8:30pm.

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A Chicago native of French-American descent, pianist Lara Driscoll has been praised for her “captivating style and uncluttered finesse” (CKVL-FM, Montreal). Downbeat’s Suzanne Lorge noted the “understated arrangements and meltingly delicious voicings” of Lara’s trio debut Woven Dreams, which features original compositions and arrangements documented during her time living in Montreal. She is busy as a freelance pianist in the Chicago area, and in addition to her trio and the Firm Roots Duo, she can be heard as pianist and arranger on vocalist Nancy Lane’s Let Me Love You, as well as recordings by the groups Bossa Nuevo and Tango Espejo. Chicago Jazz Magazine said Woven Dreams is “a superb first statement from a talented musician who, so early in her career, has developed her own singular sound." Lucid Culture described Driscoll’s “painterly approach,” and the Whole Note (Toronto) said she “imparts an extraordinary bigness to this music that most pianists would die to achieve.”

Lara Driscoll- piano
Ethan Philion- bass
Neil Hemphill- drums

Acclaimed pianists Chris White and Lara Driscoll, collaboratively known as the Firm Roots Duo, celebrate their highly anticipated two piano debut album, Firm Roots, consisting of co-composed original compositions and creative arrangements of timeless standards. Their music is a beautifully arranged musical journey, rich in orchestration, textural detail and counterpoint, with big bass frequencies and vibrant rhythms, all woven together with a bluesy and lyrical melodic sense. They interpret canonical jazz works by Horace Silver, Ann Ronell and more, drawing on the influences of piano legends on the order of Hank Jones, Art Tatum and Phineas Newborn. In their original music, they rely on a collaborative process of careful listening, give-and-take and interwoven inspiration, reflecting a growing store of shared life experiences, from transformative or comical travels to serene moments spent together at home. In its way, the music of the Firm Roots Duo serves to “remind us of what is most important: family, health, and interconnectedness.”

This concert is presented with generous support from WDCB Jazz Radio.