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Cyrus Chestnut

Telarc International, a leader in jazz recording since the 1980s, adds another stellar name to its impressive roster by bringing pianist Cyrus Chestnut into the fold. Chestnut has recently finished an album with the help of producer Elaine Martone (McCoy Tyner, Tierney Sutton, Ray Brown). Genuine Chestnut, a mix of original material with a few covers, is scheduled for release in February 2006.

“There’s a good team at Telarc, and an excellent reputation in jazz that spans almost two decades,” says Chestnut. “I’m very honored to be a part of the legacy of great artists who have recorded with them.”

Born in January 1963, Chestnut first sat down at the piano with his father at age five, and began his formal training at seven. Years later, armed with a Berklee degree in jazz composition and arranging, he spent several years as a sideman for high-profile artists like Jon Hendricks, Betty Carter, Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison.

Prior to joining Telarc, Chestnut recorded a string of records on Atlantic between 1993 and 2001, including the highly regarded Earth Stories (1995) and Cyrus Chestnut (1998). His variety of influences has made for an eclectic style over the years, although gospel has been a recurring thread in many of his recordings.

Chestnut says the new record on Telarc is intended as, among other things, a message to those who have suggested in recent years that he may have lost some of his earlier steam in the jazz scene. “A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this record,” he says. “Maybe getting to the next level in life requires pushing just a little bit harder and giving just a little bit more. The compositions on this record are much different than on any of my other records. To me, this music is a lot more organic than it’s ever been before.”

Telarc’s Martone agrees. “Cyrus is a special guy - a quiet, soulful man,” she says. “We’re very pleased to have him with us, given the substantial body of work he’s already established and the reputation that comes along with it. He waited to get to Telarc to make his most personal recording to date. Genuine Chestnut is just what the title suggests “an album straight from Cyrus Chestnut’s heart and soul.”

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In Pictures

Cyrus Chestnut with Jae Sinnett and Terry Burrell at Good Vibes

Read "Cyrus Chestnut with Jae Sinnett and Terry Burrell at Good Vibes" reviewed by Mark Robbins


The Boat House located in in Newport News (Virginia) was a short lived venue that hosted mostly rock and some country music acts. It closed for undisclosed reasons (unrelated to Covid) and sat dormant for two years until it was reopened as Good Vibes under new ownership with a new state of the art sound system, a VIP room with a private bar, pool tables, not to mention a huge oval bar, extensive dinner and Sunday brunch menu and room ...

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Album Review

Francesco Amenta: Midtown Walk

Read "Midtown Walk" reviewed by Edward Blanco


Italian-born, New York-based tenor saxophonist Francesco Amenta presents his American debut recording Midtown Walk, his second project as leader, offering seven original compositions and a cover tune ("Come Sunday") from Duke Ellington whose music he admires. Now an international recording artist, Amenta paid his dues performing in Italy and attended the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Holland in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which has a long and rich tradition with jazz music. Now a New Yorker, Amenta quickly immersed ...

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Album Review

Francesco Amenta: Midtown Walk

Read "Midtown Walk" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


New York City continues to be a destination for individuals who wish to build a career for themselves in what is probably the toughest jazz market in the world. Tenor saxophonist Francesco Amenta who was born and raised in Modena Italy, came to NYC in 2017 and is now fighting for time and space to build his reputation. His current project Midtown Walk is his second release as a leader, but his debut USA recording. The ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Cyrus Chestnut, Reginald Chapman and More

Read "Cyrus Chestnut, Reginald Chapman and More" reviewed by Joe Dimino


This week we open with the music of veteran jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut and a cut off his latest CD Kaleidoscope. We explore the jazz goods of Bunky Green and the great Reginald Chapman. In honor of the holiday season of 2018, we include several festive tunes to keep everything real and moving in the right direction with the music of Kansas City singer Tavis Minner, Adam Birnbaum and Lionel Loueke, before rounding things off with a bit of a ...

Album Review

Cyrus Chestnut, Buster Williams, Lenny White: Natural Essence

Read "Natural Essence" reviewed by Maurizio Zerbo


Grazie anche a una ritmica formidabile, con Natural Essence Cyrus Chestnut firma una delle opere più convincenti della sua discografia. Mantenendo ben saldo il legame con la tradizione dello swing, questo trio delinea ritmicamente e con piglio deciso la tensione dinamica. A ciò si aggiunga una vibrante vis comunicativa e il nuovo imprinting, a tempo medio swingante, nella fantasiosa rilettura di “It Could Happen To You" e “I Cover The Waterfront." Attraverso sofisticate armonizzazioni, il pianista statunitense ...

