“Binghamton musician Pete Van Nostrand’s Quartet performs Jazz straight from Manhattan at the Schorr Family Firehouse Stage Saturday, November 28th 2009”

From Executive Director, Goodwill Theatre:


“Binghamton musician Pete Van Nostrand’s Quartet performs Jazz straight from Manhattan at the Schorr Family Firehouse Stage Saturday, November 28th 2009”


Johnson City, NY- “The Pete Van Nostrand Quartet” is comprised of 4 worldly Jazz musicians, Pete Van Nostrand (who hails from Binghamton), Michael Karn, Jeb Patton and David Wong. Check your holiday stress at the door and let these musicians take you on a musical journey at the Schorr Family Firehouse Stage one night only Saturday, November 28th at 8:00 p.m. Their music has been referred to enthusiastically as “Jazz at 300 miles per hour!”



The Pete Van Nostrand Quartet musicians are primarily known for there work as sidemen. Collectively some of their employers range from Roy Haynes, Jimmy Heath, Harry Connick Jr., Michael Buble, Hank Jones, and Kenny Barron. As a result they are all fast becoming dynamic and important voices in the current compendium of styles that reside under the umbrella of Jazz. Always exciting, and entertaining these four musicians take their listeners on a journey from the soulful, to the impressively fast, and back, all with an attitude that gets right to the point, making sure everyone in the room is able to leave the stresses of the outside world at the door while enjoying some good music and good times.



“Pete called us and wondered if we would be interested in a concert while he was home visiting family and friends and we are thrilled to be able to offer some really hot contemporary jazz at the Schorr Family Firehouse Stage.” says Goodwill Theatre’s Executive Director, Naima Kradjian “I remember Pete from his days with “Mona Alot and the Love Dogs” here in Binghamton and have been following his career as he has played with great stars and at Dizzy’s in NYC. Since Jazz is one of the truly American made art forms and one with strong Southern Tier roots we are dedicated to keeping the Jazz Tradition alive in our community with our concerts and bi monthly Jazz Jams. Pete expressed an interest in adding this high quality & high energy high Jazz concert for the Thanksgiving weekend and we jumped at the opportunity. We are very grateful that he would go through the trouble to coordinate this with his colleagues and bring us the cool contemporary concert.” Adds Kradjian



Pete Van Nostrand, percussionist, was born and raised in Binghamton, NY and has been playing the drums since he was 8 years old, discovering Jazz at the age of 10. A deep appreciation of Art Blakey led him to seek out all the great drummers and by the time he left home he had digested a wealth of music. While in Binghamton he started playing professionally at 12 years old, in various groups which gave him a great foundation. Soon afterwards he began performing in various Rhythm and Blues groups, as well as at the Gospel Church around the corner from his house adding to his versatility . After leaving Binghamton he attended Rutgers University where he studied with Ralph Peterson. He has been around New York since 2000 and performed with Steve Davis, Jeremy Pelt, Eric Reed, Aaron Parks, Gerald Clayton, Michael Buble, Jim Rotundi, Paula West, Sachal Vasandani, among many others. More recent notable gigs have been with Kenny Barron, Brian Lynch, and Mike LeDonne. He has travelled to Italy, Spain, South America, Central America, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Canada, as well as the greater U.S.A. He also holds an Artist Diploma degree from the Juilliard School. There he had the opportunity to study with Kenny Washington, Billy Drummond, and Carl Allen. Mr. VanNostrand is not only a sought after sideman he is also a budding bandleader and composer with various performances and recording projects in the works. He continues to learn from the masters like Max Roach, Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey, Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones, Alan Dawson, Louis Hayes, Clifford Jarvis, Jo Jones and Philly Joe Jones, among many more, but he has an open mind and prides himself on being part of the new generation of young forward thinking musicians. Known for his great feel and always present musicality, he continues to be one of the busiest young drummers in town.



