Peggy Stern

Peggy & Suzi Stern, with Alex Coke to play at the Mollbergs’ Plateau February 26th, 3 PM SUZI STERN - VOCALS Suzi Stern has released 7 CD’s to date under her own name (Viewpoint Records, Aardvark Records and Bus Biscuit Records), and has performed on a myriad of other artists projects. Her latest release "Romancing the Dark" which received 4 star reviews from Jazz Times, All About Jazz and Cadence Magazine, steps out of the jazz idiom for which she is known, and is a collection of her own original compositions and arrangements based on eleven poems by Stern. Stern is a published poet and her lyrics appear in the Bill Evans second edition fake book and David Friesen's book of transcriptions called " Years Through Time", both Hal Leonard publications. Suzi has penned lyrics to a plethora of classic jazz compositions not typically sung and has collaborated with numerous contemporary artists on their works such as Denny Zeitlin's "Quiet Now" Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus" and Joshua Redman's "Hide and Seek" which have been recorded by artists worldwide. Some of Stern's musical colleagues and collaborators of note have been: Denny Zeitlin, David Friesen, Joe Henderson, Mal Waldron, Joshua Redman, Leroy Vinegar, Jesseca Williams, Helen Sung, Bud Shank, Peggy Stern, Jerry Hahn, Nancy King, Peter Stolzmann, Harvie S, Stefan Karlsson, to name only a few. “Grace and Elegance" / Jazz Times "Wonderful, soaring with jazzy lyricism" / Downbeat               PEGGY STERN - PIANO Peggy Stern is as well-known as a composer as she is known for her fine piano playing. She arrived at jazz via classical music, R&B, and salsa. Her music has a particularly broad ethnic base — in addition to European and American classical music, Peggy’s music draws from Brazilian, African, Jewish, Irish, Cuban, and traditional jazz influences. Peggy has composed, played, recorded, and toured in a wide variety of situations: from solos to octets to jazz choruses. Her compositions range from highly original pieces to reharmonized jazz standards. “Everything she writes wants to dance, ” says Ken Dais of Jazziz. She has four tunes   published in the Sher Real Book series. Peggy’s background would account for her varied musical tastes. She began playing classical piano at an early age, continuing her studies at the Eastman School of Music, and finishing a Masters Degree, still in Classical music, at the New England Conservatory. And then she began to improvise. While living in San Francisco, she played in salsa bands; subsequently, Peggy moved to New York, absorbing the piano stylings of the greats, such as Jimmy Rowles and Tommy Flanagan. Peggy has worked and toured with many wonderful musicians: Lee Konitz, Diane Schuur, David “Fathead” Newman, Jay Clayton, Gary Peacock, Gene Bertoncini, Bud Shank, Red Holloway, Thomas Chapin, Machito, Puck Fair, Bobby Shew, Stanley Turrentine, Gerry Mulligan, Eddie Henderson, and the late Emily Remler. Peggy has toured throughout Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan. In addition, Peggy has worked as an educator for the past 20 years, at colleges in the US. She has given workshops throughout Europe (Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Italy), and the US. In 2013, Peggy moved to Austin, where she continues to collaborate with a plethora of musicians across a wide swath of the vibrant musical culture here - from western swing to jazz to classical. This year marks the first annual LULUFEST, curated by Peggy and Suzi, to be held on June 3rd, at the Ragsdale Center on the St. Edward’s University campus. The festival celebrates women band leaders and their ensembles, in the tradition of the esteemed Wall Street Jazz Festival, in Kingston, NY, currently in its 14th year. “Peggy Stern is a musician’s musician...” C. Michael Bailey    ALEX COKE - FLUTE AND SAXOPHONE Alex was born in Dallas, Texas, received his B.A. from the University Of Colorado at Boulder in 1976, with emphasis on flute performance. An original member of the Austin-based Creative Opportunity Orchestra, Coke performed with Tina Marsh in various formations for over 30 years. Before moving to Amsterdam in the early '90's he received several local awards including: 1990 Best Saxophonist, Music City Critics Poll/Austin Texas 1990 Best Jazz Bands Music City Critics Poll/Austin Texas (Countenance #1, and Worthy Constituents #3) 1990 Best Unsigned Bands Musician Magazine (Countenance, and Worthy Constituents) 1988-1989 Best Jazz Band, Austin Chronicle Music Awards (Chris Duarte and Justus) From 1990-2000 he toured and recorded with the internationally renowned Dutch jazz group,the Willem Breuker Kollektief. An improvisor at heart, Coke's eclectic attitude has led him to explore everything from Be-Bop to Huddie Ledbetter. His flute studies have ranged from Eric Dolphy to Indian ragas on the bamboo flute to extended flute techniques such as those researched by Robert Dick, Ann LaBerge and Wil Offermans.