Start the New Year with the Michael Telesmanick Quartet

Rockledge Country Club
Sunday, January 13, 2019, 2pm (doors open at 1pm)

Michael Telesmanick, who plays piano, keyboard, vibraphone, drums and guitar is also a composer, producer, arranger, sound designer and vocalist. With all those musical skills and talents, Mike, primarily a pianist, will still share the Space Coast Jazz Society Stage on January 13th with his Quartet, which includes Sal Perla on drums, DK Issitt on bass, and Paul Polanski on saxophone. And if that is not enough, special guest, jazz vocalist nolia blue, will share her sultry sounds as well.

Mike is a graduate of the esteemed Berklee College of Music where his mentors included drummer Buddy Rich (who referred to Mike as an outstanding jazz pianist) and Academy Award winning film composer John Williams (whose credits include Star Wars, Jaws, E.T. and other famous films). Between graduating from Berklee and moving to Sebastian Florida, Mike has spent 25 years as a jazz pianist performing in the US and internationally, playing solo or with his band. He has performed with award-winning musicians and some of the best in the business, such as the bassist for Tony Bennett, Marshall Wood; percussionist for John Coltrane, Juno Lewis; Grammy Award winning jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette; Grammy Award winning saxophonist Joe Lovano; and many, many others.

Working primarily on the California coast for many years, Mike played regularly at renowned jazz venues in Los Angeles. He became Merv Griffin’s favorite pianist when he performed at Griffin’s legendary Coconut Club in Beverly Hills. As the primary pianist at the Leimert Park (LA) World Stage venue Mike accompanied jazz greats Billy Higgins, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny and others. In the mid-1990s his CD Illumination met with critical acclaim and, in 2004, his band won the award for Best Fusion Artist of the Year at the Long Beach Jazz Festival.

Currently, Mike composes scores for independent film projects and is working on two CDs --- one solo piano and another with singer nolia blue. He continues performing as a solo pianist or with bands in the local area as well as at world-class jazz venues on the West and East Coasts, and in New Orleans.

Mike describes his style as “classic jazz BeBop with an original, unique modern style.” He and the band will begin the concert with some instrumental numbers before nolia blue joins them. Singer songwriter nolia studied with opera legend Anna Maria Saritelli-DiPanni and vocal coach Seth Riggs, who mentored more than 100 Grammy Award winning artists. nolia brings her unique style and years of performing experience to the Space Coast Jazz Society stage.

Needless to say, this will be a full and versatile afternoon for Brevard County jazz enthusiasts.

Start the New Year right by joining Mike, nolia and the Quartet, as well as friends and acquaintances ---old and new --- at the January concert.  

Space Coast Jazz Society concerts are open to the public. General admission can be paid at the door or tickets can be purchased online: $10 for members of the Society or the Rockledge Country Club, $15 for guests, and no charge for students. Food and beverages are available at an additional cost. The Rockledge Country Club is located at 1591 S. Fiske Blvd., Rockledge, FL 32955. For more information, call (321) 960-4897, email Jazz@SpaceCoastJazzSociety.org or go to www.SpaceCoastJazzSociety.org. You can also join this unique and fun organization at the concert or through the website.

The Space Coast Jazz Society is dedicated to preserve and promote jazz --- hosting monthly concerts by a variety of professional musicians, providing free jazz workshops for Brevard County students and awarding scholarships to graduating Brevard County high school seniors.

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