ARMEN DONELIAN:
SOLO PIANO REFLECTIONS

Tuesday, February 28th, 2023

7:30pm

Crowder Hall
The Fred Fox School Of Music
University of Arizona
1017 North Olive Road
Tucson, AZ 85719

(Banner Photo: Susan Sabino)

What would you do if Jazz piano legend George Shearing came unannounced to your solo piano gig, sat at the first table for 2 sets on 2 consecutive nights, and just LISTENED to you play??

Well, that is exactly what happened to pianist Armen Donelian on December 22nd and 23rd, 2000 at the Mayflower Inn in Washington, Connecticut.

Mr. Shearing and his wife Ellie were vacationing for the holidays at the Mayflower, rated as one of the world's top 25 inns by Gourmet Magazine.

Donelian, who was filling in for the regular pianist, David Grausman (Donelian's friend and former student in the New School Jazz program), was quite surprised when an elegant, mature woman stopped by the piano during his first set and said: "Excuse me, but my husband George Shearing and I have been listening to your playing and we would like to invite you to our dinner table for a drink during your break."

What ensued can only be described as two most felicitous and fortunate evenings, as the Shearings moved from the dining room into the bar and paid close attention to Donelian's music while the clientele chattered away. Mr. Shearing had a few choice words for the manager about the noisy room. He also had some good advice about the record business for Donelian, who had just released a solo piano CD on Sunnyside Records titled Grand Ideas Vol. 1 (Wave-Select Standards/SSC 1088).

Two more volumes in the Grand Ideas series (Mystic Heights-Original Compositions/SSC 1089 and Full Moon Music-Free Improvisations/SSC 1090) were subsequently released on Sunnyside, and all to critical acclaim (see Discography). The Shearings graciously received a gift of Donelian's CD with great delight.