Bio
Bio
Paul Asaro is known as one
of the finest of a select
group of pianists who have mastered the demanding
two-handed jazz and ragtime piano styles from the
first half of the 20th century. The Stride piano of
James P. Johnson, Willie "The Lion" Smith and Fats
Waller, the New Orleans styles of Jelly Roll Morton,
the ragtime of Scott Joplin and Eubie Blake, stomps,
boogie woogie and swing, Asaro plays them all with a
fine ear for detail, blending the elements into his
own personal style. Indeed, most of Paul's earliest
influences were more recent pianists such as Dick
Wellstood, Ralph Sutton and Butch Thompson, musicians
who worked within these traditions while at the same
time developing their own unique approach..
In a career now spanning two
decades, Paul has
performed at theaters and clubs worldwide and has
appeared at such major venues as the Chicago Jazz
Festival, Ravinia, the Toronto Jazz Festival, the
Festival International de Jazz de Montreal and the
Ascona Jazz Festival in Switzerland. He has performed
onstage with such musical legends and luminaries as
Leon Redbone, Steve Allen, Marian McPartland, Butch
Thompson, Jeff Healy and Vince Giordano. He was the
featured pianist in the Obie award winning Broadway
production of "Jelly Roll! The Music and the Man",
performing solo and accompanying the show's creator
and star Vernel Bagneris. Asaro also played for the
national tour and numerous regional theater
productions of “Jelly Roll!” including a run in
Philadelphia resulting in a Barrymore Award
nomination for best supporting actor. Asaro has had
long runs as house pianist aboard the legendary New
Orleans steamboat "Delta Queen" and in Chicago with
Jim Beebe's band featuring former Louis Armstrong
All-Star Barrett Deems and the legendary tenor man
Franz Jackson. He has also held down the piano chair
in such diverse bands as the Chicago Jazz Ensemble,The
Independence Hall Jazz Band, Connie Jones’ Crescent
City Jazz Band, The Salty Dogs, Spats Langham & His
Rhythm Boys and Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks. The Paul
Asaro Trio, formed in 2000, features cornetist Scott
Black and master ragtime guitarist Craig Ventresco.
The trio has toured extensively playing festivals and
concerts and has made three recordings.
Currently Asaro tours the
country as accompanist to
Leon Redbone, playing concerts as a duo and appearing
on NPR’s “A Prairie Home Companion” and “Mountain
Stage” as well as performing together as featured
artists at Adam Sandler’s wedding reception. Paul has
recently completed a recording session with singer and
guitarist Loudon Wainwright III, performed solos and
two-piano duets with Butch Thompson and Jon Weber for
the Twin Cities Jazz Festival’s “Stride Piano Night”,
and is planning an extended solo tour in 2009 for
Allied Concert Services. Having recently returned to
the Seattle area, he can be found playing concerts and
festivals from Sacramento, CA to Kalispell, MT.
Medium Length Bio
Paul Asaro is known worldwide as one of the finest interpreters of the ragtime and jazz piano styles of Harlem Stride, Jelly Roll Morton, Scott Joplin and Eubie Blake. Asaro plays them all with a fine ear for detail, blending the elements into his own personal style.
Paul has appeared at concerts and festivals worldwide and has performed onstage with such musical legends and luminaries as Leon Redbone, Steve Allen, Marian McPartland, Butch Thompson, Jeff Healy and Vince Giordano. He was one of the featured pianists in the Obie award winning Broadway production of Vernel Bagneris’ and Morten Gunnar Larsen’s "Jelly Roll! The Music and the Man". Asaro has had long runs as house pianist aboard the legendary New Orleans steamboat "Delta Queen" and in Chicago with Jim Beebe's Chicago Jazz band. The Paul Asaro Trio featuring cornetist Scott Black and master ragtime guitarist Craig Ventresco has toured extensively and has made three recordings.
Currently Asaro tours the country as accompanist to Leon Redbone, playing concerts as a duo and appearing on NPR’s “A Prairie Home Companion” and “Mountain Stage”. Paul has recently completed a recording session with singer and guitarist Loudon Wainwright III, performed solos and two-piano duets with Butch Thompson and Jon Weber for the Twin Cities Jazz Festival’s “Stride Piano Night”, and is planning an extended Midwestern solo tour in 2009 for Allied Concert Services.
Short bio:
Paul Asaro is recognized internationally as one of the leading exponents of the Stride piano style as well as ragtime and the classic jazz of Jelly Roll Morton. He tours regularly with the legendary Leon Redbone, as a soloist and with his trio. He is currently based in Champaign.
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