Jazz Duo Performs Friday at Library Friends Coffeehouse

New Britain-born jazz pianist John Brighenti accompanies vocalist Erin O’Luanaigh for a tribute to Peggy Lee and Cole Porter. The New Britain Herald quoted guitarist-raconteur Eddie Condon who said as jazz enters the ear, it should not come in like broken glass, but rather like honey. The jazz from The Take Two Duo is decidedly like honey.

John Brighenti’s musical genes and early inspiration came from his mother, Angeline Battistone Brighenti, who was a singer for an all-girls band called The Novelty Syncopators in the 1930’s.

After graduating from the Hartt College of Music, John was drawn to jazz piano at the Hartford Conservatory of Music where he studied big band arranging and jazz piano techniques. John’s instructor was the prominent Hartford pianist, composer, arranger and historian, Ray Cassarino.

John studied jazz improvisation in New York with renowned jazz pianist and composer Lennie Tristano and the great jazz saxophonist/pianist Jerry Bergonzi. He toured with several orchestras, including Glenn Miller and worked with the Valley Swing Shift Band.

John was selected to perform at The Baby Grand Jazz Series at the Hartford Public Library and played with his trio and singer Erin O’Luanaigh on February 24, 2013 to an audience of over 300. A live recording “Swingin’ on a Sunday Afternoon” was made of that concert and released that spring. It was the first live recording CD made in the 10-year history of this prestigious jazz series.

He performed in this series again on February 16, 2014 with vocalist Erin O’Luanaigh, bass player Lou Bocciarelli and drummer Tom Devino. The audience of once again over 300 people gave them two standing ovations and they were called to do two encores! John has played in many other venues across Connecticut.

Erin O’Luanaigh recently graduated from Hillsdale College in Michigan, where she was involved in all things jazz. Erin joined John Brighenti as the other half of The Take Two Duo. When not singing, she is a teacher, tutor and writer, and she performs in musical theater. Her first album is ‘Honeysuckle Rose’.

This program will be held at the Simsbury Public Library, 725 Hopmeadow St. on Friday, April 17, 2015 from 8 to 9:15 p.m. Doors open at 7:30. Registration is requested at 860-658-7663 or at the library website. Please include your email address, if you have one, when you register. Free and open to all.