By Litchfield Performing Arts, a not-for-profit educational charity.

Discovering Genius – Pianist Julian Shore

“His name belongs among the leaders of the young Jazz piano scene.” JazzTimes

Julian Shore has been called “a pianist/composer who beyond the obvious elegance of his playing, has a clear sense of the bigger artistic picture” (Ottowa Citizen).

Julian Shore grew up listening to his father play Bach on his home piano.  As a toddler he sang along. He started lessons early and played consistently. His mother delivered him to Litchfield Jazz Camp at 12.  He cried when she left and then stayed for the next two decades(!),  first as a student and now as a fixture on the piano faculty.

Julian won a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music in 2005, training under the great Danilo Perez, who invited him to perform at the Panama Jazz Festival. Shortly after moving to New York in 2009, he toured with with Monk winning vocalist Gretchen Parlato and her band and performed at the Stockholm Jazz Festival. Now 30, he is an in-demand player in New York and at jazz festivals as far flung as Banff, China, and Calcutta.

His most recent recording, “Which Way Now” was released in early 2016. It features a two artists whose association with Julian dates back to Litchfield: Alexa Barchini on vocals and Noah Preminger on clarinet.  A sometime sideman on the Litchfield Mainstage, this is Julian’s first appearance as a leader. His Quintet hits at 3:30 on August 5. Band members are Dayna Stephens on sax, Jorge Roeder on bass, Jimmy McBride (another fellow Camper) on drums and the distinguished guitarist Ben Monder.

VWM

Julian Shore, 12 years old. At Litchfield Jazz Camp, 2000

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