Allan Stuart Jazz Pianist from Oberlin, OH

After thousands of engagements, Allan is the consummate cocktail pianist. He has shared the limelight with Ray Charles, Judy Collins, Tom Petty, John Denver, the Metropolitan Opera, and the New York Philharmonic. In some of America's top 5 star resorts, he has entertained Presidents, royalty, prime ministers, movie stars, and nearly everyone else from around the world. (reviews below) His repertoire is huge, deep, and varied. Unlike many pianists, Allan is an accomplished vocalist. He performs favorites as background instrumentals, or piano bar style entertainments. He has an uncanny ability to gage the correct volume, intensity, and style for a group; to help break the ice, keep the conversation flowing, or to rivet the crowd with his virtuosity. His playlist includes e finest jazz, Broadway, and pop. The great jazz masters from the 20's to the present and classic to current Broadway are huge. Pop icons like the Beatles, Elton, Billy Joel, are all covered. Polkas, waltzes, baroque dances, holiday specials, are waiting for the right moment. He shines in receptions, ceremonies, banquets, lobbies, night clubs, or any venue where people gather near a piano. His large number of selections make requests fun and easy, he's always ready for sing- a- longs and dancing, and his virtuosity always shines. Allan is a lifelong professional who loves bringing music and people together, and he is always excited and ready for the next engagement. Some Reviews: -"Bearing a striking resemblance to David Bowie, Allan Stuart entertains with a style all hie own..." Vail Daily - "Elegant and refined, a great personality with the audience..." - "Colony Bar patrons enjoy Stuart's renditions of jazz, pop, classical, Broadway and New Age Tunes..." - "...Maestro..." Andre Boesell, Director Manor Vail - "...electricity at the piano..." Dana Del Bosco, Resort Entertainment - "A real jazz cowboy" Henrick Bach, owner of Bach's of Copenhagen - "Like Gordon Lightfoot meets the Moody Blues" Denver Post - "Best pianist who ever played my place" Sue Parry, owner Colony Piano Bar, Aspen Venues performed include: In Vail: Hyatt Regency, Manor Vail, Cascade Hotel, Ritz Carlton, Ford Ampitheater, Sonnenalp, Splendido, In Aspen: Colony Piano Bar, St, Regis Hotel, In Denver/Boulder etc: Brown Palace, Adam's Mark, Boulderado, Broadmoor, In Europe: Bach's, Rathskaller (Copenhagen), Tango Bistro (Quebec City), Torkerhaus (Stockholm), Prinzskeller (Amsterdam), Downtown Athletic Club, 5th Street Market, Red Lionl (Eugene), HMS royal Princess, HMS Splendour of the Seas (royal Caribbean) Current reference: Kevin Bozada, F&B director, DownTown Athletic Club Eugene at Allan comes from Boulder, Colorado, from a musical and artistic family that included circus musicians, band leaders, symphonic performers and fine artists. He majored in trumpet performance at the University of Colorado, then studied composition with Cecil Effinger, a peer of Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copeland in the Boulanger composition salon of Paris . Switching to piano as his main instrument, he did graduate work at the University of Wyoming with Werner Rose and and Charles Willman, a former student of Claude Debussy. Turning down an opportunity to attend Eastman, Allan chose to go to work as a performer, spending several years with successful dance, rock, and jazz ensembles. In 1988 he began a solo career, becoming a cocktail pianist and singer in five star resorts in Vail and Aspen, Colorado, as well as venues in Copenhagen, Quebec City, and several cruise ships. During his years in Vail he shared the stage with many well known performers such as Ray Charles, Judy Collins, Tom Petty, and John Denver, also accompanied singers from the New York Met and the Central City Opera, and performed with ensembles from the New York Philharmonic. He continues to perform as a jazz and new classical pianist and singer, bandleader, and as an accompanist in Colorado and Oregon. After twelve years and thousands of engagements, He founded Green Shadow Music to publish his recorded compositions, placing many works with music libraries and production companies in Los Angeles and New York. Allan uses real performances in all his recordings, including many live players, avoiding letting computers perform via midi. When using samples, such as his Vienna strings, he uses a breath controller for performing the parts to create realism and the human touch. In addition, Stuart has released six solo and seven ensemble albums, signing with Eroica Classical Recordings in 2007 for distribution of his new classical piano works and orchestrated material. Currently he works in a production studio in Oregon and his solar powered Lyftwyn studio near the head waters of the Rio Grande in Colorado.