Pete will bring Bassist David Wong with him. David was born and raised in New York City graduating from Juilliard with a degree in classical music. David enjoys a fruitful career in Jazz. He is currently a member of Roy Haynes’ “Fountain of Youth” band which has toured throughout the United States, Europe and Japan, as well as bassist with the “Heath Brothers” quartet, led by jazz legends, Jimmy and Albert "Tootie" Heath. Most recently he has joined the Village Vaguard Jazz Orchestra as the first call bassist, and has travelled to Japan twice with the great piano master Hank Jones. He has performed with Clark Terry, Illinois Jacquet, Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Walter Blanding, Marcus Printup, Leroy Jenkins, David Hazeltine, Jim Rotondi, Carla Cook, Paula West, and Mark Gould (Metropolitan Opera) to name just a few more.



Michael Karn the Tenor Saxophonist of the quartet hails from Rochester, NY. He has been involved in the New York jazz scene for more than 20 years working with many of the music world’s most creative artists. Upon graduating from NYU, Michael

immediately joined the Ray Charles Orchestra, touring the United States, Europe, and Japan. In late 2001, Michael joined the big band of Harry Connick Jr., participating in several tours of the United States and Canada. In his five and a half years with Harry, he appearred on four of Harry’s CD’s, "Only You", "Harry For The Holidays", "Oh, My Nola", and "Chanson Du Vieux Carre", as well as two DVD’s, "Harry For The Holidays" and "Only You In Concert". Michael has performed and/or recorded with George Coleman, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Andy Bey, Harold Mabern, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Dave Liebman, Danny Moore, Junior Mance, Hilton Ruiz, Larry Goldings, Ben Allison, Mike LeDonne, Michael Weiss, Rob Schneiderman, Mark Whitfield, Billy Hart, Mickey Roker, Lenny White, Charlie Persip, “Killer” Ray Appleton, Joey DeFrancesco, Bill Doggett, and even Run/DMC.



Pianist Jeb Patton, rounds out the quartet. Jeb has been described as both a "young phenom…on piano" and an "absolute great," earning a well-regarded reputation in the international jazz community. The multi- talented Patton is known as a "player of great expression" and "not one to tread the predictable," as well as a "simpatico accompanist" for The Heath Brothers, an "innovative" arranger, and one who "cuts…[an] impressive swath on his composition, 'Hanna's Mood,'" a tribute to his late teacher, Sir Roland Hanna. Jeb Patton graduated magna cum laude from Duke University. Studying under Sir Roland Hanna and Jimmy Heath, Jeb earned his Master of Arts degree, summa cum laude, in 1997 from the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, City University of New York, where he also received the Louis Armstrong Award for composition from the ASCAP Foundation. Since graduating, Jeb has toured throughout the United States and abroad with the Heath Brothers and with Jimmy Heath's Generations Quintet, performing in theaters, festivals, concert halls, colleges, and clubs. Since moving to New York in 1996, Jeb has also played with Etta Jones, Winard Harper's group, and Antonio Hart's Quintet, Paul West, Rufus Reid, Lewis Nash, Steve Nelson, Ralph Peterson, Jimmy Cobb, Lonnie Plaxico, Carl Allen, Jackie Mclean, Frank Wess, James Moody, Terell Stafford, Sean Jones, Jeremy Pelt, Gerald Cannon, and Steve Davis.



“The Pete VanNostrand Quartet” performance is one day only, Saturday, November 28th at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and students. Reservations are highly encouraged. Tickets, if still available, will be sold at the door. The doors will open one hour before show time. All major credit cards are accepted.



The Schorr Family Firehouse Stage is the first performance venue of the Goodwill Theatre Performing Arts Complex & Professional Training Facility. It is located on the corner of Corliss Avenue and Willow Street in Johnson City. Enter the facility through the parking lot on Corliss Avenue. Parking is available in a small lot at the theatre, on-street and in various Village municipal lots within two blocks of the theatre.



For further information or to get tickets, please call (607) 772-2404, ext. 1. Doors open one hour prior to show time. Tickets will be available at the door if still available. Snacks and beverages will be sold.