SIMON TEDESCHI AND KEVIN HUNT - 'I Want to Play Like Him '

Venue: The Basement One of Australia's best known classical pianists, Simon Tedeschi returns home from the USA to perform with master of the jazz piano, Kevin Hunt in a dynamic concert entitled "I want to play like him " at Sydney's favourite jazz venue The Basement. Tedeschi and Hunt serve up an exciting mix of audience favourites, with music from Bach to Duke Ellington and other classical and jazz greats such as Shostakovich, Debussy, Fats Waller, Brubeck and Oscar Peterson. Gershwin's much-lauded masterpiece, Rhapsody in Blue receives a new pianistic polish from the two maestros. Particularly exciting for the duo will be their performance of Duke Ellington's historic 'Black ' from Black Brown and Beige. Premiering at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1943 it portrayed the history of African Americans. "Simon has always loved jazz and has recently been 'soaking up ' the American Jazz feeling. Equally I have always loved classical music for its detail of sound production and composition, " said Kevin Hunt. "The music we play together constantly weaves between jazz and classical forms, and now after years of playing together our improvising has become an exciting focus of the performance. " Tedeschi's musical genius has made him well known amongst world leaders, playing last year at the Sydney Opera House for APEC to the likes of George Bush, Vladmir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao. He also featured at a lecture-recital at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in 2007. Kevin Hunt is a popular and versatile jazz pianist. He has, over the last 18 years, shared the stage with international artists including: Herb Ellis, Billy Cobham, Sheila Jordon, and Larry Adler. He has also recorded and performed with most of Sydney's prominent jazz artists. He works with his own trio, the Kevin Hunt JS Bach Trio, and also tours extensively with Don Burrows. Kevin and Don conduct workshops and master classes for school and university students.