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Live Review

Cyrus Chestnut Trio at Duc des Lombards

Read "Cyrus Chestnut Trio at Duc des Lombards" reviewed by Patricia Myers


Cyrus Chestnut Trio Duc des Lombards Nous N'Irons Pas a New York Festival Paris, France August 2, 2016 Pianist Cyrus Chestnut dazzled a rapt audience during the opening concert of his two nights at the sixth annual Nous N'Irons Pas a New York (We're Not Going to New York) festival that presents American stars. From the first to the final note, he was a man of few words and of much melodic magic.

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Live Review

Cyrus Chestnut Trio + Stefon Harris: Tempe, AZ, May 31, 2013

Read "Cyrus Chestnut Trio + Stefon Harris: Tempe, AZ, May 31, 2013" reviewed by Patricia Myers


Cyrus Chestnut Trio and Stefon HarrisTempe Center for the ArtsTempe, AZMay 31, 2013Pianist Cyrus Chestnut has perfected the art of musical surprise, creating dialogues between his own hands as well as with his colleagues. He launched his Tempe, Arizona concert by stating, “We like to play the notes we've never played before." He most assuredly did that for a full two hours, supported by bassist Eric Wheeler and 19-year-old drummer Evan Sherman, soon joined by ...

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Performance / Tour

The Cecilia Chorus Of New York Presents On April 19 At Carnegie Hall - World Premiere Of Cyrus Chestnut’s Power In The Blood - Beethoven: Christ On The Mount Of Olives!

The Cecilia Chorus Of New York Presents On April 19 At Carnegie Hall - World Premiere Of Cyrus Chestnut’s Power In The Blood - Beethoven: Christ On The Mount Of Olives!

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations

The Cecilia Chorus of New York with Maestro Cyrus Chestnut at Carnegie Hall on Friday, April 19th at 8 PM Two Passion stories, each a gripping musical narrative: Beethoven’s edge-of-your-seat Christ on the Mount of Olives features high-wire solos, dramatic choruses, and full orchestra. Cyrus Chestnut’s electrifying Power in the Blood is a cycle of spirituals arranged for chorus, vocal soloists and acoustic jazz trio. Performances are presented in two halves. At this historic world-premiere, Chestnut himself—whom Time magazine called ...

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Performance / Tour

Cyrus Chestnut First Time Headlining Performance At Carnegie Hall On April 19th!

Cyrus Chestnut First Time Headlining Performance At Carnegie Hall On April 19th!

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations

Pianist Cyrus Chestnut Commissioned For First Time Headlining Performance at Carnegie Hall on April 19th, with Full Orchestra with The Cecilia Chorus of New York. Presenting a two part show: “Christ on the Mount of Olives" and “Power in the Blood." Two Passion stories, each a gripping musical narrative: Beethoven’s edge-of-your-seat Christ on the Mount of Olives features high-wire solos, dramatic choruses, and full orchestra. Cyrus Chestnut’s electrifying Power in the Blood is a cycle of spirituals arranged for chorus, ...

Performance / Tour

Jazz this week: Cyrus Chestnut; Peter Martin, Brian Owens & Terence Blanchard; and more

Jazz this week: Cyrus Chestnut; Peter Martin, Brian Owens & Terence Blanchard; and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features a couple of first-call piano players- one visiting, one home-grown- plus the usual assortment of performances in a variety of musical styles from the city's talented contingent of local players. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, January 31 Pianist Cyrus Chestnut returns with his trio for the first of four nights at Jazz at the Bistro. Chestnut has applied his virtuoso technique to all sorts of material ...

Performance / Tour

Jazz this week: Cyrus Chestnut, Tortoise, Denise Thimes' Mothers Day show, and more

Jazz this week: Cyrus Chestnut, Tortoise, Denise Thimes' Mothers Day show, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week's calendar of jazz and creative music in St. Louis features sounds ranging from straight-ahead jazz to “post-rock," with plenty of other styles in the mix, too. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, May 4 Drummer Montez Coleman plays the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, with a bit of help from pianist Adam Maness, bassist Bob DeBoo and singer Anita Jackson. Elsewhere in Grand Center, saxophonist Dave Stone takes over Bob DeBoo's hosting duties for ...

