevin manages his own jazz program in Atlanta, overseeing an ambitious schedule of students. Kevin finds teaching exhilarating, and helpful in his own playing.

In this first-time-ever performance, Kevin will perform with his trio while, delighting his audiences with his fascinating and humorous stories from almost three decades of musical tours and performances.

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The Velvet Note House Band with a potpourri of musicians joining in throughout the night. Doors open at 6:30pm and Music starts at 8pm and goes until midnight. All tickets are will-call.

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.

Eric was born in the musically rich city of Philadelphia, PA. He 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 & Walter Hawkins, Andraé Crouch, Donny Hathaway, Earth, Wind & Fire.” Soon after, young Reed was bitten by the Jazz bug after hearing recordings by Art Blakey, Ramsey Lewis and Dave Brubeck. 

Beyond playing the piano, Reed expanded his scope to Hollywood, composing and arranging music for the Eddie Murphy comedy, Life, various other independent projects for Fantastic Four director and high-school chum Tim Story, plus commercials and TV spots. Annually, he serves as musical conductor for choreographer Alvin Ailey’s classic Revelations with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, under the direction of Judith Jamison. An ardent educator, Eric served on the faculty of the prestigious Juilliard School of Music. He continues to perform worldwide master classes that cover the full spectrum of Jazz history and discography.

ABOUT JOE FARNSWORTH

Joe Farnsworth is the host of The Velvet Note’s series of “must see now” jazz artists that bears his name. One of the most highly regarded jazz drummers on the scene today, Joe is known for his blazing speed, precision, musical, and melodic playing. 

Born in South Hadley, Massachusetts in 1968, Joe grew up in a musical family; his father was a music educator and he has four older brothers, two of whom became professional musicians. 

He studied with Alan Dawson and Arthur Taylor prior to attending and graduating from William Patterson College in New Jersey in 1994 where he began playing with saxophonist, Eric Alexander and guitarist, Peter Bernstein.

Upon moving to New York City, he led the weekend jazz combos at Augie’s (now Smoke Jazz & Supper Club). He performed with Junior Cook, Cecil Payne, John Ore,  Big John Patton, Harold Mabern, Eddie Henderson, John Jenkins and his brothers, John and James.

OCTOBER 1, 2013.  With five records including the Grammy nominated, If Less Is More Nothing Is Everything, as well as their most recent, critically acclaimed Girl Talk, Kate McGarry  has established herself as one of contemporary jazz’s most moving and enigmatic voices.   Kate and her partner Keith Ganz will be previewing songs from their upcoming debut on Sunnyside Records, Genevieve & Ferdinand, on Saturday, October 5^th and Sunday, October 6^th at the Atlanta-area’s beloved hot spot The Velvet Note.   This live duo concert records 10 years of life and musical partnership and is hailed by The Wall St. Journal as, “An exceptionally appealing blend of folk and jazz….not to be missed!”

 More concerned with the essence of a song than idiomatic limitations, vocalist Kate McGarry and guitarist Keith Ganz have managed to attract the attention of tomorrow’s jazz fans. Beyond their obvious affinity for swing, their eclectic repertoire ranging from Irving Berlin to The Cars, and her signature contralto convey a message with a crystal clarity that precludes the need for gimmick or effect. All that’s left is undeniably honest music that transcends the boundaries of age or genre.

McGarry’s singular musical gift is her ability to broadcast emotional transparency with undeniable and artless force. The singer one hears time and again in McGarry’s work is gracious and endearing. She is vulnerable yet unbroken. She is always rapturous. With her musical and life collaborator, the guitarist Keith Ganz, McGarry has been forging a signature approach to standard and new compositions that is immediately fresh and very personal.”

 ~ Kurt Elling 10-time Grammy Nominee, 13x Winner Downbeat’s Jazz Vocalist of the Year Award

“This duo has figured out how to create jazz arrangements of songs by Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Stephen Stills and Ric Ocasek without compromising either the jazz or the rock’n’roll. The substitute chords, elasticized rhythms and deconstructionist solos make this satisfying jazz, while the lyrics are delivered with such forceful urgency that it’s still satisfying rock’n’roll. The songs are transformed but never obscured.” ~ Geoffrey Himes, music critic Paste, Downbeat, Jazz TImes

Performances:  October 5^th and October 6^th, Showtimes:  7:30pm and 9:30pm.  For tickets, go to http://thevelvetnote.com/kate-mcgarry or call 855.5.VELVET.  For press inquiries, please contact Tamara Fuller, General Manager at [email protected].