Andy LaVerne

Andy LaVerne (born December 4, 1947) is an American jazz pianist,^[1] composer, arranger, and educator.

Education and musical career

Born in New York City, LaVerne studied at Juilliard School of Music, Berklee College, and the New England Conservatory, and took private lessons from jazz pianist Bill Evans. LaVerne has worked with Frank Sinatra, Stan Getz, Woody Herman, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Lionel Hampton, Michael Brecker and Elvin Jones.

A prolific recording artist, his projects as a leader number more than 50,^[2] including Intuition, a duo with saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi (SteepleChase), and Epiphany (ClaveBop).

Instruction

LaVerne is a prominent jazz educator, having released a series of instructional videos, Guide to Modern Jazz Piano, Vols. 1 &, 2, and Jazz Piano Standards (Homespun Tapes), featuring the Yamaha Disklavier, as well as the video, In Concert (Homespun Tapes), with guitarist John Abercrombie.

He is the author of Handbook of Chord Substitutions, Tons of Runs (Ekay), Bill Evans Compositions 19 Solo Piano Arrangements, and is the pianist on The Chick Corea Play-Along Collection (Hal Leonard). The Music of Andy LaVerne (SteepleChase Publications) has been published. Countdown to Giant Steps (Aebersold Jazz) is a two-CD play-along companion book, of which LaVerne served as player/producer/writer, and Tunes You Thought You Knew (Aebersold Jazz) is a LaVerne play-along CD/book set. Secret of the Andes is collection of LaVerne originals published by Aebersold Jazz.

He is a frequent contributor (since 1986) to Keyboard magazine, and Piano Today magazine. His articles have also appeared in Down Beat, Jazz Improv, Piano Quarterly, Jazz and Keyboard Workshop, and JazzOne.

He is the recipient of five Jazz Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and winner of the 2000 John Lennon Songwriting Contest for his tune "Shania". He has appeared at concerts, festivals, and clubs throughout the world, and has given clinics and master classes at universities, colleges, and conservatories worldwide. He has also toured and recorded with singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka.^[3][4] He is Professor of Jazz Piano at The Hartt School^[5] (University of Hartford), and on the faculty of the Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops.

Discography

As leader

Year recorded	Title	Label	Notes
	Mythology
1976	Spirit of '76		With Jerry Bergonzi (sax), Bill Washer (guitar), Mike Richmond (bass), Jeff Brillinger (drums)[6]
1977	Another World	SteepleChase	Trio, with Mike Richmond (bass), Billy Hart (drums)[7]
1978	For Us	SteepleChase	Duo, with Mike Richmond (bass)
1981	Captain Video	Atlas	Trio, with Bob Magnusson (bass), Shelly Manne (drums)
1984	Liquid Silver	DMP	With Sebu Sirinian and Jennifer Cowles (violin), Amy Dulsky (viola), Patricia Smith (cello), John Abercrombie (guitar), Eddie Gomez (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)[7]
1981–86	Andy LaVerne Plays the Music of Chick Corea	Jazzline	With Marc Johnson and Mark Egan (bass; separately), Danny Gottlieb (drums)[7]
1987	True Colors		Some tracks trio, with Marc Johnson (bass), Danny Gottlieb (drums); some tracks quartet, with Jerry Bergonzi (sax) added[8]
1988	Jazz Piano Lineage	DMP	Solo piano[7]
1989	Frozen Music	SteepleChase	Quartet, with Rick Margitza (tenor sax), Marc Johnson (bass), Danny Gottlieb (drums)[7]
1989	Fountainhead	SteepleChase	Duo, with Dave Samuels (vibraphone)[7]
1989	Magic Fingers	DMP	With Chuck Loeb (guitar, keyboards), Clifford Carter (synthesizer), Will Lee (bass), Dave Weckl (drums), Lygya Barreto and Steve Thornton (percussion), Carmen Cuesta (vocals)
1989	Natural Living	Musidisc	Duo, with John Abercrombie[7]
1990	Severe Clear	SteepleChase	With Tim Hagans (trumpet), Rick Margitza (tenor sax), Steve LaSpina (bass), Anton Fig (drums)[9]
1990	Standard Eyes	SteepleChase	Trio, with Steve LaSpina (bass), Anton Fig (drums)[9]
1991	Pleasure Seekers	Triloka	With Bob Sheppard (soprano sax, tenor sax, clarinet, flute), John Patitucci (bass), Dave Weckl (drums)[10]
1991	Nosmo King	SteepleChase	Duo, with John Abercrombie (guitar)[9]
1992	Bill Evans...Person We Knew	SteepleChase	Duo, with Larry Schneider (tenor sax)
1992	Now It Can Be Played	SteepleChase	Quartet, with John Abercrombie (guitar), Steve LaSpina (bass), Jeff Hirschfield (drums)
1992	Buy One Get One Free	SteepleChase	Solo piano[10]
1993	Double Standard	Triloka	With Billy Drewes (soprano sax, tenor sax), Steve LaSpina (bass), Greg Hutchinson (drums)[10]
1993	Andy LaVerne at Maybeck	Concord Jazz	Solo piano; in concert[10]
1993	Plays Bud Powell	SteepleChase	Solo piano[10]
1993	Glass Ceiling	SteepleChase	Trio, with Steve LaSpina (bass), Anton Fig (drums)[11]
1993?	Universal Mind	SteepleChase	Duo, with Richie Beirach (piano)[12]
1993	First Tango in New York	Musidisc	With Joe Lovano (soprano sax, tenor sax), Steve LaSpina (bass), Bill Stewart (drums)[10]
1993	In the Mood for a Classic	SteepleChase	Solo piano[13]
1994?	Time Well Spent		Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Al Foster (drums)[14]
1994?	Serenade to Silver	SteepleChase	Quintet, with Tim Hagans (trumpet), Rick Margitza (tenor sax), Steve LaSpina (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)[15]
1995?	Tadd's Delight	SteepleChase	Solo piano[16]
1996?	Bud's Beautiful	SteepleChase	Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Billy Hart (drums)[17]
1996?	Where We Were	SteepleChase	Duo, with John Abercrombie; in concert[18]
1996?	Four Miles		With Randy Brecker (trumpet), George Mraz (bass), Al Foster (drums)[19]
1997?	Stan Getz in Chappaqua	SteepleChase	With Don Braden (tenor sax), Dave Stryker (guitar), Steve LaSpina (bass), Danny Gottlieb (drums)[20]
1998?	Between Earth & Mars	SteepleChase	Trio, with Dave Samuels (vibraphone), Jay Anderson (bass)[21]
1998?	Another World, Another Time	SteepleChase	Quartet, with Tim Hagans (trumpet), Mike Richmond (bass), Billy Hart (drums)[22]
2000?	Time
2000	Pianissimo	SteepleChase	With Rich Perry (tenor sax), Jay Anderson (bass), Matt Wilson (drums)[9]
2001?	Know More	SteepleChase	Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Billy Hart (drums)[23]
2004?	Epiphany
2004?	Process of Illumination
2004	All Ways	SteepleChase	With Gary Versace (organ), Billy Drummond (drums)[9]
2005	Time to Dream	SteepleChase	Solo piano[24]
2006?	Peace of Mind
2006	Intelligent Design	SteepleChase	Trio, with Gary Versace (organ), Danny Gottlieb (drums)[9]
2007?	At the Kitano Vol. 1	SteepleChase	Trio, with Gary Versace (organ), Anthony Pinciotti (drums); in concert[25]
2010	Live from New York	SteepleChase	Duo, with John Abercrombie; in concert[26]
	I Have a Dream	SteepleChase	Trio, with Gary Versace (organ), Anthony Pinciotti (drums); in concert[27]
	I Want to Hold Your Hand	SteepleChase	Trio, with Gary Versace (organ), Anthony Pinciotti (drums); in concert[28]
2012?	Three's Not a Crowd	SteepleChase	Trio, Mike Richmond (bass), Billy Hart (drums)[29]
2015	Genesis	SteepleChase	Trio, with Mike Richmond (bass, cello), Jason Tiemann (drums)[30]
2016	Faith	SteepleChase	Quartet, with Alex Sipiagin (trumpet, flugelhorn), Mike Richmond (bass, cello), Jason Tiemann (drums)[31]
2018	Shangri-La	SteepleChase	Quintet, with Alex Sipiagin (trumpet, flugelhorn), Jerry Bergonzi (tenor sax), Mike Richmond (bass), Jason Tiemann (drums)[32]

