COAT OF ARMS

Artist Profile

• David Bryant

  DAVID BRYANT Pianist/Composer Born and raised in Brooklyn, Mr. Bryant started playing piano at age 4. By age 8, he was competing and ranking in some of the New York area's most prestigious youth classical piano competitions, such as BACA and the Queens College Festival of Music Competition. Four years later, David also began playing cello and trumpet, performing with youth symphonies and chamber programs on all three instruments. As a result of his dedication, he was accepted to New York's prestigious LaGuardia High School of Music and Arts. It was here that David became interested in jazz. While at LaGuardia, David quickly became an integral part of the Senior Jazz Band and combos as well as the All-City Jazz Band. He won the 'Outstanding Soloist' award at Lincoln Center's Essentially Ellington competition, as well as being invited to participate in the Monterey Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival. His senior year he was selected to the Grammy Foundation's All- American Jazz Combo. In 2001, he received a scholarship to study at the New England Conservatory. He made the most of the opportunity, establishing himself as a professional musician in Boston while continuing his studies; joining the Boston Jazz Reparatory Orchestra (BJRO), performing weekly at Wally's Jazz Cafe, while performing with various ensembles at clubs like The Regatta Bar, Scullers, etc. In 2005 he graduated with a degree in Jazz Performance and a distinction in music. David returned to New York City and pretty quickly established himself in the music scene, performing with renowned musicians such as Roy Haynes, Dave Holland, Christian McBride, Jimmy Heath, Steve Coleman, Kenny Wheeler, Wynton Marsalis, Eddie Henderson, Bob Brookmeyer, Ravi Coltrane, Christian Scott, Thundercat, Esperanza Spalding, Queen Latifah and more. He is featured on records by Steve Coleman, Steve Davis, Myron Walden, Jen Shyu, Marcus Strickland, Jeremy Pelt, as well as the soundtrack for the George Clooney movie Leatherheads (2008). He has performed and can be seen at Venues internationally; such as Umbria Jazz, Stockholm Jazz Fest, La Villette Fest, Nonoichi Jazz Fest, and many more. Currently, David is a regular member of the Louis Hayes Quintet, recording albums Return of the Jazz Communicators (2014) and Serenade for Horace (2017), as well as various ensembles with Henry Threadgill, appearing on Double Up, Plays Double Up Plus (2018) and Dirt...And More Dirt (2018). He combines an extensive knowledge of the jazz tradition and other diverse musical idioms, as well an individualistic approach and sound. It is no surprise that he is quickly rising to the top of the international jazz scene.

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