Contact: Mary Ann Dodd
The Aspen Institute
410-820-5433 | mary.ann.dodd@aspeninstitute.org
Queenstown, MD, April 2, 2012 – The Dick Durham Trio will perform at the Aspen Institute on Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 3:00 pm at the Institute’s Wye Woods Conference Center in Queenstown, MD. Members of the trio include pianist Dick Durham, bassist Max Murray, and drummer Frank Russo. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To RSVP, guests must contact Mary Ann Dodd at mary.ann.dodd@aspeninstitute.org, or by calling 410-820-5433.
Dick Durham, pianist, composer, arranger, holds degrees in English and Music. Dick was twice awarded the Governor’s “Citation for Artistic Merit” for his piano artistry and two original musicals. New York Times reviewer John Wilson wrote, “[Dick] has managed to expand the usual concept of jazz pianist …to draw on a wide variety of sound colors and textures”.
Dick has performed in concert with Count Basie, Stanley Turrentine, Grover Washington, and many others. His first TV appearance was the Morning Show in 1969 and Dick has performed in solo and combo concerts across the Nation since. Early influences were pianists Errol Garner, Oscar Peterson, Teddy Wilson, Monty Alexander, along with artists he “jammed” with including guitarists Wes Montgomery and Steve Giordino, horn players Thad Jones, Pepper Adams, and Ernie Watts, and musicians of all disciplines.
Max Murray, bassist, grew up with music, joined the Navy band system, toured the world, and eventually retired from the Premier United States Naval Academy Band in 2000. Max is adept in a broad spectrum of music and has shared the stage with major artists Henry Mancini, Mose Allison, Neil Sedaka, Gene Bertoncini, Jimmy Witherspoon, and many others. Max has been featured on recordings with Suede, Rob Levit, Uptown Vocal Quartet and his close friend drummer Frank Russo. Max studied with some of the finest bassists around, including Rufus Reid, Buster Williams, Paul Johnson and others.
Frank Russo, percussionist, grew up in a musical family in the NYC area. He finished a distinguished career with the Naval Academy Band and now teaches at Towson University. His playing/recording career has included Keeter Betts, The Coasters, Ethel Ennis, Franki Valli, Bill Watrous, Denis DiBlasio, and area musicians Chuck Redd, Alan Blackman, Dick Durham, and his good friend Max Murray. Concert venues have included the Kennedy Center and jazz festivals in the USA and Europe.
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