Pierre Hurel

Description

Hailed by the Boston Globe as "the extraordinary-local-but-Paris-born pianist", Pierre Hurel returns to the Regattabar for a rare solo concert and a CD release party for his latest solo album. Hurel appears frequently at the Regattabar, and this past April, he celebrated the 20th anniversary of his first performance at the venue with the Pierre Hurel Trio. For this special solo performance, Hurel will be sharing Jazz standards, some of his latest compositions, along with some improvisations, which reflect both his classical and Jazz influences. 

Born in Paris, pianist and composer Pierre Hurel was first discovered by Paris Jazz Conservatory's founder and director Charles Henry. At age 20, as he was about to reluctantly start a career in business, Hurel decided to change course and enrolled at the School of Modern Music in Paris. Six months later, he came to Boston for a summer session at the Berklee College of Music and has remained here ever since. 

Jazz journalist Virginia Schaefer wrote in AllAboutJazz.com: "Hurel's compositions and playing show the influence of European classical music, particularly of the romantic and impressionistic eras. In his playing, Hurel projects a natural grace, easygoing on the surface but precise and focused at the core." Reviewing one of his performances, Steve Greenlee wrote in the Boston Globe "Hurel is one of Boston's real gems. His style is impressionistic and adventurous, coming off somewhere between Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett ... The Pierre Hurel Trio is Boston's most sensitive working group." 

Hurel has recorded nine albums, including one quartet album, six trio albums and two solo albums, including the one being released tonight. He has been featured numerous times on New England Cable News and his music has been played on WGBH, WERS, WBUR, WMBR, Paris Jazz, Europe 1 and France inter, among others. Hurel is a regular at the Regattabar, has appeared at numerous Jazz clubs including the Duc des Lombards in Paris, the Knickerbocker in New York and locally at Sculler's and Ryles Jazz clubs, as well as in festivals including the Toulon and Nice Jazz Festivals. He has an active teaching career, and is a Professor at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.