Julian - Piano
Darrell Green - Drums
David Ewell - Bass
GRACE AND JULIAN:
Grace Weber - Vocals
Julian - Keyboards, Vocals
Jayme Silverstein - Bass
Adam Jackson - Drums
Influences
As Duke Ellington said: "There's only two kinds of music - good and bad." Ain't that the truth.
The Beatles, Keith Jarrett, Brad Mehldau, Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Duke, Aretha Franklin, D'Angelo, Miles, Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette, Rachmoninov, Debussy, Bach, Ravel, Robert Glasper, Tony Bennett, Puccini, Bob Dylan, Coldplay, Death Cab For Cutie, Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, Rage Against the Machine, Coltrane, Michael Brecker, Third Eye Blind, Wayne Shorter, and all the other great musicians out there...
Sounds Like
'''Solitude''' Julian Waterfall Pollack, Solo Piano, Junebeat Records, 2007
'''Goin' For It''' Julian Waterfall Pollack Trio, Jazzschool Records 2006
'''94 & 95''' Grace and Julian, Junebeat Records 2008
'''Grace and Julian''' Grace and Julian, Junebeat Records 2007
20-year-old New York Pianist Julian Waterfall Pollack has the jazz community abuzz with his remarkably mature, technically ferocious, and dynamically original piano playing. A classically trained pianist, Pollack has unleashed into the world a singular blend of music that combines his love for today’s popular music styles and a respect for the classical tradition” with a forward-looking, innovative virtuosity well beyond his young years.
On his aptly-titled debut recording, Goin’ For It (Jazzschool Records, 2006), Pollack does just that. Writes San Jose Mercury News critic Andrew Gilbert: “Pollack may have started Goin’ For It as a student, but with the completion of his first album, he has earned the right to teach some lessons of his own.” The opening tracks “Take Me Outside” and “Valeria” may well be a contrast in style, but they are more clearly an indication of the astounding range of Pollack’s musical and compositional talent. His innovative approaches in re-imagining the jazz standard repertory include a new melodic and rhythmic structure in the pop music idiom of Miles Davis’ “Four,” and a jaw-dropping, re-harmonization with a hip-hop backbeat of John Coltrane’s famously complex “Giant Steps.” After the release of Goin’ For It, JAZZIZ Magazine selected the high-octane original, “Take Me Outside,” to be on its monthly CD series, JAZZIZ On Disc (October 2006).
Among his many accomplishments, Pollack has been featured on Marian McPartland’s renowned NPR show, Piano Jazz. He also has performed with the likes of Joshua Redman, Nicholas Payton, Miguel Zenon, Eric Harland, and George Garzone, and at prestigious venues such as Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, and Yoshi’s, and international festivals including Montreux, Umbria, and Monterey. Pollack is also the recipient of numerous prestigious national awards, such as the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts (NFAA) Level One Gold Prize and member of its Clifford Brown/Stan Getz All-Stars, Down Beat’s Student Music Award for “Outstanding High School Jazz Instrumental Group” (2004, 2005), as well as 1st Place, Combo Division in consecutive years (2005, 2006) and “Outstanding Soloist” three years running (2004, 2005, 2006) at Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Festival. Pollack attended Berkeley High School in Berkeley, California and was the principal pianist of the Award-Winning Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble and was the leader of the Award-Winning Combos. He served as the principal pianist for the San Francisco Bay Area's preeminent honors youth ensemble, the SFJAZZ All-Star High School Ensemble, for his four high school years, making him the very first “full-scholarship” student of the program.
In addition to his astounding ability in jazz, Pollack’s self-released album Alive Again showcases his compositional diversity in the pop and rock genres, on which he plays guitar, bass, drums, and performs vocals. In August of 2007, Pollack released two CDs: Grace and Julian, a collaboration with New York singer/songwriter Grace Weber, and Solitude, Pollack’s first Solo Piano Recording. Both CDs were released on Pollack and Weber’s newly formed record label, June Beat Records.
As of October 23rd, 2008, Grace and Julian's sophomore release "94 & 95" is now available for purchase on line and at iTunes. Go to: www.graceandjulian.com for more information.
Currently, Pollack resides in New York City and attends New York University, studying composition.
“…a wonderful new player on the jazz scene…watch out for this kid!” -- Marian McPartland, host of NPR’s Piano Jazz, jazz legend
“I want to be the first to say it: Julian is a genius.” -- Albert "Tootie Heath", jazz legend
“...a tremendously gifted player whose debut CD, Goin' For It, is the work of an artist advanced far beyond his 18 years.” -- Contra Costa Times
“[Pollack's] been turning heads for a while now, because his playing is loose, confident, rhythmically assured, and emotionally committed.” -- San Jose Mercury News
“...uncannily young and astonishingly talented...” -- San Francisco Classical Voice
Chained Exsistence..... WHAT UP Julian Waterfall Pollack ............CHECK OUT our video .................................................. HIT US UP.................
its hieellla fun and a lot of work all at the same time. Definitely a great environment to shed and write music. How are things in NY? Goin to the bay for Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday?
Yo julez!! how u duin man? had some questions pertainin to the masterin side of things.... havin a hard time with the "s's" and such, listen to my mixes if you can on my page if you can find time for some feedback it'd be greatly appreciated
Thanks for the add, I love your music btw!
If you get a chance, please take a listen to our first New Age release "Instrumental Piano Music" by Solo Piano Relaxing Music. We'd love to know what you think of it!
Regards
LR
Yo Julian let's do that hit next week sometime. Your place or mine? Come to the Gallery tonight I'm playing with Picker and Sam Reider. Music sounds great as always.
I'm just stopping by to check out your page and to tell you that I appreciate our MySpace friendship. May you continue to be a blessing to others with your talent.
Julian, it is a pleasure to know you, thanks for your friendship! I was just listen to your piano playing and both you and your band are so classy...I just love it man! Keep doing that great music and a shout out to you from a fellow New Yorker! Respect. JT
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