From the Austrian Cultural Forum New York:

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Join us for an evening where jazz transcends music to become a narrative, as Austrian vocalist Heidi Krenn takes the stage together with pianist Ray Gallon and Cameron Brown on the bass. This trio doesn’t just perform; they tell stories. Their concert is more than a musical journey—it’s an exploration of jazz’s enduring legacy. Experience the intimacy of voice, piano, and bass in a dialogue that redefines the timeless allure of jazz.

About the Event

In the intimate world of jazz, where every note tells a story, Heidi Krenn emerges as a narrator of hidden depths and nuances. Her voice, rich with emotive power, weaves through the complex tapestry of jazz history, bringing fresh perspective to the venerated traditions. Alongside her are Ray Gallon on piano and Cameron Brown on bass, each a master in their own right, creating a musical conversation that transcends the notes on the page. Their setlist, a curated blend of the Great American Songbook and pieces by jazz luminaries like Kenny Dorham and Abbey Lincoln, is not merely performed but reinvented, offering a narrative that unfolds with each chord. This trio doesn’t just play music; they engage in a dialogue with their audience, inviting them into a shared journey of discovery and introspection.

About the Musicians

Heidi Krenn, vocalist and educator, blends the soul of traditional jazz with modern innovation. With roots in Austria and a transformative Fulbright scholarship at NYU, Krenn has flourished under the tutelage of jazz icons like Sheila Jordan and Mark Murphy. Her voice has resonated through New York’s Birdland, Vienna’s Porgy and Bess, and during her residencies at Shanghai’s JZ Club and House of Blues and Jazz. Krenn’s collaborative ventures include recording with Teo Macero, Miles Davis’ legendary producer, and sharing stages with Fritz Pauer, Karl Ratzer, and Billy Hart as well as Theo Croker and Ezra Weiss. This global journey enriched her approach, leading to mentoring over 4000 students in the nuanced art of jazz and scatting.

A NYC-native, pianist Ray Gallon has been a mainstay on the jazz scene for over thirty years. Rooted in bebop and blues, his expressive, swingin’ playing melds old and new into a fresh, original style. His latest project as a leader: a trio album recorded at Van Gelder Studios with Ron Carter and Lewis Nash. As a young player, Ray was taken under the wing of piano giants John Lewis, Hank Jones, and ‪Jaki Byard. He has performed at major jazz festivals and venues around the world with such luminaries as Ron Carter, ‪Lionel Hampton, ‪Art Farmer, ‪Benny Golson, George Adams, ‪Les Paul, and ‪Wycliffe Gordon. Ray has appeared at the White House and the Kennedy Center, sharing the stage with jazz legends ‪Dizzy Gillespie, ‪Milt Jackson, Sweets Edison, and Joe Williams. An in-demand accompanist, he has worked with many vocal greats, including Jon Hendricks, ‪Sheila Jordan, ‪Dakota Staton, ‪Gloria Lynne, ‪Jane Monheit and ‪Chaka Khan. Ray’s inventive compositions have been recorded by acclaimed artists T.S. Monk and George Adams. His trio album, Make Your Move, features the stellar rhythm section of David Wong and Kenny Washington. Ray is a full-time faculty member of the jazz program at The City College of NY in Harlem and the Vermont Jazz Center’s summer workshops and has taught at Juilliard and The New School.

Bassist, composer and educator Cameron Brown began his career in the mid-1960s, recording in Europe with George Russell and Don Cherry. These important innovators remain life-long inspirations and influences, along with early mentors and band leaders Sheila Jordan, Roswell Rudd, Archie Shepp and Beaver Harris. Mr. Brown has anchored some of the most important ensembles of the past fifty years, including Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, and various ensembles led by Dewey Redman, Don Cherry, Dannie Richmond, Lee Konitz, Chet Baker, Terumasa Hino, Mal Waldron, Marco Tamburini, Betty Carter, Houston Person/Etta Jones, Lou Donaldson, Lisa Sokolov, Jim McNeely, Joe Locke, Dave Ballou, Salvatore Bonafede, George Cables, Tony Malaby, and Carl Størmer (Jazz Code). The Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet, featuring Dannie Richmond, developed into an intense and rewarding partnership which lasted nearly ten years, and Mr. Brown has enjoyed special relationships with master drummers Philly Joe Jones, Edward Blackwell, Ben Riley, Eddie Moore, Idris Muhammad, Billy Hart, Joe Chambers, Lewis Nash, and Matt Wilson. He has helped young people around the world nurture their passion for jazz and is on the faculty of the New School University. At present, Mr. Brown performs and records with Sheila Jordan in a long-standing Bass and Voice duo (20+ years), and with Joe Lovano, Rob Scheps, Jason Rigby, Neils Vincentz, Jane Ira Bloom, Jay Clayton, Don Byron, Harvey Diamond, Lena Bloch, Russ Lossing, Billy Mintz, Krzysztof Popek, John Bailey, Kazuki Yamanaka, Kristen Lee Sergeant and the Royal Bopsters.