TICKETS
Reserved: $55, $45.
General Admission: $30 ($25 adv. rate until 10/1)
Doors at 7pm | Show at 8pm
GENRE
Jazz
Presented by The Palladium at SPC
British jazz pianist/composer, Simon Lasky, returns to The Palladium with his all-star band of Tampa Bay jazz musicians to perform a mix of standards, originals, arrangements and new compositions. His band includes Allison Nash – vocals; James Suggs – trumpet; Mark Feinman – drums; Alejandro Arenas – upright & electric bass; and special guest Jack Wilkins, saxophone, who is returning from his new home in NC especially for this show.
Two sets with intermission.
“Lasky’s music is atmospheric, melodic, airy, thoughtful and often influenced by the Pat Metheny Group without being too derivative.” — Scott Yanow, Los Angeles Jazz Scene
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Inquisitive, provocative, blessed with the polished skill of balancing the musical idioms that have shaped his unique musical personality, British pianist Simon Lasky has been dazzling audiences on both sides of the Atlantic throughout his career. As a classically trained composer with a lifelong fascination with improvisation, Simon has forged his engaging signature sound from a love of 20th and 21st century symphonic music, the genius of bands like Steely Dan and Weather Report, and the venturesome nature of contemporary Jazz.
After winning the 2018 Ivors Composer Awards for his song ‘Close To Ecstasy,’ Simon moved from London to Tampa to study with five time GRAMMY nominated Jazz composer Chuck Owen at The University of South Florida. Since then Simon has thrived as an educator, lecturer, radio host and leader of the eight piece Simon Lasky Group. Relentlessly curious, Simon’s attention to detail, compositional sophistication, and intricate musicality, invites listeners to embrace his distinctive artistry that excites, enchants, and educates throughout every song, album and concert he brings to life.
Captivating arrangements exploiting the familiarity of popular music showcase Simon’s reputation for leveraging elaborate musical narratives that playfully guide audiences through the “back door” of Jazz. His latest album ‘For the Dreamers’ (Ubuntu Music) explores the concentric circles of treasured musical genres through a variety of whimsical compositions complimented by guest vocalist Ona K and the special chemistry of the Simon Lasky Group. In demand as a soloist, lecturer, clinician and sideman, Simon is currently an Adjunct Faculty Music Professor at the University of South Florida and Hillsborough Community College. His current working Jazz octets in England and Central Florida regularly sell out concert venues in London, Tampa, Orlando, Miami and St. Pete.
