Home » Jazz Musicians » Eric Comstock
Eric Comstock
ERIC COMSTOCK , pianist, vocalist, arranger, writer, and raconteur, as been described as “suave, smart, funny, and utterly delightful ... an ingenious musical wit ... an ideal balance of swinging precision and good-humored warmth” by Stephen Holden of The New York Times and “an icon in the making” by The New Yorker. Recently Eric and his trio appeared at New York’s Metropolitan Room in “Manhattan Masters”, a series of four different shows in as many weeks, highlighting the careers of Charles Strouse, Yip Harburg, Jule Styne, and the saloon singers and songwriters of New York’s nightclub scene. Eric and his trio launched three new concert programs in 2006: a tribute to composer Jule Styne, “The Music That Makes Me Dance”, at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Allen Room, “Mostly Strayhorn”, an evening of songs by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, and “Remembering Charles DeForest”. In 2005, Eric added the role of acclaimed recording artist to his success as an entertainer with his third and latest CD, “NO ONE KNOWS”, a refreshing mix of standards and rarities by Duke Ellington, Benny Carter, Stephen Sondheim and other masters of pop and jazz. “Comstock has a voice that flows as smoothly as rye and sweet vermouth over ice ... jump for joy ” raved JazzTimes critic Christopher Loudon. The title song is a Billy Strayhorn song being given its premiere vocal recording. Solo New York engagements include Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series, Birdland, Iridium, The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel, Feinstein’s at The Regency and The Supper Club. Concert appearances include Carnegie Hall (JVC Jazz Festival and the Harold Arlen Centennial Concert), Alice Tully Hall, Symphony Space, Merkin Hall, Town Hall and the 92nd Street Y’s “Jazz in July” festival. Eric is the co-creator of three critically acclaimed shows which tour coast to coast: “Our Sinatra”, which ran over 1,300 performances Off-Broadway; “Made for the Movies: A Hollywood Songbook”, a jazz spin on American film music that ran two consecutive years at the Algonquin’s Oak Room; and “Singing Astaire”, which enjoyed a long run at the legendary jazz club Birdland. He has been featured on CBS’s Early Show, CNN’s Showbiz Today, National Public Radio’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross and JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Public Radio International’s The Next Big Thing with Dean Olsher. He has been profiled in Newsday, The San Francisco Chronicle, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The San Francisco Examiner, The Star Ledger and magazines such as Time Out New York, Avenue, Savvy, Gavin, and Cabaret Scenes.
Read moreTags
American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center: Eric Comstock Salutes Charles Strouse
by Michael P. Gladstone
Eric Comstock, Barbara Fasano, Harry Allen and Charles Strouse “This Is the Life: Salute to Charles Strouse at 80": American Songbook Series The Allen Room at Lincoln Center, New York City February 6, 2008
Lincoln Center's American Songbook Series offered an eclectic choice of artists this year: Americana rocker Joe Henry with jazz pianist Brad Mehldau, iconic rock singer/songwriter Patti Smith, veteran Memphis R&B singer Bettye Lavette, The Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile (of ...
read moreEric Comstock: No One Knows
by Jerry D'Souza
Eric Comstock's third album finds the pianist/vocalist moving deeper into jazz territory with a stellar cast of jazz musicians. The move certainly works; while the band serves in top-notch fashion, Comstock makes it all the more relevant with his ability to phrase and enunciate these pieces the way jazz song should be treated. Stylistic touches apart, he imbues the words with yearning, joy, or pathos to bring in the right shade of emotion.
Comstock says that he loves ...
read moreEric Comstock: No One Knows
by Michael P. Gladstone
A few months ago, I had the opportunity to see a performance of Singing Astaire: A Fred Astaire Songbook presented at NYC's Birdland during daylight hours. This revue was written by a very talented Eric Comstock, who also played piano and sang, along with two equally talented vocalists, Hilary Kole and Christopher Gines. Comstock seamlessly stitched together 29 Astaire-associated standards, some in conceptual medleys with entertaining anecdotes. Prior to that, Comstock co-wrote the long-running Off Broadway revue Our Sinatra.
read moreEric Comstock: No One Knows
by William Grim
Wow! There are simply not enough superlatives for this CD. Eric Comstock “owns" the Great American Songbook like Tony Bennett and Mel Torme, and he is one of the best of the crop of young jazz singers and song stylists to come along in recent years. Blessed with perfect intonation and incredible enunciation, Comstock does equal justice to both music and words. His piano work is elegant and his arrangements are both witty and at times erudite. Although he's a ...
