When multi-Grammy nominated jazz recording, Shelly Berg, tackled
Gershwin arrangements with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the recording soared to the Billboard Classical Top 20 – hailing Berg as “one of the finest pianists around in the early 21st century playing modern mainstream jazz.”
(All Music Guide) And now the Steinway piano artist brings his renowned sound to Fort Myers’ Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m., when the Shelly Berg Trio joins Gulf Coast Symphony on stage for an evening of show tunes in Gershwin Reimagined.
Shelly Berg has been nominated for several Grammy awards, including both Best Arrangement and Instruments and Vocals and Best Arrangement categories. He was also nominated for a Grammy as co-producer of Gloria Estefan: The Standards in the Best Traditional Pop Album category. Berg is artistic advisor for Jazz Roots at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, musical director of The Jazz Cruise, and host of the show Generation Next on Real Jazz Sirius XM. He has appeared on NPR radio with Jim Cullum’s Riverwalk Jazz series. Shelly Berg has performed, recorded and arranged for many renowned jazz vocalists, composed and orchestrated for television, and performed live with Zac Brown, Mark Anthony, Gloria Estefan, James Taylor, Garth Brooks and more. His orchestrations are
called “magnificent… incredible” by composer Johnny Mandel. Berg is the dean of the Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, a position he has held since June 2007.
Berg will be joined by Mark Neuenschwander on bass and Ian Goodman on drums, together known as the Shelly Berg Trio, and accompanied by vocalist Kate Reid. Berg’s acclaimed arrangements of George and Ira Gershwin’s legendary compositions, including music from Crazy for You, An American in Paris, and Rhapsody in Blue, will be performed with the Gulf Coast Symphony.
The Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall is located on the campus of Florida Southwestern State College. Tickets for Gershwin Reimagined on Sunday, Feb. 9 start at $29 and may be purchased by
calling the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall Box Office at (239) 481-4849 or online at www.GulfCoastSymphony.org
Now celebrating its 25th anniversary season, the Gulf Coast Symphony is led by music and executive director, Dr. Andrew M. Kurtz.
