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Carnegie Hall News
Back to Press Release List > 03/03/2008 - Manhattan Trinity, 4/2/08
MANHATTAN TRINITY, AN ALL-STAR ENSEMBLE LED BY PIANIST CYRUS CHESTNUT,
PERFORMS IN ZANKEL HALL ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2 AT 8:30 P.M.
Pianist Cyrus Chestnut leads Manhattan Trinity, his all-star trio comprised of bassist George Mraz and drummer Lewis Nash, in an evening of bold originals and reinterpreted jazz standards on Wednesday, April 2 at 8:30 p.m. in Zankel Hall. This performance is a part of Carnegie Hall’s 2007–2008 The Shape of Jazz series, which is currently in its fifth season. The Shape of Jazz series is presented by Carnegie Hall in partnership with Festival Productions.
Ten years ago, Chestnut, Mraz, and Nash, in making the best use of time during a delayed recording, decided to run through a lot of the music planned for the session. What resulted was a uninhibited musical invention that led to seven very successful recordings—Love Story (1999), Love Letter (2001), Alfie (2004), American Meditation (2004), Charade (2005), Misty (2006), and Gentle Rain (2006). "This band has as much wide-ranging expressive power and true creativity as any I have ever worked with," says virtuoso drummer Lewis Nash. Chestnut points out that "with George and Lewis, I am really free to play however and whatever I feel at any moment. It's the kind of liberating joy that you don't necessarily get to experience every day in this music." Except for a few weeks at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, and a couple of one-nighters in the US, the group's only tour was a short one in Japan in 2003, but all three of its members take great pride in the work the trio has managed to do up to this point, and look forward to promising musical adventures to come.
Cyrus Chestnut first received musical training from his father, McDonald Chestnut, at age five. He later studied at the Berklee College of Music, where he was awarded the Eubie Blake Fellowship, the Oscar Peterson Scholarship, and the Quincy Jones Scholarship, later graduating with a degree in Jazz composition and arrangement. Chestnut began his professional career working with Jon Hendricks, Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison, and Wynton Marsalis. Since then he has recorded and performed with artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Betty Carter, Chick Corea, Roy Hargrove, Christian McBride, and Kathleen Battle, among others.
A native of the Czech Republic, George Mraz began his musical studies on violin at age seven and started playing jazz in high school on alto saxophone. He attended the Prague Conservatory, where he studied bass, and later attended the Berklee School of Music on scholarship. During his illustrious career, Mraz has toured and performed with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz, Joe Lovano, and Clark Terry, among others.
Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Lewis Nash developed an early interest in music and began playing drums at age 10. By the time he was 21, Nash had become the "first call" jazz drummer in Phoenix, working with Sonny Stitt, Art Pepper, Red Garland, Lee Konitz, Barney Kessell, and Slide Hampton during their respective engagements in the city. He has recorded and performed with Ron Carter, Branford Marsalis, Sonny Rollins, Art Farmer, and Stan Getz, among others. His impressive discography of over 300 recordings includes projects with jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, and Benny Carter as well as new jazz stars Diana Krall, Joe Lovano, and Roy Hargrove. While he continues to perform and record with a wide variety of artists, Nash currently leads several of his own exciting groups from duo to sextet.
Now in its fifth season, The Shape of Jazz series features artists from a wide spectrum of styles. In addition to Manhattan Trinity, this season’s lineup includes SFJAZZ Collective (March 5). Earlier this season, the series featured The David Sánchez Group (October 17) and The Bad Plus (December 12).
Program Information
Wednesday, April 2 at 8:30 p.m.
Zankel Hall
MANHATTAN TRINITY
Cyrus Chestnut, Piano
George Mraz, Bass
Lewis Nash, Drums
Presented by Carnegie Hall in partnership with Festival Productions.
Artistic Coordination for The Shape of Jazz
Dan Melnick, Artistic Director
Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.
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Ticket Information
Tickets, priced at $46, are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street. They may also be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, www.carnegiehall.org.
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