John Serry:  

John Serry (b. 1954) was nominated for a Grammy [Best Instrumental Arrangement] for his composition, Sabotage, on his debut album, "Exhibition" (Chrysalis, 1979). His second album, "Jazziz" (Chrysalis, 1980), received 4 stars in Downbeat, feature review of the month in Keyboard magazine and it inspired the naming of JAZZIZ magazine by its publisher. In 1995, John was awarded the Grand Prize in the JAZZIZ magazine Keyboards on Fire pianist/composer competition (Dave Brubeck and Bob James, judges; grand piano from Steinway.) John Serry's CD, "Enchantress" (Telarc, 1996), was well received : "He has a strong sense of melody, his touch is confident, his ideas are sensible and his playing is beautifully controlled " --Downbeat "What a pleasure to find that he is back, still turning out charts that turn heads by turning corners." --Keyboard. Serry has performed at Birdland, the Blue Note, the Montreux Festival, the 606 Club (London), Covent Garden (featured on BBC “Jazz Legends Live”), Steinway Hall and numerous festivals, clubs and venues in the U.S and abroad. Players which have appeared in his groups and recordings include John Riley, Peter Erskine, Carlos Vega, Anthony Jackson, Jimmy Johnson, Bob Sheppard, Gerry Niewood, Ted Nash, Mike Sembello, and Barry Finnerty, among others. His new album, The Shift (SPCo Records, 2013), with his London quartet, Dave O'Higgins - sax, Mark Mondesir - drums, Sam Burgess - bass / Mike Mondesir - elec. bass, is available at CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon.com and Facebook (Music Store at John Serry musician/band page). Free download of the first track, Pockets, is available by contacting John through Facebook (or a Google search). Listen to album excerpts at Myspace, CD Baby and Facebook. "Serry returns to the studio in top form on The Shift (SPCo)...The leadoff track,“Pockets,” our selection, showcases the ensemble’s esprit de corps, as they wend their way through the lilting composition. Serry’s playing is as colorful and expressive as ever." --JAZZIZ magazine (Summer 2013 issue). John has lived in Europe since 2004 - London, Spain, Prague, Germany, Italy. John wrote and recorded music for commercials and documentaries in New York in the 1990s. He composed, orchestrated and produced music for documentaries, television and corporate films in Los Angeles in the 1980s and played sessions there for television and film in the late 1970s. He has sometimes played with well known artists, e.g., piano with Patty Austin, BBC Big Band, Doc Severinsen, Kyle Eastwood and percussion wit...Expand for more