Classical Meets Jazz in an Unexpected Way in Annapolis

On Friday May 27, at 8 pm the Clazzical Project comes to Annapolis with “Bringing You the Clazzics.” The Project is comprised of accomplished musicians who play classical music in jazz arrangements and offer humorous “anecdotes” along the way. Featured are Don Stapleson (flute), Pete Fields (guitar), Fred Lieder (cello) and guest pianist Brian Ganz who will perform the original composition. The concert, part of the 4th Friday series, will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis (UUCA), 333 Dubois Road. Tickets are $15 at the door. For more information, visit www.tinyurl.com/UUCA-concerts or call 410-266-8044 Monday – Thursday.

The program will open with Softly as in a Morning Sunrise from Romberg’s Operetta “The New Moon.” Some of the other blended pieces you will hear are Faure’s Pavane, Nocturne in F minor by Chopin, Ravel’s Pavane’s For a Dead Princess, Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, Lieberstraum by Liszt, and Mozart’s Turkish Rondo. For each piece Brian Ganz will play the original classical piece; Don Stapleson follows with brief commentary about how the piece became jazz and then the Clazzical Project artists offer their jazz interpretation.

The Clazzical Project group (aptly coined by the group as “outside the ‘Bachs”) crosses over classical music to jazz to appeal to music lovers of all kinds. After the classical rendition you will enjoy “ingenious and beautiful juxtaposition of jazz treatments against iconic classical melodies” according to Jeffrey Silberschlag, Music Director of Chesapeake Orchestra and Italy’s Alba Music Festival. The performance will take you on a journey of mind bending “What ifs”; combining famous classical works with improvisational jazz. Through stories both fictional and funny, commentaries on each piece include an almost believable fantasy allowing you to imagine the possibility of unusual musical classical composer and jazz artist meet ups surprising the listener again and again.

The Classical Project trio combines well- known musicians who discovered their mutual love of improvisation, storytelling and their ‘outside the box’ music tastes. Don Stapleson (flute) is director of the St. Mary’s College Jazz Bands and performs with his group, The Don Stapleson Quartet, and has performed with Ray Charles, Wayne Newton, Nancy Wilson, and Martha Reeves. Pete Fields (guitar) has mastered diverse musical styles and unique guitar techniques with performances in the U.S. and Europe. His repertoire ranges from classical guitar, jazz, and Latin music. His release “Stillness of the Heart,” is a collection of compositions for classical guitar and has received airplay throughout the country. Fred Lieder (cello) has been a fixture on the Washington area music scene playing classical, jazz, blues, rock and Celtic. He has arranged rock tunes for solo cello including works by the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, and Carlos Santana. Lieder released his solo instrumental tunes on “Cello Blues” and his first book My Cello Has the Blues. Guest pianist Brian Ganz known for his mastery of classical music is considered a leading pianist of his generation. He has performed world-wide with major symphonies and won international prizes.