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"When he enters a song, he makes it deluxe, decking it out with cushions and tapestries, arranging the wall hangings; he isn't just making a quick visit." - Ben Ratliff, New York Times  Andy Bey
Legendary pianist and vocalist Andy Bey appears at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco fro Friday, August 3rd through Sunday, August 5th with two shows each night, one at 8:00 PM and another at 10:00 PM. Andy Bey's silky bass-baritone voice has been called "one of the finest instruments in jazz." He has a unique way of mixing lyrics and melody to tell a story, and after more than five decades of making music, the 64-year-old musician has a growing legion of fans worldwide. Critics are hailing Bey's latest effort, American Song, calling him one of the greatest singers of ballads in jazz today. Bey has also gained notoriety for speaking out about being a gay man and HIV positive.
 Born in 1939, the Newark (NJ) native was a genuine child prodigy as a pianist and singer, garnering appearances at the famed Apollo Theater when he was only 12, and on television’s "Spotlight On Harlem" and "The Star Time Kids," sharing stages with the likes of Louis Jordan, Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington, before he turned 18. He then formed a vocal trio alongside his sisters Salome and Geraldine and embarked for Europe; Andy & The Bey Sisters were celebrated regulars at The Blue Note in Paris and other venues in Europe from the late 1950s into the early 1960s, when they returned to the U.S. and continued to perform and record (for RCA and Prestige) until the trio disbanded in 1966. For the two decades thereafter, Bey recorded and performed with such notables as McCoy Tyner, Lonnie Liston Smith, Thad Jones / Mel Lewis, Eddie Harris and others. He was featured vocalist on Gary Bartz’ acclaimed Harlem Bush Music projects and for an extended period with Horace Silver, including Silver’s The United States of Mind album sequence. In 1991, Bey returned to Europe to teach vocal instruction in Austria; he remained there until 1993, when he returned to the States to record his "comeback album," accompanied only by his own piano, called Ballads, Blues & Bey. One of the great unsung heroes of jazz singing, Andy Bey is a commanding interpreter of lyrics who has a wide vocal range and a big, rich, full voice. Bey enjoys a following that swears by him; nonetheless, he isn't nearly as well known as he should be. Jazz at Pearl's is located in the heart of San Francisco's Entertainment District and Historic Little Italy/North Beach & Chinatown:
256 Columbus Ave (Pacific)
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-291 8255 www.jazzatpearls.com |
Friday, 25 July 2008
