Lenore Raphael Comes To Middlebury's Town Hall Theater 3/12

She literally wrote the book on jazz, the popular "Jazz Master Class." She has played jazz festivals and jazz clubs around the world, including a recent performance at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Influenced by her friends, jazz greats Oscar Peterson and Ellis Larkins, she is now, as one reviewer puts it, "one of the world's top jazz pianists."

Lenore Raphael swings into Middlebury's Town Hall Theater on Saturday, March 12.

Playing with astonishing technique and a sure sense of "telling the story," Raphael moves easily from rich, singing ballads to non-stop bop. The magazine All About Jazz calls her "the personification of swing." The Steinway piano company recognized her mastery by naming her a Steinway Artist, and she'll be playing a Steinway at Town Hall Theater.

"Lenore really carries on a great, great tradition in piano jazz," says THT executive director Douglas Anderson. "Her technique is jaw-dropping - you can go on her website and be amazed - but she also plays with great compassion and soul. They don't make 'em like this anymore."

For a sample of her swinging work, go to www.lenoreraphael.com .

In some respects, Raphael is reminiscent of jazz great Marian McPartland. She has appeared on McPartland's radio show, Piano Jazz, and now has a radio show of her own, Lenore Raphael's Jazz Spot.

Lenore Raphael plays Town Hall Theater on Saturday, March 12, at 8 pm. Tickets are $15, and may be purchased at www.townhalltheater.org, 802 382-9222, at the THT Box Office (Mon-Sat, noon-5 pm) and at the door, if available.