Description

Jazz Jams With Dr. Bill Bares and special guests

Pianist, composer, scholar, and educator William Bares brings a rich and varied musical perspective to the Jazz Jam Series. He earned his Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from Harvard University in 2009 and has taught at Harvard, Brown University, Berklee College of Music, and New England Conservatory. He is Professor and Chair of the Department of Music and co-director of Jazz Studies at UNC Asheville.

Bares is a poly-stylistic pianist and bandleader who has released six albums as a leader or co-leader and founded or co-founded several successful Asheville groups, including the repertoire-based Hard Bop Explosion, the modern jazz-oriented The Core, and the free-improvisation unit Eye Myth Collective.

A fan of piano trio music, Bares performs across a wide range of musical settings and repertoires with groups including the Asheville Art Trio, Bill Bares Trio, Three Chord Monty, Trio Big Band, and Four Giants Trio. He also performs in duo and solo settings, including the “Take Two” series and solo concerts for the Asheville Area Piano Forum. His collaborative work extends to performing with ensembles led by other musicians, including Steve LaSpina’s quintet, Alan Hall’s Xploratoreum, Jazzville, and CarolinAloha.

An evening with William Bares offers an opportunity to experience the breadth of Asheville’s jazz community through the music of a pianist whose work moves comfortably across styles, ensembles, and traditions.