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Show HKHao&ife':, f Bctoijer Pianist next at art center . Jazz pianist Paul El-liiigson will be the featured artist at a free concept Wednesday at 7 :J0 p.m. at the Salt Lake Art Center, 54 Pinch •Lane, ¦ ¦ '¦'¦'. ,-:*' The program is the first in a series of monthly concerts, poetry readings and films to be sponsored by the art ¦center. ¦ ¦', ; ¦¦ _ Ellin'gson >piays mod-ern progressive jazz in the tradition of Dave Bnibeck and Bill Evans. "He has been influenced toy the styles of Bud Powell, Bnibeck, Evans, and Keith Jarrett. He is currently teaching i&tE piano at Brigham Young University and holds a degree in architecture from the University .of "Utah, with .a minor in music, studying with SheHey Hyde. In addition to his interest in music, he is an accomplished water-' colo.rist and has taught at the art center. A mini-show featuring his work will be at the Rental Sales Gallery in December. Other .performers' to appear in the future at the art center Include classical guitarist Jerry Tertocha and graduate students from the U. of . U. reading their poetry (Dec. 7) and the Deseret String Band Jan. 4. Salt Lake Art Center November 2: First day Buddhist Sculpture and Thangkas. The exhibition continues through November 16. 2: First day Yvonne Bianco, Calligrapher. The exhibition continues through November 16. 2: Darel Johnson, prints, Rental-Sales Gallery Mini-show opening and reception for artist, 7:30-10:00 p.m. The exhibition continues through November 16. 2: Paul Ellingson, jazz piano, free concert, 7:30 p.m. New Gallery hours 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday-Friday Noon to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. [ -1#'- A The Salt 'Lake Artist's Moody Jazz /^ Piano Concert's Rouffh-Hewn By David L. Beck Tribune Staff Writer Artist-pianist Paul Ellingson inaugurated a I series of concerts and I readings at the Salt Lake Art Center Wednesday I night with an evening of moody jazz piano, sometimes rough-hewn but always interesting. Mr. Ellingson, a water-colorist, is the creator of a series of landscapes as much suggestive as (exact; in a sense, the same aesthetic governs his piano playing. Sticking largely to standards and almost exclusively to [ballads, he created a succession of deep-toned, moody musical canvas- |ses, working from known melodies as an artist works from a model, sometimes embellishing, sometimes subtracting what seemed, at the moment, inessential. Mot Professional He is not a professional pianist. He has played for perhaps 10 years, seriously for perhaps five, much of that, as he says, "in the woodshed" - practicing. Rhythmically and technically, he remains somewhat awkward. He says his right hand needs work, and his uptempo repertoire is weak. He prefers the lower register, and uses the sustaining pedal more often than not But within his area of strength, his concert Wednesday night showed him to be a thoughtful and creative jazz pianist, his love of melody apparent in the tunes he chooses, his concept of harmony -" broad and deep - manifest in the chords with which he reharmonizes his tunes. Results Beautiful The results are often quite beautiful. The briefer second part of the concert contained several gems -- the Clinton-Debussy "My Revery," Legrand's "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life," and "I'll Never Stop Loving You," although Spndheim's "Send in the Clowns," requiring perhaps a more delicate approach, eluded him. He is not a performer. He gives little thought to the end of a tune, preferring almost to halt rather than conclude; and he is liable to leap to his feet, unsmiling, to announce the next selection when the crowd would prefer to applaud the last one. But his dedication to jazz piano, and the work he has put into learning it, and his willingness to share it with us - for these, there is only praise, and for the pleasure he gave the small crowd Wednesday night, there is only thanks. |