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Linda Presgrave

Linda Presgrave, jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, relocated to New York City in 1998 leaving a very active music career in her native city of St. Louis. Since that time, Linda has released four CDs on the Metropolitan Records label with her newest release being "Along the Path" (2015). She continues on a mission to bring attention to compositions by "inspirational jazz artists who happen to be women". Linda has performed on prestigious jazz festival stages including the “JVC Jazz Festival, New York”, the “Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival” at the Kennedy Center (Astoria Big Band), “Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola” (Jazz at Lincoln Center), “World Forum on Music” (Los Angeles), “VI. Festival International de Musique Catalogne” (Ceret,France), “Many Colors of a Woman” (Hartford, CT) and ControCanto: Donne in Jazz (Fondazione Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica) Rome and Frascati, Itay. When not performing with her own group she is in the piano chair of Carol Sudhalter’s Astoria Big Band and also with a new group “Ladies Day” led by MJ Territo that features music and lyrics by women.

Before arriving on the New York jazz scene, Linda performed with her own group, After Six Jazz, at the finest jazz venues in St. Louis including Jazz at the Bistro and Just Jazz. At the same time, she worked with the Sessions Big Band, the Modern Vintage Jazz Quartet and the Kim Portnoy Jazz Orchestra. As a former professional French Horn player, she performed regularly at the MUNY, FOX and RIVERPORT theaters in orchestral settings behind top entertainers, world class ballet ensembles and national theatrical productions.

Awards

Affton School District - Education Foundation - HALL OF FAME - March 5, 2011


Tags

180
Album Review

Linda Presgrave: Inspiration

Read "Inspiration" reviewed by Woodrow Wilkins


Often, musicians will put together a collection of songs that honor an era, style or lead instrument. Pianist Linda Presgrave's Inspiration pays tribute to some influential women who helped lay the foundation for herself and other jazz artists. The collection features 10 songs written by Presgrave and other female artists. The pianist, composer and arranger is accompanied by Harvie S on bass and Allison Miller on drums, with husband/producer Stan Chovnick playing soprano sax on several tracks, and ...

177
Album Review

Linda Presgrave: The Journey

Read "The Journey" reviewed by Terrell Kent Holmes


When Linda Presgrave toured with members of the International Women in Jazz ensemble a few years ago, the experience inspired her to explore and highlight works by female jazz musicians. The Journey is the result of that inspiration, a multifaceted work that not only honors the contributions that women have made to the idiom, but also showcases her own talents as a pianist, composer and arranger. The original title cut, an introspective tune whose theme recalls “Naima," ...

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1

Performance / Tour

Jazz this week: Cory Henry, The Bosman Twins, Doc Severinsen, Fred Wesley, Linda Presgrave, and more

Jazz this week: Cory Henry, The Bosman Twins, Doc Severinsen, Fred Wesley, Linda Presgrave, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

It's a busy week for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with several headliners of interest passing through the metro area for performances that, alas, may be a bit off the beaten track- unless you know just where to look. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, March 9 The Lindenwood University Jazz Band performs at Jazz at the Bistro, and multi-intrumentalist Chris Smentkowski and friends play at the Tavern of Fine Arts. Thursday, March 10 Keyboardist Cory Henry of ...

Festival

Linda Presgrave Makes Fourth Appearance at Italian "Women in Jazz" Festival

Linda Presgrave Makes Fourth Appearance at Italian "Women in Jazz" Festival

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Pianist, composer and St. Louis expat Linda Presgrave last month performed a concert in Frascati, Italy as part of the annual series Donne in Jazz (Women in Jazz), presented by the Italian cultural organization Fondazione Adkins Chiti. The concert on November 4 was Presgrave's fourth appearance in Frascati. She first played there in 2003 as part of a five-woman ensemble affiliated with International Women in Jazz, and was asked to return to headline her own concert the following year. She ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Boney James, Linda Presgrave, Good 4 the Soul, Mardra and Reggie Thomas, and More

Jazz This Week: Boney James, Linda Presgrave, Good 4 the Soul, Mardra and Reggie Thomas, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

It's summer, a time when not only is the livin' purported to be “easy," but also a time when smooth jazz musicians take to the road and free concert series in local parks and elsewhere are in full swing. Here's what's going on this weekend with jazz and creative music in St. Louis: Tonight, the Mardra and Reggie Thomas Quartet open this summer's series of free concerts at O'Fallon Park on the North Side.On Thursday, saxophonist ...

159

Performance / Tour

Linda Presgrave to Open Jazz at Holmes Summer Series on Thursday, July 8

Linda Presgrave to Open Jazz at Holmes Summer Series on Thursday, July 8

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Pianist, composer and St. Louis expat Linda Presgrave (pictured) sends word that she'll be returning home to play a free concert kicking off the summer Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University on Thursday, July 8.Presgrave, who now lives in NYC, will be joined by her husband Stan Chovnick on soprano sax, along with trumpeter Randy Holmes, bassist Dave Troncoso and drummer Jim Guglielmo.The Jazz at Holmes concerts take place from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ...

