Piano Jazz Shorts

British-born pianist Keith Ingham began his jazz career in London after studying Mandarin at Oxford University. In the late ’70s, he moved to New York, which led him to connect with the likes of Peggy Lee, Benny Goodman, and Susannah McCorkle, for whom he was pianist and musical director. He was McPartland’s guest on this 1997 Piano Jazz . Ingham opens the program with “A Foggy Day in London Town.” He and McPartland close the show with a duet of “Little Rock Get Away.” News Stations: Sat, Feb 11

Barry Harris is a seminal figure in the jazz world. As the “keeper of the bebop flame,” Harris is committed to preserving jazz through education and performance. His workshops play an important part in his life and in the lives of many young musicians. On this 2002 Piano Jazz , Harris demonstrates how he earned the reputation as one of the most inventive and respected pianists today when he solos on “It Could Happen to You.” Host McPartland and Harris show off their bebop chops on Charlie Parker

From a background in visual arts and French literature at the University of Washington, Kendra Shank has been pursuing a successful singing career from Seattle to Paris to New York, where she is currently based. Shank’s sensuous phrasing and crystal clear tone have earned praise from critics and fans alike. On this Piano Jazz from 2007, Shank’s thoughtful yet emotional voice illuminates Jerome Kern’s “Long Ago and Far Away.” Shank also shows off her skill on the guitar, as she joins McPartland

Composer, arranger, and pianist Lalo Schifrin trained classically as a young man in Argentina. He went on to study at the Paris Conservatory as he developed a career as a jazz musician, playing and recording in Europe. He has written more than 100 film and television scores and has won multiple Grammys and Academy Award nominations. On this 1997 Piano Jazz, Schifrin treats listeners to a solo version of his composition “Down Here on the Ground” from the hit movie Cool Hand Luke. News Stations:

Pianist and vocalist Jeannie Cheatham began piano lessons at the tender age of five and at 13 became intoxicated with the sounds of jazz. Cheatham toured with such blues artists as Jimmy Witherspoon, T-Bone Walker, Odetta, and Big Mama Thornton. In the 1950s she met her husband, bass trombonist Jimmy Cheatham, and the pair formed the Sweet Baby Blues Band. On this 1989 Piano Jazz , Cheatham performs “Midnight Mam.” McPartland and Cheatham join forces for a swinging duet on “Perdido.” News

For more than a decade, Loston Harris has headlined at Bemelmans Bar in Manhattan, delighting audiences with his smooth, soulful voice and piano style. Harris began his jazz career as a drummer but was encouraged by mentor Ellis Marsalis to switch to the piano. Hence, he discovered a new instrument and a new musical world. On this 1999 Piano Jazz, Harris performs “I Just Can’t See for Looking.” McPartland joins him for a rousing duet of Ellington’s “Do Nothing ‘til You Hear from Me.” News

Conductor, composer, and pianist André Previn has received multiple Lifetime Achievement Awards, including honors from the Kennedy Center, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Grammy Awards. Previn achieved an exceptional reputation as a jazz pianist in a series of recordings he made in the 1950s and 1960s. On this 1990 Piano Jazz , Previn plays a special treatment of “Stormy Weather” and then joins McPartland for an improvisation of “Stars Fell on Alabama.” News Stations: Sat, Dec 24, 8 pm |

Pianist and vocalist Patti Wicks (1945 – 2014) began picking out tunes at the age of three and learned to play by ear because she was born visually impaired. As an adult, Wicks continued her music education at the Crane School of Music, SUNY. She honed her craft in New York jazz clubs and went on to perform in major venues and festivals the world over. In this 2004 Piano Jazz session, Wicks solos on McPartland’s tune, “There’ll Be Other Times,” and joins McPartland for “Body and Soul.” News

Saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. (1943-1999) was a master musician and multiple Grammy winner. He performed internationally and worked with names like Bobby McFerrin, B.B. King, Patti LaBelle, and Nancy Wilson. He performed at the 1993 Inauguration of President Bill Clinton. Washington’s purity of tone and long, fluid lines are evident on this 1994 Piano Jazz . He and McPartland join forces to play “Prelude to a Kiss” and “What Am I Here For.” News Stations: Sat, Dec 10, 8 pm | Classical

A sensitive and romantic vocalist and pianist, Meredith D’Ambrosio is a champion of the lesser-known songs of famous composers. She is also respected as a visual artist, composer, and teacher. In the late eighties, she met her late husband, pianist Eddie Higgins, and the pair went on to record and perform as a musical duo. On this 1994 Piano Jazz , D’Ambrosio sings and plays her own songs “Beware of Spring” and “Give It Time.” News Stations: Sat, Dec 03, 8 pm | Classical Station: Sun, Dec 04, 7