A Bainbridge Island favorite, jazz pianist & composer Francesco Crosara returns to the concert series with his vibrant trio, featuring bassist Clipper Anderson and drummer Mark Ivester. Guest star for the evening is vocalist Gail Pettis, nominated “2010 Northwest Vocalist of the Year” by the Earshot JazzSociety. The group will present original compositions and choice jazz standards rearranged in Crosara’sown lyrical and exuberant style. Concert presented by the Bainbridge Community Piano Association as part of the First Sundays Concerts series. (www.firstsundaysconcerts.org)
ABOUT THE MUSICIANS
FRANCESCO CROSARA: Originally from Milan, Italy, Crosara’s music melds an impressive mix of jazz improvisation, a romantic vein from his classical training, along with Latin influences. Crosara stands among the European-bred jazz greats, performing over the years with the likes of Lionel Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Hargrove, Richie Cole, Bobby Shew, Ira Sullivan, Don Menza, Von Freeman, JohnHeard, Gabe Baltazar, Mayuto Correa, Bruce Forman, Barbara Morrison, Earl Palmer, Lilian Terry, andmore. His recordings have featured a multicultural and international array of musicians. He has performed at festivals and venues across the USA, Japan, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, and Italy. Since 2017, the Pacific Northwest can claim Crosara’s talents, too, as he’s demonstrated an eagerness tocontribute to the local scene. Francesco was selected to perform at the 2021 Earshot Jazz Festival inSeattle and has been featured two years in a row in the trend-setting Earshot Jazz: The Second Centuryseries for his bold and innovative music composition and video editing work. Equally adept with acousticand electric jazz concepts, Crosara routinely headlines trios and quartets with the area top musicians.
GAIL PETTIS: Named ” 2010 Northwest Vocalist of the Year,” by Earshot Jazz Society, (also 2007), Gail’srich, warm vocals and understated phrasing have been described as “deliciously soulful” by CadenceMagazine. Gail’s live performances have been described by Earshot jazz as going “…from strength to strength, performing a winning, crowd-involving style of vocal jazz.”. As artist-in-residence at the Amersfoort JazzFestival in the Netherlands in 2006, she was featured artist with the New Manhattan Big Band, alsoEddie Conard and the Dutch Jazz Cats on the mainstage and smaller combs in venues in Amersfoort andHarderwijk. Included on this tour was a stop in Kobe, Japan to perform as a guest artist at KAVC Hall as First Place winner of the Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist Audition. She has also performed at theGeneHarris Jazz Festival in Boise, Idaho, Jazz at the River Festival in Eagle, ID. Most recently, Gail completedRussian tours in the spring of 2015, performing in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Ufa, IvanovaandPerm and returning in the summer for a tour anchored by the White Nights Jazz Festival.
CLIPPER ANDERSON is a bassist, composer, studio musician, performer, vocalist and educator. Heplaysat jazz festivals throughout the Unites States and Canada and has appeared on numerous recordings. Clipper has worked with some of the biggest names in contemporary jazz including Michael Brecker, Arturo Sandoval and Buddy De Franco. Clipper is an annual guest artist at the Buddy DeFranco/University of Montana Jazz Festival and the Blaine Jazz Festival. He is currently on the jazz faculty at Pacific Lutheran University.
MARK IVESTER is a versatile drummer and percussionist who is currently on the faculty at Pacific Lutheran University. Mark has performed with numerous jazz artists of international stature includingLarry Coryell, Freddie Hubbard, Diane Schuur, Mose Allison, Charlie Byrd and Eartha Kitt. He has alsoperformed with the Honolulu, Spokane and Walla Walla symphony orchestras. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Eastern Washington University and did undergraduate and graduate work in ethnomusicology at the University of Hawaii that included field study in gamelan music on the islandof Java.
