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Peggy Stern

Peggy Stern is as well-known as a composer as she is known for her fine piano playing. She arrived at jazz via classical music, R&B, and salsa. Her music has a particularly broad ethnic base — in addition to European and American classical music, Peggy’s music draws from Brazilian, African, Jewish, Irish, Cuban, and traditional jazz influences.

Peggy has composed, played, recorded, and toured in a wide variety of situations: from solos to octets to jazz choruses. Her compositions range from highly original pieces to reharmonized jazz standards. “Everything she writes wants to dance, ” says Ken Dais of Jazziz.

Peggy’s background would account for her varied musical tastes. She began playing classical piano at an early age, continuing her studies at the Eastman School of Music, and finishing a Masters Degree, still in Classical music, at the New England Conservatory. And then she began to improvise. While living in San Francisco, she played in salsa bands, notably Azteca and Supercombo with Benny Vallarde. She did a stint in an R&B band (called Cat’s Cradle) with singer Linda Tillery, and was “instructed” by Paul Jackson (bass) and Mike Clark (drums) of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunter band.

Subsequently, Peggy moved to New York, absorbing the piano stylings of the greats, such as Jimmy Rowles and Tommy Flanagan. Peggy has worked and toured with many wonderful musicians: Lee Konitz, Diane Schuur, David “Fathead” Newman, Jay Clayton, Gary Peacock, Gene Bertoncini, Bud Shank, Red Holloway, Thomas Chapin, Machito, Puck Fair, Bobby Shew, Stanley Turrentine, Gerry Mulligan, Eddie Henderson, Emily Remler, to name a few.

Peggy has toured throughout Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan. In addition, Peggy has worked as an educator for the past 20 years, at colleges in the US. She has given workshops throughout Europe (Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Italy), and the US.

In 2004, Peggy created the Wall Street Jazz Festival ("where the traditions meet the progressives, and all the leaders are women") in Kingston, NY; the Festival has been held twelve consecutive years to date. The Festival has featured Sheila Jordan, Ingrid Jensen, Christine Jensen, Jay Clayton, Dena DeRose, Su Terry, Claire Daly, Jamie Baum, Teri Roiger, Roberta Piket, Virginia Mayhew, Laura Dubin, Sheryl Bailey, Allison Miller, Maryann McSweeney, Marilyn Crispell, Francesca Tanksley, Erica Lindsey,Lee Shaw, Nina Sheldon, Betty MacDonald, Rebecca Coupe Franks, Suzi Stern, Jenny Scheinman, Natalie Cressman, Amy shook, and Peggy Stern's band Estrella Salsa.

Since May 2013, Peggy makes her home in Austin, Texas, to be near her family.

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3
Album Review

Peggy Stern: Z Octet

Read "Z Octet" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Austin, Texas-based pianist/composer Peggy Stern has 30 years and 12 recordings to her considerable credit. Her repertoire knows no perimeter, and includes mainstream jazz, bossa nova, and most of all, her own finely crafted compositions. For her lucky 13th release, Z Octet Stern turns in a ten-piece recital of chamber music. Again defying categorization, this is chamber music, not classical chamber music, not jazz chamber music or any other genre one could pin to the critical bulletin board. It is ...

167
Album Review

Peggy Stern: Actual Size

Read "Actual Size" reviewed by Joel Roberts


Peggy Stern's charms as a pianist and composer are subtle ones. Never flashy or cliched, she takes a “less is more" approach to jazz composition and arrangement, quietly and confidently letting ideas build without smacking the listener over the head with them.

Known best, perhaps, for her collaborations with Lee Konitz, Stern draws on a wide range of influences - including classical, Latin, rhythm 'n' blues, and the modern jazz piano tradition of Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and Paul Bley. ...

161
Album Review

Peggy Stern: Actual Size

Read "Actual Size" reviewed by Joel Roberts


Peggy Stern's charms as a pianist and composer are subtle ones. Never flashy or cliched, she takes a “less is more" approach to jazz composition and arrangement, quietly and confidently letting ideas build without smacking the listener over the head with them.

Known best, perhaps, for her collaborations with Lee Konitz, Stern draws on a wide range of influences - including classical, Latin, rhythm 'n' blues, and the modern jazz piano tradition of Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and Paul Bley. ...

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2

Festival

1st Annual LuluFest, Presented By Peggy Stern In Austin, TX June 3, Features Women-Led Bands

1st Annual LuluFest, Presented By Peggy Stern In Austin, TX June 3, Features Women-Led Bands

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

Pianist/composer Peggy Stern is passionate about creating opportunities for women bandleaders to present their music. In 2004, she founded the Wall Street Jazz Festival, which was held for 12 consecutive years in Kingston, New York, for exactly that purpose. After relocating to Austin, Texas in the spring of 2013, Stern was inspired to continue the festival’s concept in Austin’s forward-thinking community. Her new brainchild, the first annual LuluFest, is a women-led band festival that will premiere on Saturday, June 3, ...

2

Recording

"Z Octet," New CD By Pianist Peggy Stern, To Be Released July 8 On Her Estrella Productions Imprint

"Z Octet," New CD By Pianist Peggy Stern, To Be Released July 8 On Her Estrella Productions Imprint

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

Finding inspiration in the physical surroundings of her current hometown of Austin, Texas, and drawing upon what jazz critic Harvey Pekar called her “fertile imagination” as a pianist, composer, and arranger, Peggy Stern has recorded the deepest and most personal album of her distinguished career, Z Octet. Comprised of several of her most poignant compositions, the recording shapes them into a cohesive work of great beauty, color, and tender emotion. Stern’s Estrella Productions will release the CD on July 8. ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Z Octet

Estrella Productions
2016

buy

Lunasea

Soul Note
2010

buy

Estrella Trio

Self Produced
2006

buy

Actual Size

KOCH International Jazz
2000

buy

Pacific Aire

Nebula
1991

buy

City Hawk

Capitol Records
1985

buy

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