Steinway 2 Piano Festival in London at Pizza Express Live
The very thought of playing a two piano festival is nothing short of magical. So when I got the opportunity to play the Steinway 2 Piano Festival in London in SOHO with Wendy Kirkland, I was beyond excited!
The Steinway 2 Piano Festival is famous for the caliber of people it brings to the jazz scene in London: past performers have included Dena DeRose, Emmet Cohen and Don Grussin and it was amazing to be included in the lineup.
Wendy and I performed both standards but mostly ragas to a wonderfully appreciative crowd which included creatives, photographers like Ron Milsom (who took these photos below). From Bourbon Street Stroll (Raga Hemant), to Raga No. 1 (Bhimpalas/Kirwani), the concert unfolded like a beautiful tapestry and we were transported ourselves.
There is something magical about playing two pianos: the textures are intensified, and there’s almost an orchestral quality about two pianos (one of my earliest memories of two pianos were by the duo, Katia and Maria Labèque, who mesmerized me early on with their classical renditions on two pianos).
One of the Steinways I performed on was brand new, so it had a bright texture and quality to it, and the other was the house piano, so it was slightly more velvety and warm. Add to these, the warm tables, and the table lights, you have a gorgeous supper club vibe. The concert was in the basement of Pizza Express, and there was a video that the Steinway 2 Piano Festival shared earlier about what it took to get the pianos downstairs—-and intact! Well worth watching.
Wendy Kirkland and I played a game of musical chairs and switched positions after the intermission (which included happily chatting with guests), and then ended a longer-than-usual program at the festival, with so many beautiful memories and conversations.
My first concert in London in SOHO was a huge hit, with new friends made, and old friends who came to see me….I couldn’t have asked for more. Nearby, I got to visit the legendary jazz club, Ronnie Scott’s (I can’t play there for three months after my gig at Pizza Express…such is the restriction), but I will return later on this year to gig in other places.
And they did feed us delicious pizza….take a look: