Pianist Matt Blair Next Artists for the BEGIN Music Series

BEGIN is a creative music series organized by William Bradley and Jon Mueller. The series features nationally and internationally known artists working in improvised and other creative approaches to sound and instrumentation.

Pianist and composer Matt Blair will perform April 14, 7 pm, as part of the series at the Kress Pavilion at the Egg Harbor Library. Using the Pavilion’s Steinway piano, Blair will perform compositions from his new recording, Shadow Sets, which he is touring throughout the United States.

Blair is a pianist, composer, improviser and educator currently based in Minneapolis. He received a Bachelor of Music degree with a self-designed major in contemporary improvisation at Lawrence University in Appleton. While at Lawrence, Blair had the opportunity to study with Tim Albright, Bill Carrothers, Patty Darling, José Encarnación, Michael Mizrahi, Anthony Padilla and Matt Turner. Since relocating to Minneapolis, his latest projects include performing with YINS, a duo with drummer Devin Drobka; Collector, an improvising

piano trio with bassist Jakob Heinemann and Devin Drobka; Work Friends, a jazz quintet that plays all original music; and Slipstream, a chamber quartet that focuses on the commissioning and performing of new music.

Shadow Sets features eight original compositions for solo piano and is expected to be released this spring. For more information visit mattblairmusic.net.

A suggested donation of $10 will go directly to the performing artist. The Kress Pavilion is located above the new Egg Harbor Library at 7845 Church Street, Egg Harbor. To see the BEGIN series schedule visit rhythmplex.com/event-directory.