Patti Preiss: Bio

PATTI PREISS

Patti Preiss has been performing on the piano since the age of seven. During her career as a professional musician, she has appeared at such venues as New York's Carnegie Recital Hall and the Bottom Line; The Hague Jazz Festival, The Netherlands; Norway's Molde Jazz Festival; the Jazz Festival at Cannes, France; and "At My Place" in Los Angeles. She has concertized with jazz greats Jimmy Giuffre, Ed Blackwell and Karl Berger; toured with renowned jazz composer Carla Bley; and recorded with legendary folk artist Arlo Guthrie. Ms. Preiss has also led a number of her own groups performing her original compositions and jazz standards.

In the 80's, Patti released a recording of original piano improvisations entitled "Jamaica's Album" on her own record label as well as wrote a book on techniques of improvisation, "Musical Materials." In addition, she received numerous grants to support her composing and performance projects. In the 1990's, Ms. Preiss served as vocal accompanist at the State University of New York at Purchase, and as dance accompanist for the Northern Westchester Center for the Arts and the Steffi Nossen School of Dance. Currently Patti performs regularly at private functions throughout the metropolitan New York area and appears frequently at the Regency Hyatt Hotel in Greenwich, Connecticut, playing contemporary jazz.

A classically-trained pianist, Patti is equally proficient in jazz, classical, pop, and musical theater styles. She holds a bachelor's degree in music composition from Harvard University and a Master of Fine Arts in performance from the California Institute of the Arts. In addition to performing live, Ms. Preiss teaches piano and composition privately. She is noted as an "emerging contemporary performer" in Linda Dahl's book "Stormy Weather: The Music and Lives of a Century of Jazzwomen." Patti can also be found in the "Who's Who of American Women" and in "Who's Who in Entertainment."

PATTI PREISS TRIO

The PATTI PREISS TRIO was formed a number of years ago to fill the bill at the lavish Sunday brunches at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Greenwich, Connecticut. It consisted of Patti Preiss, piano and keyboards; Bill Harris, tenor and soprano saxophones and flute; and either Andy Eulau or Cameron Brown on acoustic doublebass.

Since that time the group has worked steadily at a number of venues, including many private parties and, most recently, The Long Ridge Tavern in Stamford, Connecticut.

All members of the group have logged in thousands of hours of performing time. Patti began her professonal career as a bassist, performing in Europe and North America with the Carla Bley Jazz Orchestra; she switched to piano in 1980. Since that time, Patti has performed throughout Massachusetts, California and the tri-state area playing both classical music and jazz at colleges, town halls, night clubs and private homes.

Bill Harris has had an impressive career playing alongside a host of pop, R&B and jazz luminaries including Jose Feliciano, Natalie Merchant, Gerry Mulligan, Robbie Dupree, Sam Moore, Celine Dion, Jeff Golub and The Rippingtons.

Andy Eulau has performed with small and big band jazz groups in tours on three continents. He is associated with prominent artists such as Ray Barretto, Bill Mays, Bob Mintzer, Kevin Hays, Leon Parker and the BMI Jazz Orchestra.

Cameron Brown most recently is known for his trio work with the outstanding jazz tenor player, Joe Lovano, and drummer Idris Muhammud. Other artists with whom Cameron has performed on a regular basis include Sheila Jordan, Dewey Redman, Archie Shepp, Don Cherry, Roswell Rudd, Don Pullen, George Adams and Dannie Richmond.

The PATTI PREISS TRIO specializes in performance of standards and contemporary jazz classics, with occasional forays into pop and R&B. Be sure to check the "Dates" page for the latest performance information on the PATTI PREISS TRIO.