Sullivan Fortner is one of the greatest pianists of his generation.
His duets with CĂ©cile McLorin Salvant are among the most ravishing moments of live jazz I have experienced. But his musical inventiveness stretches back to New Orleans at age 4, inspired by the church organist. In the following three decades, he served stints with Stefon Harris and Roy Hargrove. He has recorded with Theo Croker, Donald Harrison, Etienne Charles, Lauren Henderson and the aforementioned CĂ©cile McLorin Salvant. He has performed with Dianne Reeves, Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, John Scofield, Fred Hersch, Sean Jones, DeeDee Bridgewater, Roberta Gambarini, Peter Bernstein, Stefon Harris, Nicholas Peyton, Billy Hart, Dave Liebman, Gary Bartz and Christian Scott. He has produced two albums as leader: Aria and Moments Preserved....
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Sullivan Fortner is one of the greatest pianists of his generation.
His duets with CĂ©cile McLorin Salvant are among the most ravishing moments of live jazz I have experienced. But his musical inventiveness stretches back to New Orleans at age 4, inspired by the church organist. In the following three decades, he served stints with Stefon Harris and Roy Hargrove. He has recorded with Theo Croker, Donald Harrison, Etienne Charles, Lauren Henderson and the aforementioned CĂ©cile McLorin Salvant. He has performed with Dianne Reeves, Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, John Scofield, Fred Hersch, Sean Jones, DeeDee Bridgewater, Roberta Gambarini, Peter Bernstein, Stefon Harris, Nicholas Peyton, Billy Hart, Dave Liebman, Gary Bartz and Christian Scott. He has produced two albums as leader: Aria and Moments Preserved.
Fortner has won plenty of accolades, including the Cole Porter Fellowship from the American Pianists Association. He now conducts master classes at institutions he used to attend: Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, among others.
But a fact recitation cannot convey the importance or brilliance of this jazz artist. We caught him earlier this year at Philadelphia’s St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Listeners beheld a seemingly inexhaustible source of ideas, referencing the history of jazz piano without cliché or repetition. We witnessed an artist bringing extreme humility, invention and technique to standards and originals alike. "What’s missing are the swelling rock dynamics and hip-hop beat-geekery that have become their own form of orthodoxy among heralded young musicians in the modern jazz mainstream,” wrote Nate Chinen. "That isn’t a bad thing,” he added.
If you come out for one pianist in the next year, make it Sullivan Fortner. He’s that good.
Sullivan Fortner
7-10 pm Tuesday, October 1
1220 N. Mascher St. (steps away from the Girard Ave. El stop)
We contemplate a $30 donation to support the musicians and provide appropriate refreshments.
Click RSVP to this invitation (https://forms.gle/AKGVwcP2BEShuA526) to get on the guest list. Invitation expires when we reach 85 attendees. Looking forward to seeing you.
Matt Yaple
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@exuberance parties at Matt’s are by invitation only to provide a dignified, comfortable and acoustically ideal setting for worthwhile art and ideas. Cellphones and other devices are to be holstered during the performances. Between sets, conviviality rules.
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