read moreEric Comstock: No One Knows
by Dan McClenaghan
Pianist/vocalist Eric Comstock opens No One Knows with the Charlie Haden/Arthur Hamilton tune “Easy on the Heart," a gentle ballad featuring Frank Wess doing a slow smolder on tenor sax behind the smooth vocal flow. Comstock strikes me here as coming from the line of singers that starts with Bing Crosby and runs through Frank Sinata and Tony Bennett. He sounds cool, and he swings on the next song, “To the Ends of the Earth," with Peter Bernstein taking a ...
read moreComstock Puts Jazz Spin on Broadway's Charles Strouse in Return to "American Songbook"
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
"THIS IS THE LIFE: ERIC COMSTOCK SALUTES CHARLES STROUSE @ 80" WED., FEBRUARY 6 @ 8:30, THE ALLEN ROOM, JAZZ @ LINCOLN CENTER Broadway will swing when Lincoln Center's American Songbook presents ERIC COMSTOCK, an all-star quartet and special guests in an innovative jazz spin on the music of composer Charles Strouse at the Allen Room at Jazz @ Lincoln Center on Wednesday, February 6th at 8:30pm. Joining Comstock will be tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, bassist Peter Washington, drummer Vito ...
read more
Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano, 'The Music That Makes Me Dance: A Jule Styne Songbook' The Prince Music Theatre October 25 - November 5
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
October 25 - November 5 The Prince Music Theatre 1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia Wed & Thurs @ 7:30pm, Fri & Sat @ 8:30pm, Sun @ 3:00pm THE MUSIC THAT MAKES ME DANCE: A JULE STYNE SONGBOOK Eric Comstock, piano/vocals Barbara Fasano, vocals Kevin MacConnell, bass 215.569.9700 http://www.princemusictheater.org Barbara Fasano “WRITTEN IN THE STARS" Featuring ohn DiMartino-piano and arrangements, ...
read more
Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano Encore Performance! Saturday, October 21 @ 10:30pm At Danny's
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
ERIC COMSTOCK & BARBARA FASANO with Sean Smith, bass
TWO FOR THE ROAD
ENCORE PERFORMANCE! SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21 @ 10:30PM
DANNY'S 346 West 46th Street, NYC Reservations: 212.265.8133
Comstock & Fasano are also appearing:
Rose Hall Jazz @ Lincoln Center, NYC Wednesday, October 18 @ 6pm MABEL MERCER FOUNDATION CABARET CONVENTION 2006
The Prince Music Theatre Philadelphia October 25 - ...
read more
Summer Standard Time with Eric Comstock & Sean Smith @ Danny's Tuesday, August 2, 9, 16 @ 9:15pm
Source:
All About Jazz
July 27, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] SUMMER STANDARD TIME with Eric Comstock & Sean Smith Tuesday, August 2, 9, 16 @ 9:15pm DANNY['S 346 West 46th St. (bet. 8 & 9) Reservations: 212.265.8133 Music charge: $20 / Food & drink minimum: $12 (dinner may be included in the minimum) Hi everybody -- Just back from summer vacation (with some work thrown in) in the Hamptons and Martha's Vineyard, and looking forward to ...
read more
Barbara Fasano & Eric Comstock Sing Alec Wilder Saturday, April 9th @ 2:00pm Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre
Source:
All About Jazz
April 9, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH @ 2:00PM THE FRIENDS OF ALEC WILDER PRESENT THE 20TH ANNUAL ALEC WILDER CONCERT LEONARD NIMOY THALIA THEATRE SYMPHONY SPACE (95th Street, West of Broadway) ERIC COMSTOCK & BARBARA FASANO WILL SING RARITIES AS WELL AS STANDARDS SUCH AS “BLACKBERRY WINTER", “WHERE IS THE ONE?" & “WHO CAN I TURN TO?" FOLLOWING THEIR SET, RARE WILDER FILM MUSIC WILL BE PERFORMED. TICKETS: $20, ...
read more
"Eric Comstock 'owns' the Great American Songbook like Tony Bennett and Mel Torme, and he is one of the best of the crop of young jazz singers and song stylists to come along in recent years."
-- William Grim, AAJ
"A breakout effort for the young singer/pianist."
-- Dan McClanaghan, AAJ
Photos
Music
Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson
Similar
Ann Hampton Callaway
vocals
_BF__122_FINAL-WEB_(683x1024).jpg)
