Jazz's Peggy Duquesnel: Versatile and Spiritual

Peggy Duquesnel has recorded and released eight albums featuring her talents as a pianist and vocalist, embracing both spiritual and jazz music.  

Not only does Duquesnel sing and record recognizable standards from Gershwin, Mancini, and Rogers and Hart, she also includes original compositions. A versatile pianist, Peggy served as stadium keyboardist for the Angels at Edison Field during the 2002 World Series and also kept the crowd enthusiastic at the Arrowhead Pond during Mighty Ducks games. 

She attended Fullerton College, earning her bachelor of arts degree in classical piano from Cal State University, Northridge. Duquesnel serves as an adjunct professor of music at Concordia University in Irvine as well as contemporary worship leader at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church. I caught up with Duquesnel in between Pilates classes and teaching assignments to chat with her about the music business. 

Q: I understand that you toured both domestically and internationally with Dionne Warwick. Tell me about that.

A: That was really an exciting time and she was wonderful to work for. She has very high standards and I fortunately passed her test. I was playing keyboards with her and my first job was in San Jose. (Laughter.) I thought that was funny ‘cause she had that hit song “Do You Know the Way to San Jose.” My first concert with her was with a small orchestra and her band. I literally stepped in, had one rehearsal … did a really fine job, and she wanted to have me in her band after that. We toured most of the United States in different venues, but one of my most exciting performances with Dionne Warwick was in Brazil. That was around 1998 or 1999 and it was New Year's Eve. At midnight we were just getting ready to perform and we were in her dressing room together, all of the band, and she was like, "Let’s all hold hands and say a prayer." She had gifts for all of us and that was so nice; then the fireworks went off in the background. It was one of those magical moments. Afterwards, we went out and did our show. That was cool and one of my most special times with her.

Q: How did you happen to record with great artist and composer Henry Mancini?

A: That actually came through his daughter, Monica. Monica is a fine vocalist and she was starting to get back into her singing. She put a group together with some other vocalists called the Mancini Forecast and hired my jazz trio to back them up. So we were doing concerts and she really liked my playing a lot. She had an upcoming session her dad wanted her to do. He wanted Monica to record the music for one of his musicals. Julie Andrews was going to be singing it. Monica was doing the demo session with her dad and she hired me to play for her during the session. So it was Monica, myself and Henry Mancini, his musical assistant and the recording engineer in the recording session. During that time, her dad was sick with cancer. It really was one of the last recording projects he did before he passed away, and I got to work with him. He sat next to me on the piano bench and was just so complimentary and showed me certain ways he liked things played. He was such a delight. That was a highlight in my career, working with the great Henry Mancini and sitting side by side with him on the piano bench.

Q: What was your recording date with Grammy Award-winning John Patitucci like and how did that come about?

A: My jazz trio was playing six nights a week at a hotel by the John Wayne Airport. John subbed for my bass player several times and we really clicked. He had just started playing with Chick Corea’s band at that time. I was recording my album, “Old Friends,” in 1991 and I asked him to play bass on it. I was thrilled with his interpretation of my compositions on the recording!

Q: Tell me about teaching at Concordia University in Irvine. 

A: I’ve been teaching there for six years. I started in August of 2004 and teach jazz, worship and classical piano to private students. As director of jazz studies I coach the jazz combo in playing the classic jazz repertoire and prepare them for performances. Concordia is a Lutheran University, so a lot of my students are planning on becoming music directors at churches. I train them to have the skills to play piano in different styles and genres, accompany a choir, play with a band, etc.

Music has pretty much been my life. It’s impacted it in all sorts of ways because there are all types of dynamics to what we do in music. I call my talent my children. I consider them gifts that I have and I’ve been developing and raising them just like you raise a child. It’s a wonderful way to look at music and I take my teaching as one of those talents. I have tried to make my talents and my students mature and grow up to go out into the world and affect the world musically in a positive and uplifting way.

Duquesnel will sing and play jazzy love songs at Kelly’s Restaurant in Naples, 5716 E. Second St.,  from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13. Reservations: 562-433-4983.