Bill Heller is best known as the keyboard player for the legendary Grammy-nominated jazz group the Rippingtons. In addition, Heller has served as the Musical Director for the Long Island Music Hall of Fame awards shows for over ten years, providing arrangements and incidental music. These shows have featured performances by such acts as Daryl McDaniels of RUN-DMC, Kurtis Blow, Little Anthony, and the Imperials, Gary US Bonds, Felix Cavaliere and The Lovin Spoonful, Charlie Daniels, Eddie Money, Steve Vai, Vince Giordano, and more. Some of the legends inducted at these shows have included Billy Joel, Mariah Carey, Jimmy Webb, Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, Clive [...]

Uri Gincel is a vital pianist in the Berlin jazz scene and is releasing his second album as a leader with bassist Paul Kleber, and drummer Tobias Backhaus called Love Through the Stained Glass. Founded on jazz standards and classical piano trio sounds, the three set out in search of new forms, sounds, and colors. With mutual trust, great joy in playing, and always willing to take risks but never losing focus on the common language, the Uri Gincel Trio creates an intense, multifaceted world of musical improvisation, sound, and tradition. Gincel says of the trio’s second album, “We tend to look at our past loves through the filter [...]

Troy Roberts is a two-time GRAMMY nominated saxophonist and composer that has recorded with the legendary organist Joey DeFrancesco the iconic Van Morrison drummer Jeff’ Tain’ Watts and the modern big band sounds of Orrin Evans Captain Black Big Band. Roberts has fourteen albums as a leader that range from modern jazz to creative takes on standards. Roberts is fluent in fusion, funk, and modern jazz and always has a clear focus on the heritage of straight-ahead jazz as an overall influence. In 2009, Roberts formed NU-JIVE and is now releasing his latest album with the ensemble called Nu-Jive: Nations United, the band’s [...]