Music in The Moonlight Jazz Series Continues with Daniela Schachter Tonight

Luna Stage continues the second season of its jazz series, "Music In The Moonlight: An Intimate Evening of Jazz", tonight, February 10th at 7pm with a one-night only concert by acclaimed pianist and vocalist Daniela Schachter. The Linden, NJ-based pianist, vocalist, composer and arranger will be joined at Luna Stage by tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm, bassist Steve La Spina and drummer George Schuller to present "Jazz and the American Songbook: The Music of Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen."

Daniela Schachter moved from Sicily to the United States when she received a scholarship from the Berklee College of Music. She studied at Berklee under pianist Joanne Brackeen and counts Thelonius Monk as one of her main influences. Allaboutjazz.comcalls her a "beautifully talented composer and pianist with an important touch and a suave mature voice."The Washington Postdescribes her piano playing as "fluid improvisation with a soulful touch." And La Gazzetta del Sudpredicts that "she might be the new Diana Krall."

Tickets are on sale now ($18 in advance, $20 at the door) and can be purchased in person, over the phone at 973-395-5551, or on the Luna Stage website: www.lunastage.org.

Daniela Schachter started early her musical career: by her mid-teens was already performing publicly in Sicily, Italy, as well as doing studio session work. After her classical studies she moved to Boston MA as recipient of a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music, where she studied with Phil Wilson, Joe Lovano, Hal Crook and above all with Joanne Brackeen. Daniela has won many prestigious awards, such as the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Piano Competition 2005, The Sister in Jazz Competition 2002, the Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead Competition 2002, the Terri Lyne Carrington Endowed Scholarship, the 'Tindari 93, Prize' for the best jazz duo with her brother Davide and also she appeared in the Jazziz magazine collector's CD (July 2001). She was awarded a full-tuition scholarship to the Henry Mancini Institute for one month; there she met Billy Childs her favourite composer. The musicians that had the most influence on her music are Wayne Shorter, Keith Jarrett, Paul McCandless, Thelonious Monk, Bela Bartok, Maurice Ravel. Daniela has performed at the Brass Group Jazz Festival, the Umbria Jazz Fest, the Cape May Jazz Festival, the Cleveland Jazz Fest with the Rainbow Big Band, the International Trumpet Guilt Conference, the Kennedy Center, the Sarasota Jazz Festival, the Cape Cod Jazz Festival, 'The Blue Note' with 'The Tiger Okoshi Quartet', the Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops and Patti Austin, the Ravinia Jazz Festival with the Count Basie Big Band and the Hollywood Bowl.

Daniela Schachter was guest artist of the prestigious Marian McPartland Piano Jazz radio program in June 2006 and JazzSet hosted by Dee Dee Bridgewater on WGBO 88.3 FM. She is leading her group in several NYC venues and she was part of the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival 2006 and the Java Jazz Festival 2006. Recently she was featured among the top jazz musicians in NYC in the Japanese Playboy Magazine of October. Her CDs "Quintet" and "I colori del mare" are available on www.cdbaby.com. Her second CD, which features Gene Jackson, Jimmy Greene and Alex Sipiagin among others, has been released with the Italian jazz label Splasc Records. Her new "vocal" CD will be out in Fall 2008.

Joel Frahm's May 1st release, We Used to Dance, places him in the company of master musicians Kenny Barron (piano), Rufus Reid (bass), and Victor Lewis (drums). Frahm more than holds his own in showing both the chops and lyricism that has made him an irreplaceable part of so many sessions in his two Decades on the jazz scene.

Steve LaSpina - Bassist composer educator Steve LaSpina has been a prominent bassist on the New York and national scene for over twenty years. During that time, he has played and recorded with many great musicians in jazz history. He was a regular band member, toured and recorded with saxophonists Benny Carter, Stan Getz and Phil Woods, vocalists Joe Williams and Mark Murphy, trumpeters Clark Terry, Chet Baker and Randy Brecker, and guitarist Pat Martino. He has spent the last decade traveling around the world and recording with the legendary guitarist Jim Hall, has appeared on six of his recordings, including These Rooms featuring Tom Harrell.

George Schuller (drums, composer, arranger, producer), a native of New York City, moved to Boston in 1967 where he was raised and educated, and later received a bachelor's degree in Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory of Music in 1982. For the next twelve years, Schuller was a fixture on the Boston area jazz scene performing with Herb Pomeroy, Jaki Byard, Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Mick Goodrick, John Lockwood, Ran Blake, Lisa Thorson, Billy Pierce, Bruce Gertz, Mili Bermejo, John LaPorta, Dominique Eade and Hal Crook.

Luna Stage was founded in 1992 by Jane Mandel, Artistic Director, and became an Equity Theater in 1995. For 18 years, the company made its home in Montclair, New Jersey, first in a small space on Walnut Street and then moving into a larger facility on Bloomfield Avenue. In the fall of 2010, Luna Stage moved to West Orange and opened its inaugural season at our new home at 555 Valley Road, right in the heart of the Valley Arts District.

Luna Stage has always believed strongly in the power of the arts to bring vitality and enrichment to communities. The company is very proud and excited to be part of a dynamic movement of revitalization and community engagement. Our brand new theatre is easily accessible by car or rail from all points in New Jersey and NYC. The facility features a 99-seat black box theatre, a 40-seat studio theatre, a rehearsal studio, art gallery and administrative offices, and has been specially designed to meet the needs of Luna Stage and its audiences.

Luna Stage is located at 555 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ 07052. 973-395-5551. The theatre is handicapped accessible and assisted listening devices are available.

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