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Cyrus Chestnut: Solo piano with ‘The Nutman’

Justin Steyer
/
KPLU
Pianist Cyrus Chestnut performing live in the KPLU Seattle studios on August 28, 2012.

Pianist Cyrus Chestnut came onto the jazz scene slowly. From the mid-1980’s to mid-1990’s, he apprenticed as pianist for Jon Hendricks, Better Carter, Donald Harrison and Wynton Marsalis. Since then he has toured the world numerous times and recorded 15 albums as a leader.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT4AJSWyjLI

In this performance/interview Cyrus talks about his gospel roots, his discovery of jazz and how he approaches interpreting other composers’ music.  He also gives us his solo piano versions of Tonk, Polka Dots and Moonbeams and a new, original composition called No Problem, which is also included on his latest CD, The Cyrus Chestnut Quartet.

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Justin joined KNKX in 2009 as the station's first Multimedia Manager. In this role, Justin helped to produce multimedia content, and implement systems and procedures in efforts to transform KNKX from a traditional broadcast station into a multi-platform media organization.
Abe grew up in Western Washington, a 3rd generation Seattle/Tacoma kid. It was as a student at Pacific Lutheran University that Abe landed his first job at KNKX, editing and producing audio for news stories. It was a Christmas Day shift no one else wanted that gave Abe his first on-air experience which led to overnights, then Saturday afternoons, and started hosting Evening Jazz in 1998.