As sideman

With Ted Curson

• Jubilant Power (Inner City, 1976)

With Stan Getz

• Another World (Columbia, 1977)
• Mort d'un Pourri (Melba, 1977)
• Children of the World (Columbia, 1979)

References

1. Gene Rizzo (2005). The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time: Ranking, Analysis & Photos. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-634-07416-5.
2. Jazz.com interview Archived October 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
3. William Ruhlmann, review of Neil Sedaka, Tales of Love and Other Passions (1997), All Music.
4. Neil Sedaka biography. Archived August 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
5. JazzTimes, Inc. (September 1999). "JazzTimes". Jazz Times. JazzTimes, Inc.: 18–. ISSN 0272-572X.
6. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Spirit of '76". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
7. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1992). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, LP & Cassette (1st ed.). Penguin. p. 658. ISBN 978-0-14-015364-4.
8. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: True Colors". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
9. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 870. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
10. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1996). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD (3rd ed.). Penguin. pp. 792–793. ISBN 978-0-14-051368-4.
11. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne Trio: Glass Ceiling". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
12. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Universal Mind". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
13. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: In the Mood for a Classic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
14. Griggs, Tim. "Andy LaVerne: Time Well Spent". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
15. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Serenade to Silver". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
16. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Tadd's Delight". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
17. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Bud's Beautiful". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
18. "Andy LaVerne: Where We Were". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
19. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Four Miles". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
20. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Stan Getz in Chappaqua". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
21. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Between Earth & Mars". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
22. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Another World, Another Time". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
23. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Know More". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
24. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: Time to Dream". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
25. Dryden, Ken. "Andy LaVerne: At the Kitano, Vol. 1". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
26. Dryden, Ken. "John Abercrombie / Andy LaVerne: Live from New York". AllMusic. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
27. "Andy LaVerne – I Have A Dream (SCCD 31782)". steeplechase.dk. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
28. "Andy LaVerne – I Want To Hold Your Hand (SCCD 31803)". steeplechase.dk. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
29. "Andy LaVerne – Three's Not a Crowd (SCCD 31751)". steeplechase.dk. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
30. "Andy LaVerne – Genesis (SCCD 31818)". steeplechase.dk. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
31. "Andy LaVerne 'Faith' (SCCD 31840)". steeplechase.dk. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
32. "Andy LaVerne 'Shangri-La' (SCCD 31872)". steeplechase.dk. Retrieved June 15, 2019.

External links

• Allmusic
• Official website
• "In Conversation with Andy LaVerne" by Eugene Marlow, (Jazz.com)