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Video / DVD

STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Linda Presgrave Plays "Rome," Plus Danita Mumphard and Trio Tres Bien's "A House is Not a Home"

STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Linda Presgrave Plays "Rome," Plus Danita Mumphard and Trio Tres Bien's "A House is Not a Home"

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Since this weekly feature is often used to preview touring artists who will be performing soon in St. Louis, it's been a while since we've presented any videos from musicians with more substantive local connections. Let's address that situation today, starting up above with a video from pianist, composer, and St. Louisan-turned New Yorker Linda Presgrave. This performance of her composiion “Rome" was recorded on February 25 of this year ...

114

Music Industry

Jazz This Week: Peter Bra Tzmann, St. Louis Stompers, Linda Presgrave, "Simply Sinatra," Adaron "Pops" Jackson, and More

Jazz This Week: Peter Bra Tzmann, St. Louis Stompers, Linda Presgrave, "Simply Sinatra," Adaron "Pops" Jackson, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Whether you like your jazz to be old-school, modern or free-form, there's something for you this weekend somewhere around the St. Louis area. Here's a brief look at the local jazz and creative music highlights for the next several days:Tonight, the St. Louis Stompers will perform traditional New Orleans-style jazz in a free concert for the Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden.Tomorrow night, the summer Jazz at Holmes series gets underway with a free ...

154

Radio

Linda Presgrave Featured on "The Jazz Room"

Linda Presgrave Featured on "The Jazz Room"

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This just in: Pianist, composer and St. Louis expat Linda Presgrave will be the featured artist on the Internet radio program “The Jazz Room" starting at 6:00 p.m. EDT tonight, Wednesday, May 27. Among other topics, Presgrave will discuss her interest in women jazz composers and her most recent CD Inspiration.“The Jazz Room" is a weekly program that presents the music of independent jazz artists through the Web site www.cyberstationusa.com. Programs are archived on their site for two ...

182

Music Industry

Notes from the Net: Ian Carr Mourned, Linda Presgrave Reviewed, Eric Person on the Road, Plus News, Reviews and More

Notes from the Net: Ian Carr Mourned, Linda Presgrave Reviewed, Eric Person on the Road, Plus News, Reviews and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Here's this week's compilation of news and links related to jazz, improvisation, and creative music in St. Louis, including musicians from the Gateway City, recent visitors, and coming attractions - now with even more boldfacing!* Alas, the only significant Miles Davis-related link this week is to the sad news that the British jazz trumpeter and writer Ian Carr died this past Wednesday at age 75. Long considered one of the top trumpet players on the British scene, Carr ...

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Performance / Tour

Linda Presgrave Quartet Monday, November 26 at the Triad 9:00PM (1 Set Only)

Linda Presgrave Quartet Monday, November 26 at the Triad 9:00PM (1 Set Only)

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

NYC Preview Concert of “INSPIRATION" featuring THE LINDA PRESGRAVE QUARTET Performs the music of Joanne Brackeen, Bertha Hope, Billie Holiday, Melba Liston, Allison Miller and Linda Presgrave “With her lyrical playing and a stellar ensemble, Presgrave adeptly mines the secular and spiritual side of the music while paying homage to her heroines." ~Terrell Holmes, All About Jazz

Monday, November 26, 2007 9:00pm (1 set only) The TRIAD - 158 West 72nd Street (between Broadway & Columbus ...

104

Performance / Tour

Linda Presgrave Quartet Monday, November 26 at the Triad 9:00PM (1 Set Only)

Linda Presgrave Quartet Monday, November 26 at the Triad 9:00PM (1 Set Only)

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

NYC Preview Concert of “INSPIRATION" featuring THE LINDA PRESGRAVE QUARTET Performs the music of Joanne Brackeen, Bertha Hope, Billie Holiday, Melba Liston, Allison Miller and Linda Presgrave “With her lyrical playing and a stellar ensemble, Presgrave adeptly mines the secular and spiritual side of the music while paying homage to her heroines." ~Terrell Holmes, All About Jazz Monday, November 26, 2007 9:00pm (1 set only) The TRIAD - ...

On "Along the Path" - (2015)

“Along The Path, which is filled with colorful solos and rich melodies, is one of Linda Presgrave’s finest recordings and is a strong step forward for the talented pianist-composer”. ~ Scott Yanow (Jazz Author)

"If it's solid piano and all original jazz you're yearning for, look no further than this excellent album from Linda!" ~ Rotcod Zzaj On her newest CD, Linda Presgrave takes the listener along on a musical journey from several ports of call in Asia to the Catalan region of France. The 10 original tracks by Presgrave capture the sights, sounds and impressions along her emotional, musical and spiritual path. Tracks 1-10 were composed by Linda Presgrave. *Track 11 “Universal Freedom” by Stan Chovnick. Linda Presgrave – piano, Harvie S – bass, Allison Miller – drums & gongs, Stan Chovnick – soprano sax, Todd Herbert – tenor sax, Vincent Herring – alto sax, MJ Territo – voice/lyricist

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Inspiration

Metropolitan Records
2009

buy

The Journey

Metropolitan Records
2006

buy

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