Chesapeake Music presents the Loston Harris Trio on Saturday, August 13 at 8 p.m. in the Ebenezer Theater in downtown Easton, Maryland.
Harris comes to Chesapeake Music from the legendary Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle in Manhattan, New York, where he has been delighting audiences with his smooth, soulful voice and piano style. It has been his musical home for nearly two decades and the host to many cabaret and jazz greats like Bobby Short, Eartha Kitt, Elaine Stritch, John Pizzarelli and the Modern Jazz Quartet.
“The innate and dazzling talent of Loston is a beacon of quality in a cacophonous world. He is contemporary, stylish, joyful, playful, powerful, soulful and an immensely satisfying musician. Simply put, his music is a combination of humanity and genius,” said Michael Feinstein, the ambassador of The Great American Songbook.
Rounding out the trio with Harris are Mike Lee on tenor saxophone and Gianluca Renzi on bass. Together, they bring a lively approach to the American Classics.
Harris blends traditional jazz riffs, gospel and blues with his own unique stylings. A protégé of Ellis Marsalis, father of the famed Marsalis jazz family, Harris is reminiscent of another Marsalis protégé – Harry Connick, Jr. Harris was a percussionist during his early studies, switching to piano on the advice of Marsalis.
“We are excited to bring the talented Loston Harris Trio to the Ebenezer Theater,” said Don Buxton, Executive Director of Chesapeake Music. “This continues our tradition of presenting great jazz artists to local audiences – which we’ve been doing for over a decade.”
Harris has performed with the prestigious Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra under the direction of multiple Grammy winner, Wynton Marsalis and appeared on the PBS special "Portraits in Blue" with fellow pianist and Grammy nominee, Marcus Roberts. His residency at The Carlyle has made him much in demand at celebrity events. Celebrities such as George Clooney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Tom Cruise, Michael Feinstein, and Sir Paul McCartney have all curated Loston’s talents. In addition, he's received accolades from A-List celebrities such as Liza Minnelli, Clint Eastwood, Lenny Kravitz, Denzel Washington and Alicia Keys.