MP3 David Shenton - Sunnyside Blues
Solo pianist David Shenton''s musical adventure of Sunnyside, Queens, portrayed as a fusion of Jazz and Blues, influenced by great classical and jazz pianists and composers such as Rachmaninov and Oscar Peterson.
14 MP3 Songs
BLUES: Piano Blues, JAZZ: Piano Jazz
Details:
Sunnyside is a small melting pot of a neighborhood in the western portion of the New York City borough of Queens, where I now live and of which I have grown increasingly fond. I moved here in February 2003 and immediately felt at home. The idea of Sunnyside Blues came to me one day as I was wandering down Skillman Avenue humming a tune that I thought went well with the surroundings. Since my principal language is music, I thought that I would try to express my feelings about the neighborhood through that language and invite you along for a stroll around Sunnyside. So, stepping out of my apartment building, I am immediately immersed in Sunnyside and hope you will come along with me on this musical journey.
UK born violinist, pianist, composer and arranger DAVID ALEXANDER SHENTON is one of the most versatile and in demand musicians in the world today. He is the composer of 5 musicals (Tart, Barsong, Creole Nights, Anna the Storyteller and Avarice), all of which have premièred in New York. He is also the composer of more than 120 original works including everything from short piano pieces to full scale orchestral works. (David composed his first piece, Grande Valse for piano, at age 9 and his first symphony at age 12). Equally at home on the violin or the piano, David performed his first violin concerto (Bach E major) with orchestra at age 14 and his first piano concerto (Chopin F minor) at age 15. From 1993 to 1997 David studied at the Royal College of Music in London from where he graduated with the highest of honours.
David has worked as an orchestrator/arranger for Abbey Road & CTS Studios (London), Hollywood movies, West End, Broadway & Off-Broadway shows and for British TV celebrity Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. David was personal assistant to Oscar-nominated composer Howard Blake OBE for 7 years and has also assisted conductor/MGM orchestrator John Wilson. David’s arrangements can be heard onboard the QE2 and QM2 cruise ships and his jazz arrangements can be heard all over the USA. In 2004 David wrote his first short film score, Beauty, written by Hollywood screenwriter Franc. Reyes (Empire, The Ministers). Beauty was screened at the Miami Short Film Festival (Florida), NALIP Festival (New York) and the Westwood International Film Festival (Los Angeles) to great critical acclaim.
David taught himself jazz piano in 1998 after hearing Oscar Peterson playing on the radio. His love of jazz is equal to that of his love of classical music. David’s proficiency of jazz was fully recognized on 2nd December 2006 when he was asked to open for singing legend Tony Bennett at the St. George Theatre, New York. In April 2007 David was awarded the prestigious Back Stage Bistro Award for best piano player/entertainer in New York. David performed over 200 times in 2006 in both the USA and Europe, more than 150 of which were jazz performances. In 2007 David is currently booked for over 200 performances.
David resides in Sunnyside, NY with his wife, Erin, and their cat, Nika. David is in constant demand as a performer, orchestrator, arranger, songwriter and accompanist.