Dine In - Take Out
47690 Grand River at Beck
248-374-9292

Bill Charlap: Playing jazz tunes from the

Great American Songbook.

formed selections from their studio proj-
ect.
"The composers I met at home influ-
enced me because I admired them greatly
and wanted to emulate them," says
Charlap, who can't recall a time when he
wasn't interested in piano.
"I remember the great lyricist Yip
Marburg (Finian's Rainbow) being a close
friend of my parents. I also remember sit-
ting next to composer Charles Strouse
(Annie) on a piano bench and asking him
to play some of his hits."
Charlap, born in New York City, studied
privately with both jazz pianist Jack Reilly
and classical pianist Eleanor Hancock. He
got tips from jazz artist Dick Hyman, a
distant cousin on his father's side, and
succeeded Hyman this year as artistic
director of "Jazz in July" at the 92nd Street
Y's Tisch Center for the Arts in Manahttan.
Charlap attended the High School for
the Performing Arts and went on to the
State University of New York-Purchase.
After two years, he decided that he could
accomplish more by concentrating on jazz
at his own pace and not being distracted
with other musical studies.
"I've followed my mother's continuing
advice, and that is to practice,' the pianist
says. "Her phrasing influences the way I
play melody. In many ways, I approach a
song from a singer's perspective. Music
and lyrics are of equal importance."

Career Path

Charlap's career took off in the 1980s,
when he joined Gerry Mulligan's quintet.

He went on to play with Phil Woods and
his band.
The musical revue Midnight in the Garden
of Good and Evil: A Celebration of Johnny
Mercer featured Charlap as musical director
both in a New York festival and later on tour.
He began recording in 1994 and teamed up
with the Washingtons (not related) as the
Bill Charlap Trio two years later.
In addition to Bernstein, George
Gershwin and Hoagy Carmichael are
among the composers whose songs he has
featured on CDs for the Blue Note label.
Bill Charlap: Stardust, the album of
Carmichael songs, includes vocalists Tony
Bennett and Shirley Horn.
Charlap, who has been touring in other
countries, likes the piano because of the
vast versatility that it provides. Most time
away from jazz goes to his two young
daughters. He met his former wife at a
Jewish summer camp.
"I'm glad to be performing in Detroit
because there's a whole school of jazz that
comes from around the city, and it's quite
an incredible lineage," Charlap says.
"Pianists like Tommy Flanagan, Barry
Harris and Hank Jones are from Detroit,
and they are among the greatest jazz
musicians of all time." ❑

The Bill Charlap Trio performs
8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, at
Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward,
Detroit. $19-$88.
(313) 576-5111.

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248-358-2353

Januar

2005

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