New York City organist/pianist, Brian Charette, has established himself as a leading voice in modern Jazz. Charette is a Grammy-nominated, Hammond-endorsed artist who was the winner of the 2014 Downbeat Critics’ Poll Rising Star: Organ award and has climbed to 4th place in The Critic’s Poll main organ category. In 2015 Brian also won The Hot House Magazine’s Fan’s Decision Jazz Award for Best Organist in New York. His last Positone recording, Once and Future, reached #17 on the Jazz Week chart and was also on the Itunes new music Top 20. This Fall, Brian released his new Circuit Bent Organ trio recording, Kürrent, featuring Ben Monder and has a brand new traditional Jazz organ trio release on Steeplechase Records featuring NEA Master, George Coleman called Groovin with Big G.
Charette was born in Meriden, Connecticut in 1972, and was introduced to music by his mother, Catherine. By the age of 17, he was playing with jazz luminaries Lou Donaldson and Houston Person. Since graduating on the Dean’s List from UConn in 1994 with a BA in Music, Charette has been performing extensively in Europe and the USA with his home base being the East Village, NYC. Brian is a staple of the downtown NYC scene working with virtually everyone who plays with an organist.
Besides being a critically acclaimed composer and bandleader, Brian has performed with many notable artists such as Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, and many more.
Charette is also an active author and educator, writing for Keyboard magazine, New York City Jazz Record, DownBeat, and the Czech magazine, Muzikus. Brian teaches masterclasses all over the world and is on the faculty of the Czech Summer Jazz Workshop at Jesek Conservatory in Prague. His first book, 101 Hammond B3 Tips, released through publisher Hal Leonard, has become very popular, as well as his videos on the website, mymusicmasterclass.com.
Randy Napolean on guitar & Jordan Young on drums!