Video / DVD

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: A Cyrus Chestnut sampler

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: A Cyrus Chestnut sampler

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week, let's check out some videos of pianist Cyrus Chestnut, who will be performing at the Sheldon Concert Hall next Saturday, May 7. Chestnut has been a frequent visitor to St. Louis over the last decade-plus, most recently serving as the pianist for the all-star band assembled for the “Jazz St. Louis at 20" celebration last fall at Jazz at the Bistro. He also has co-headlined at the Bistro with guitarist Russell Malone, and has led his own band ...

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Recording

New Release "Angels" by Andy Scott, Featuring Cyrus Chestnut, Dezron Douglas And Evan Sherman

New Release "Angels" by Andy Scott, Featuring Cyrus Chestnut, Dezron Douglas And Evan Sherman

Source: Frank Moten

Andy Scott is a jazz singer… but that’s like saying Al Pacino is an “actor” and Julia Childs a “cook.” Scott comes from the tradition of the classic ballad/American Songbook style but he’s not “retro”—like the best singers he melds the best of the past with the immediacy of the Eternal Now, with an eye on the horizon. Born 1957 in jny: Cleveland, Ohio to Terry and Al Rosen—the latter a slugger for the Cleveland Indians—Andy Scott grew up in ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz pianist shows what he's made of

Jazz pianist shows what he's made of

Source: Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes

Pianist Cyrus Chestnut shared an keen understanding of jazz improvisation at a South County Jazz Club concert in Sarasota FL on Saturday, March 19: He called it “composition at a rapid pace with no erasers." Then for the next 90 minutes or so, he gave a dazzling display of the art form in a solo piano concert at the Glenridge Performing Arts Center. Chestnut crafted a series of extended improvisational gems built on or stretching five instrumental jazz classics, one ...

Event

The Fifth Annual Ocean City Beach (NC) Jazz Festival

The Fifth Annual Ocean City Beach (NC) Jazz Festival

Source: Larry Reni Thomas

By Larry Reni Thomas The Fifth Annual Ocean City Beach (NC) Jazz Festival will be held on Friday, July 4, 2014, and Saturday, July 5. 2014. from 5 pm until 8 pm, both days. Scheduled performers on Friday, are Lin Rountree with special guest Nicholas Cole, The Ira Wiggins Quartet, and vocalist Yolanda Rubin. Saturday's scheduled line up is The John Brown Quartet, vocalist Lois Deloatch with The Scott Sawyer Trio and pianist Cyrus Chestnut.Doors open at 4 pm. The ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Marcus Roberts Trio, Denise Thimes with Cyrus Chestnut and Tom Braxton, Pedrosaxo, and More

Jazz This Week: Marcus Roberts Trio, Denise Thimes with Cyrus Chestnut and Tom Braxton, Pedrosaxo, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Although it's getting to the end of the spring presenting season for jazz and creative music here in St. Louis, this Mother's Day weekend nevertheless offers plenty of options for your listening enjoyment. Let's go to the highlights... Tonight, pianist Marcus Roberts (pictured) and his trio will be the featured performers for the tenth annual “Evening of Hope" event benefiting the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Roberts last played in St. Louis in November 2012 ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Cyrus Chestnut and Russell Malone, Claire Chase and Ice, St. Louis Stompers, and More

Jazz This Week: Cyrus Chestnut and Russell Malone, Claire Chase and Ice, St. Louis Stompers, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week's jam-packed calendar of jazz and creative music in St. Louis offers something for listeners of just about any stylistic preference, from ragtime and traditional New Orleans style to straight-ahead modern jazz to free improvisation and contemporary chamber music. Let's go to the highlights... Tonight, pianist Cyrus Chestnut and his trio will team up with guitarist Russell Malone for the first of four nights at Jazz at the Bistro. Revisiting an alliance forged a couple of years ago at ...

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Back Home in Kansas...

Smoke Sessions Records
2023

buy

Midtown Walk

Amenta Music International
2021

buy

All Or Nothing

4RM Productions
2021

buy

Natural Essence

HighNote Records
2016

buy

Soul Brother Cool

WJ3 Records
2013

buy

Come Sunday

From: All Or Nothing
By Cyrus Chestnut

Videos

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