Benny Lackner

Piano

Defining the new - Rediscovering the familiar.

German-American jazz pianist Benny Lackner lived in the US almost 20 years, and about half of that in NYC. In the States he studied at the California Institute of the Arts under the direction of Charlie Haden and his mentor Brad Mehldau. He played many major jazz-clubs and festivals and formed his own trio that got a name for its personal way of interpreting standards as well as covers of songs of the current generation. His Trio's approach to both its original material and compositions ranging from Monk to Prince fuses intensity with unintrusive virtuosity. These reharmonizations of the familiar give the traditional form of piano trio a new identity and purpose in our own time.

Born in Berlin, Benny Lackner, moved to California at the age of 13. He received his BFA from the California Institute of the Arts under the direction of Charlie Haden and David Roitstein. From 1997 - 1998 he studied privately with his mentor, pianist Brad Mehldau. He has performed at numerous jazz festivals including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreux and Monterey. He has worked with artists such as the late Billy Higgins, Marc Ribot, Brad Shepik, Pheeroan akLaff and is now residing in NYC and Berlin where is working with his internationally touring trio and as a sideman and Composer.

Jerôme Regard (bass) studied at the Conservatoire National Lyon as well as at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique Paris with Jean-François Jenny Clark. He has performed at numerous Jazz-Festivals worldwide. Musicians he has worked with include Jan Garbarek, Flavio Boltro, Rosario Guilliani, Louis Winsberg, Michel Perez and André Ceccarelli. Jerome lives and teaches in Lyon, France.

Matthieu Chazarenc (drums) was born in 1977 in the south-west part of France. Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris practising drums under the direction of Daniel Humair. He has also studied privately with Jeff Ballard, Ari Hoenig, Kenny Washington and John Riley. During his career, Matthieu played with David Linx, Laika Fatien, Marcia Maria, Sheila Jordan, Youn Sun Nah and Sarah Lazarus. Matthieu lives in Paris, France.