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“he can focus the intensity in a tune as well as any pianist in mainstream jazz.”
– New York Times
“Weiss’ shrewd writing and arranging skills are as clearly in view as his sleek piano work”
– The New Yorker
“An energy and irrepressible inventiveness… The nimbleness of Weiss’ technique was
matched by the intellectual heft of his ideas.” – Chicago Tribune
“Weiss’ compositions take on different shapes, great complexity and fresh perspectives”
– Washington Post
“One of the most fluent and flexible pianists of his generation.” – BMI Music World
“Combines the wonder of spontaneity with a workmanlike acknowledgment of his
materials: art and craft in delightful balance.” – Chicago Reader
You can tell a lot about a musician by the company he keeps. The star-studded resume
that pianist and composer Michael Weiss has quietly assembled over the past 40 years
proves that some of the greatest names in jazz have long considered Weiss one of the best
in the business. Since arriving in New York in 1982, the Dallas native has forged a
formidable career working in the bands of jazz legends Johnny Griffin, Art Farmer,
Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath and the Heath Brothers,
George Coleman, Charles McPherson, Jon Hendricks, Lou Donaldson, Junior Cook/Bill
Hardman Quintet, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and Mingus Epitaph Orchestra. Weiss’
fifteen year association with Griffin, yielded four recordings and annual tours in the USA
and around the world. He has also performed with Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Clark
Terry, Clifford Jordan, Gary Bartz, Phil Woods, Pepper Adams, Joe Lovano, Ron Carter,
David Newman, Gerry Mulligan, Nancy Wilson, Randy Brecker, Tom Harrell, Gerry
Mulligan, Wynton Marsalis, and numerous other jazz greats.
As a band leader, Weiss has headlined at the Village Vanguard, Detroit Jazz Festival,
Detroit Symphony Hall, Smithsonian Institution, and major New York venues such as the
Blue Note, Jazz Standard, Birdland, Bradley’s, Iridium, Sweet Basil, Smoke and Merkin
Concert Hall. Reviewing his Vanguard debut, the New York Times wrote that Weiss
“demonstrated a strong sense of leadership and organization” exhibiting “sensitivity and
logic, along with crisp control.” Television appearances include CBS-TV’s Nightwatch
and PBS’ Live From Lincoln Center: The City of Jazz. NPR radio appearances include
PianoJazz with Marion McPartland, Making the Music with Wynton Marsalis, Jazzset, and
the Jazz Piano Christmas Special. Weiss was the 1989 second prizewinner in the
Thelonious Monk Institute’s International Piano Competition.

Weiss has also been recognized for his writing. He was the grand prize winner of the
2000 BMI/Thelonious Monk Institute’s Composition Competition presented to him by
Wayne Shorter, and is a two-time Chamber Music America New Works grant recipient.
Weiss’ compositions reveal eclectic influences from the worlds of jazz, 20th Century
classical and popular music. Weiss focuses on extended forms, thematic development and
attention to detail.
In 2022 Weiss celebrates the release of his fifth recording as a leader, Persistence (Cellar
Live). His previous recordings on the CrissCross, SteepleChase, DIW and Sintra labels
have been hailed by the critics:
“Weiss has a rich palette of composing devices at his command” – Downbeat
“Weiss’ original compositions conjured a distinct world of sound, a testament to the
nature of Weiss’ imagination.” – Chicago Tribune
“Warmth, integrity and above all, originality. Weiss’ originals are formful and dynamic
enough to sound as if they were standards of the genre.” – JazzTimes
“the songs simply smoke” – Detroit Free Press
“Weiss is a vital talent with something important to say” – All About Jazz
“About as close to perfection as a recording can get….If there is truly justice in our
world, this should be a Grammy nominee.” – Jazz Improv
“A prodigious bop-and-beyond pianist and composer…. consummate musicianship and
alluring improvisations” – The Star Ledger
“This music lives and breathes freshness and exhilarating originality. The individual
selections are strong and attractive enough, to still be played as jazz vehicles in 10, 20,
or even 50 year’s time.” – Jazz Journal
“a masterwork. Soul Journey is terrific. The work is majestic, brash and dynamic
throughout.” – Jazzwax.com
As a sideman Weiss appears on recordings of Johnny Griffin, Frank Wess, Charles
McPherson, Steve Grossman, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Ronnie Cuber, Louis Smith,
Dick Oatts, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and others.
Weiss is deeply committed to jazz education. He has held faculty positions at Indiana
University, Hartt College of Music, Queens College. In master classes and residencies
throughout the world Weiss aims to relay his bandstand experience through a host of
topics that directly address the standards and performance practices required of a
professional jazz musician.
Visit www.michaelweiss.info

Marc Devine is a Jazz pianist/bandleader in NYC. Rooted in the Bebop tradition, Marc Devine is presenting REAL Jazz music and carrying on the message. Developing a taste for Jazz while still in highschool, he attended the University of N ew Hampshire and played with several Jazz ensembles including two big bands and a Jazz choir. While at UNH, Marc was exposed to great Jazz musicians such as Phil Woods, Milt Hinton, Frank Wess, took some lessons with pianist James Williams and was introduced to the music and teaching of legendary trumpeter Clark Terry (famous for his work with Lionel Hampton, Charlie Barnet, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, The Tonight Show Band) and trumpeter Stephen Fulton. Marc went on to study with Stephen Fulton and Morris Nelms at the Clark Terry International Institute of Jazz Studies, where he began to develop a style based on his piano influences Wynton Kelly, Red Garland (both of whom played with Miles Davis), Hampton Hawes, Bud Powell, Count Basie and Errol Garner. Marc also had the opportunity to study and perform with Jazz greats Red Holloway, Butch Miles, Jessie Davis, and, of course, Clark Terry. After leaving the Clark Terry school, Devine moved to the Austin area where he played as a sideman and most often lead his own groups. His bands performed regularly at all of Austin’s Jazz venues and several festivals including The Zilker Park Jazz Festival, The Kemah Jazz Festival, and became a mainstay at the Texas Jazz Festival in Corpus Christi, TX.  Coming to NYC in January of 2009 after establishing himself on the forefront of the Jazz scene in Austin, TX. Marc is making a name for himself as hard swingin’ pianist rooted in the traditions of bebop and swing and has already performed at venues such as Small’s Jazz Club, Smoke, The Iridium, Cleopatra’s Needle (running a weekly trio gig/jam session), The Garage, , Flute Bar, Tomi Jaz, The Velvet Lounge and several other venues both as a sideman and as a leader working with some of the best musicians in the city.  His working bands include the great jazz drummers Fukushi Tainaka (drummer for Lou Donaldson), Jackie Williams (has played with all of the jazz greats including Teddy Wilson, Earl Hines, Barry Harris, Junior Mance, Doc Cheatham, Buck Clayton), bassists Paul Sikivie and Hide Tanaka (bassist for Junior Mance) and has performed with trombonist Benny Powell, saxophonist Jerry Weldon, drummer Jimmy Wormworth and others.  Swingin’!Weblinks:www.marcdevine.com