Flushing Town Hall presents Piano Masters: Toshiko Akiyoshi and Barry Harris

Join us on Friday, March 31 as two legendary National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master pianists, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Barry Harris, perform together in a piano duo of classic jazz standards and original arrangements. Drummer LeRoy Williams and bassist Ray Drummond will perform with the pianists.

This unforgettable evening will include the two masters riffing, complementing, and answering each other in melodic and harmonious responses. Both pianists are considered the leading proponents of bebop. This concert will be a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Barry Harris is an Internationally renowned jazz pianist, composer and teacher. Dr. Harris is the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Northwestern University. He has received the Living Jazz Legacy award from the Mid-Atlantic Arts Association, and an American Jazz Masters Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Dr. Harris has devoted his life to the advancement of Jazz and in the 1980's founded the Jazz Cultural Theatre. For the past several decades, Dr. Harris has been a proponent of the classic Jazz style that was developed by Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Coleman Hawkins.

Toshiko Akiyoshi was the first Japanese musician to become popular with jazz fans in the U.S. She has received 14 Grammy nominations, and she was the first woman to win the Best Arranger and Composer awards in Down Beat magazine's Readers Poll.

Akiyoshi's music is distinctive for its textures and Japanese influence. She composes with Japanese harmonies, and even Japanese instruments (e.g. kotsuzumi, kakko, utai, tsugaru shamisen, etc.) Her music reflects a broad range of influences, including those of Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Bud Powell.

Tickets to the Piano Masters event are $42, $32 for members, and $20 for students. Table Packages are available for $125/$100 Members, which includes a reserved table for two, wine and snacks. You can access details by visiting http://www.flushingtownhall.org/ or by calling (718) 463-7700 x222.

This season, Flushing Town Hall is opening its doors to teenagers - for FREE. Under the new "Teen Access Program", all 13- to 19-year-old boys and girls (whether a member or not) will be welcomed to attend any performance for free. The program is designed to appeal to students and help foster a greater love in the arts and culture.

Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot - located a short distance from the 7 train - at 137-35 Northern Blvd., in Flushing, Queens.