Michael Omer's Create Music Blog

Michael Omer plays with Dan Reinstein Quintet at the 606 Jazz Club

(l-r) Michael Omer; Dan Reinstein; Paul Jayasinha                                    Photo courtesy of Lyn Edwards

A visit to the renowned and long established 606 Jazz Club in Chelsea last night, just to listen, saw Michael Omer being invited up on stage to sit in for the final number of Dan Reinstein's closing set!

Professor Reinstein, whose day job is being a leading internationally acclaimed laser eye-surgeon, affectionately introduced Michael as his former teacher of jazz piano, who had taught him all he knew(well, mostly true!), before Michael launched into an opening solo to Freddie Freeloader.

It was an evening of surprises all round, as earlier in the set, another member of the audience turned out to be Christopher Hamill, also known as Limahl  -  former lead singer in the 1980s band Kajagoogoo. Chris gave us a lovely rendition of 'The Girl from Ipanema' and Gershwin's 'Love for Sale'.

Michael returns to the stage on September 20th 2011, at The Pheasantry in the King's Road, with his next piano jazz-cabaret show. This will be his fourth appearance at the newly refurbished venue, which has now fully taken over from the now closed Pizza on the Park.

Online booking is now open at: http://www.pizzaexpresslive.com (08456 027 017)

LINKS:
Michael Omer  -  Composer: http://www.michaelomer.com
Lemahl  -  Chris Hamill:       http://www.limahl.com
Kajagoogoo:                        http://www.kajagoogoo.com
Professor Dan Reinstein:      http://www.londonvisionclinic.com/blog/dan-reinstein/  

Michael Omer Live on BBC Radio

So life's a beach! Some downtime here in Jersey before my jazz cabaret show tonight at the Jersey Arts Centre - a lovely theatre with a great atmosphere!

BBC Radio Jersey interviewed me live just before lunch and gave me a fifteen minute spot, including playing two tracks from my "Unwritten ,Unplugged & Unsigned" CD. Carrie & Sarah asked some great questions, and not just about tonight's jazz. We covered my concert hall music, and other output too!

All thanks to sponsors Anthony & Jeffery Chinn of Hettich Jewelers, who brought me over to the island after seeing my show at Pizza on the Park in 2010. A fun evening ahead!

Don't Give Up!

If I had £1 or $1 for everyone who wishes they hadn't given up learning the piano, then I'd be a rich musician! If you're thinking of giving up, then think again - it could make you really popular at parties if you can pick out a tune! Might even help you get lucky in love! But if you really MUST give up on the other hand, then just send me the £1/$1/€1..! I'll donate half of it to charity!

Jazz Twitters

 
Michael Omer's next piano-jazz cabaret on June 10, 2011 in Jersey
Visit http://michaelomer.com/news_reviews.html

So I just had someone tweet me worried that their piano teacher thought he(age 18) needed to be of grade 8 standard to be able to learn and play jazz!

Something wrong here clearly  -  I hesitate to say with the teaching maybe! If ever you've seen a young child messing about(= impovising) on the piano, you can see the seeds of improvisation right there, in everyone! Is this a case of having talent "educated out of you"?!

For anyone who can play moderately, and read music up to a point, the Associated Board(ABRSM) Jazz repertoire is an excellent way to get up to speed within a very accessible framework.
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