Steve Talaga - WKTV Journal

By WKTV Staff

Local jazz pianists Robin Connell and Steve Talaga recorded a duo jazz piano concert this week, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, sponsored by Aquinas College. And those needing a little “post-election” diversion can catch it tonight on Facebook.

The concert is set to be available for free at the college’s Facebook page, see here, on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. The concert may also be available later on YouTube.

“It was so fun to play duo piano with Steve,” Connell said to WKTV.

Both Connell and Talaga are no strangers to the local jazz scene.

Originally from Detroit, according to her website, Connell is equally at home as a jazz pianist or jazz pianist/vocalist, performing regularly in clubs, concerts, and private parties as solo pianist, leader of her own trio/jazz quartet, or side woman with other musicians.

Pianist, composer and arranger, Talaga has been performing professionally for more than 40 years, according to his website. He was chosen as the West Michigan Jazz Society’s 2008 Jazz Musician of the Year, and has released eight compact discs under his own name. His most recent project is the band, Lifeline, featuring himself on keyboards, his son Stephen Talaga on guitar, Caleb Elzinga on sax, and Larry Ochiltree on drums. Their debut CD, “No Worries”, dropped in October 2019.

Pianist Steve Talaga, at right (shown with a jazz trip), will team with Grand Rapids Symphony strings to present two works written by Talaga in a Nov. 26 concert at the GRAM. (Supplied)

WKTV Staff

news@wktv.org

The Grand Rapids Art Museum’s Sunday Classical Concert Series, a series of 16 performances during the fall and winter each year, will present a special program featuring local pianist Steve Talaga on Thanksgiving weekend.

“String Fling: The Music of Steve Talaga”, will be presented Sunday, Nov. 26, at 2 p.m. at the museum.

“An ensemble of virtuoso string players from the Grand Rapids Symphony will perform my string quartet and a new quintet for piano and strings, “From Darkness into Light”, Talaga said to WKTV. “This will be the world premier (of the second work) and I’ll be joining them at the piano.”

Talaga wrote the string quartet when was written in 1990 when he was a graduate student at Western Michigan University.

The setting of the concerts is one of the GRAM’s beautiful, natural light filled spaces which showcase the buildings architecture and galleries as well as the music. The concert is open to the public with general admission, and free for all GRAM members. Seating is first come, first served.

The GRAM is located in downtown Grand Rapids. For more information visit artmuseum.org .