Veronica Swift and The Eric Gunnison Trio join the 2016 Telluride Jazz Festival artist lineup.
At the age of ten, Swift made her Telluride Jazz Festival debut as part of the Young Razzcals Jazz Project with special guest Richie Cole. A year later she would make her first appearance at Jazz at Lincoln Center for the “Women In Jazz” series at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. Since then, she has made a total of 10 appearances at the Telluride Jazz Festival. Now 22, Swift is being recognized around the country as one of the top young jazz singers on the scene. Taking second place at the prestigious Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition last year is proof of that, but comes as no surprise to festival goers that witnessed her historic duet with Paquito d’Rivera, or saw her front the Telluride Student All-Stars Jazz Ensemble two years in a row.
Soon to be a graduate from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, Swift is a true testament to the nonprofit educational organization the Telluride Society for Jazz, which is responsible for producing the Telluride Jazz Festival and other year-round educational events. Continued music education in the classroom and on stages over the past decade, often with her renowned jazz player parents, has resulted in a promising future career for the young vocalist once she graduates.
Based in Denver since 1980, pianist and composer Eric Gunnison has led a distinguished career during which he has not only established himself as one of the mainstays of the Mile High City’s vibrant jazz scene as an instrumentalist, bandleader and educator, but has also attracted a global following performing, touring and recording with internationally renowned jazz artists, particularly jazz vocalists.
Gunnison’s current associations include touring internationally as well as recording with the sensational vocalist Roberta Gambarini, whom he has accompanied since 2001, and since 2005, as pianist with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars Big Band and Sextet with which he has toured the U.S., Europe and Asia. He has also performed with vocalist Rene Marie and the Christian McBride Big Band among others. Active for more than 30 years as a sideman and studio musician on piano, synthesizers and other keyboards, Gunnison has also been a member of the adjunct faculty of the University of Denver’s Lamont School Of Music and on the faculty of the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts since 2000. Joining Veronica Swift as the Eric Gunnison Trio, the rare pairing will feature Telluride native Charles Mertens and Denver’s own Paul Romain.
Read more and connect with Veronica Swift and the Eric Gunnison Trio on their artist page here.