Pianist Steve Kessler makes a rare return performance in Baltimore where he lived from 1995-2003 and held court with amazing weekly trio performances at Bertha’s in Fells Point. A gifted improviser, the self taught pianist has led his own groups and performed with Joe Henderson, Donald Byrd, and Woody Herman. He is joined for his January 19 show at An die Musik with bassist Paul Langosch and drummer Emre Kartari.

Richmond, VA pianist/composer Steve Kessler says he is an improviser first. Performing recently in NYC, NJ and Canada, the self taught pianist has led his own groups for years, and has performed with Joe Henderson, Donald Byrd, Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd and others.

Currently based in Canada, this performance offers a rare return to the area for Kessler, who lived in Baltimore from 1995-2003. He presented an influential weekly residency with his trio at Bertha’s for several years.

Style Magazine music critic Peter McEllhiney writes, "If Steve Kessler is - to use the cliché - “the best kept secret in jazz”, it is by his design. Fame has not so much eluded pianist Steve Kessler as he has eluded it. Over the years, he resisted high profile offers from jazz legend Freddie Hubbard to Bruce Springsteen to Dave Matthews, to maintain a personal vision of the music he sought to play.

Kessler is an imaginative and engaging player. He thinks quickly, plays fluidly, and doesn’t sound like anyone else. A musician’s musician, seldom recorded, he channels his considerable talent almost exclusively into performance. His playing is bracing, articulate, unpredictable and totally individual. In originality, imagination, commitment and execution, there are few players anywhere who are his equal.

Kessler’s CDs as pianist and/or composer include his “3 Trios” with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Howard Curtis, “One Man’s Blues” with baritone saxophonist Glenn Wilson, and trumpeter Victor Haskins’ first CD “The Truth”.

Bassist Paul Langosch began his studies on the double bass in 1969 with Albert Webster of the National Symphony and later continued private lessons with William Vaughn, also of the National Symphony.

Paul has worked with many of the leaders in the jazz world including: Phil Woods, Tal Farlow, Al Cohn, Mose Allison, Johnny Hartman, Bud Shank, Zoot Sims, Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis. Paul’s touring credits include tours with Jon Hendricks, George Shearing, Rosemary Clooney, Mel Torme, Susanna McCorkle and Conte Candoli.

In 1985 Paul was invited to by Tony Bennett to become a permanent member of his trio. His association with Mr. Bennett lasted over 20 years.

Emre Kartari is a Turkish jazz percussionist. Born into a family of musicians and artists, he moved to the United States when he was ten. Soon after, he began to study drums, which led to studying jazz percussion with T. Howard Curtis at Virginia Commonwealth University. He holds an M.A. in jazz performance and composition from New York University and received the Barney Josephson Award in 2003.

He toured the United States with the spoken-word, hip-hop group, Jazz Poets Society. While in New York, Kartari studied with Adam Nussbaum, John Riley, Tony Moreno, Billy Hart and Jamey Haddad. He has performed with jazz greats including Charlie Byrd, Jim McNeely, Ralph Lalama, Vic Juris, Ron McClure, Mike Richmond and David Liebman.

His first CD as a leader, Perpetual Anxiety, is released in Turkey under the Dogan Music label. Kartari has played and recorded with his own quartet Origin, featuring David Liebman, John D'earth and Howard Curtis. Emre also recorded with the trio Big Girl, featuring Darius Jones and Trevor Dunn from John Zorn-Fantomas. As an educator, he worked with the New York Pops-Mentors in Music program.

He is currently working at the Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey, forming their first jazz program approved by the state. He is currently a member of Ya?ar University in ?zmir, Turkey.

$20 advance/$23 door /$10 full-time students with ID