Pilc / Cervini 4tet
June 10, 11, 12, 13 @ 8:00 PM
Ernesto Cervini - Drums
Jean-Michel Pilc - Piano
Avshalom Ravitz - Alto Saxophone
Julian Anderson-Bowes - Bass
ERNESTO CERVINI
JUNO Award winner Ernesto Cervini is a sought-after drummer, composer, and bandleader and an influential presence on Canada’s modern jazz scene and beyond. He has documented his vision with the Ernesto Cervini Quartet, the innovative sextet Turboprop, numerous co-led trio projects including MEM3, Myriad3, and TuneTown, and the quartet Tetrahedron, featuring acclaimed guitarist Nir Felder. Cervini’s album Abundance won the 2020 JUNO Award for Jazz Album of the Year: Group. He is also the drummer in the Joel Frahm Trio, one of today’s leading tenor saxophonists, with whom he tours extensively throughout Europe and the United States. In addition to his performing career, Cervini founded Orange Grove Publicity in 2014 and has become one of Canada’s most sought-after jazz publicists. He is also co-founder of TPR Records, artistic director of the Markham Jazz Festival, and is on faculty at the University of Toronto.
About Jean-Michel Pilc
Praised for his improvisations, pianist and composer Jean-Michel Pilc has performed with numerous jazz giants. He worked with Harry Belafonte as his musical director and pianist and performed a duet with the legendary opera singer Jessye Norman.
Since he became a professional musician in the late 80’s, Jean-Michel has constantly been very active internationally, touring over 60 countries. He moved to New York City in 1995 and formed his legendary trio with François Moutin (bass) and Ari Hoenig (drums). They recorded a one-week engagement at the legendary jazz club Sweet Basil and, in 2000, released two CDs: Together - Live at Sweet Basil, NYC - Vol. 1 & 2. During the following years, he released several other trio piano recordings that strengthened his reputation as an innovative and unique piano trio leader
An active solo performer, Jean-Michel has released five critically-acclaimed solo piano records: Follow Me (2004), Essential (2011), What Is This Thing Called? (2015), Parallel (2018) and Symphony (2023).
Jean-Michel is now a Justin Time Recording Artist. He has released three albums on the label: Alive - Live at Dièse Onze, Montréal with Rémi Jean-Leblanc & Jim Doxas, the solo CD Symphony, and the Pilc Moutin Hoenig album You Are The Song. A number of solo singles and EPs have also been released on the same label.
Jean-Michel has built a strong international reputation as a unique educator. In September 2015, he joined the Jazz Faculty at The Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal. He has become a very active constituent of the local jazz scene, participating in many Montreal
based projects as a leader, co-leader and sideman. He continues to perform with NYC-based groups such as Pilc-Moutin-Hoenig and his US Trio with Sam Minaie and Jerad Lippi.