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Former New York City musician and University of Kentucky Jazz Band alum, Kentucky native son Harold Sherman performs jazz and original piano instrumentals and vocals--along with a sampling of other styles, including Latin and country. Doing double-duty at WUKY’s 2006 HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE: UNCORKED & UNPLUGGED--performing with The BATs (now permanently accepted into the
Kentucky Performing Arts Directory--also featured in the May 2007 issue of KENTUCKY MONTHLY and on their CD: SOME SETTLING MAY OCCUR) and in a duo with his sister, jazz vocalist Genie Walker--is a recent example of his appearances in and around the Central Kentucky area, which includes over a decade leading groups at the Ecton Park Big Band and Jazz Series. Past personnel in his groups include former UK School of Music students who have since gone on to prestigious careers in performance and education. One such alumnus is Glenn Kotche, drummer for the rock band WILCO (and jazz and classical percussionist/composer in his own right). Sherman has accompanied the following artists on piano or keyboard in live performances: Greg Abate, Jamey Aebersold, Wanda Barnett, Walt Blanton, Randy Brecker, Zach Brock, Laura Bell Bundy (who created the role of Elle Woods in the Broadway musical LEGALLY BLONDE and was nominated for a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical), Catherine Bush (award-winning/commissioned playwright), Mark Channing, Tom Christensen, Jeff Coffin, former Miss Kentucky Melinda Cumberledge, John Davidson, Clifton Davis, Vince DiMartino, Chuck Findley, Lyndy Franklin, Nashville artist (& former Miss Louisville) Kata Rhe Gillispie, Dave Hoffman, Ron Jones, Bob Lark, Duke Madison, saxophonist/vocalist Angie Ortega, Miles Osland, Bobby Shew, Clark Terry, Mike Titlebaum, Chris Vadala, Walker & Kays, Bill Watrous, Gail Wynters, Sister Sledge member Debbie Young and his own sister Genie Walker (who has toured Europe and received favorable reviews in THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE VILLAGE VOICE and DOWNBEAT).
While in New York, Harold Sherman studied with--and attended workshops led by--world-famous jazz artists such as Mike Longo (Dizzy Gillespie’s pianist and musical director), Bob Mintzer and Billy Taylor. His "New York Experience" also included playing at the re-opened Cotton Club, producing a jingle, managing both a health food store & a wine import office, observing Uta Hagen's acting class at HB Studio as part of a brief independent study in theater to complete a Bachelor's Degree (not in theater) and enduring one semester at NYU's Graduate School of Business. Back in Lexington, he taught music privately and served as Alumni Chair on the board of the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra, an organization in which he played cello in high school. He later served as President of the Lexington Jazz Arts Foundation. His educational and professional experience in classical, jazz, rock, country and Latin styles helped him to develop a teaching method that enabled and encouraged his students--amateur and professional--to apply what they learned in both formal and informal performance situations. He now teaches privately at Fred F. Moore Music & Hurst Music in Lexington, and is now accepting adult students who prefer late morning or early afternoon lesson times. He has coached several groups of students of jazz improvisation, including serving as a member of the faculty of a summer workshop at the Music Institute of Lexington. He returned to UK in the 1990s and received his Masters in Music Composition in 1999 and has since had original compositions and interviews published. While in school, he played saxophone (sharing the stage with Diane Schuur, Louie Bellson and Cal Collins) and later piano in the University of Kentucky Jazz Ensemble I, a goup that performed at the 1996 International Association of Jazz Educators Annual Convention in Atlanta with guest artist Bobby Shew. That same year, he and wife Marianne started a sound and light business with local engineer/installer Richard Jones. RICHARD JONES PRO SOUND & LIGHTS has done major installations in the central Kentucky area, predominantly for churches and schools, including Transylvania University, Eastern Kentucky University and Berea College. The company has engineered sound for such diverse events and performers as: The Lexington Shakespeare Festival (now SummerFest), the Miss Kentucky Pageant, John Michael Montgomery and T.S. Monk.
While President of the Jazz Arts Foundation, Sherman helped to organize local events and suppported the Youth Jazz Ensemble. Past issues of JAM SESSION, the JAF newsletter, include his interviews with local jazz musicians. One such interview with respected educator Charles Quillings was conducted under the auspices of the Jazz History Project.
Groups he has led since the mid-1980s include Group 6 (featuring a front line of three female vocalists--an interesting foreshadowing of his later membership in The BATs), the Young Urban Professionals, the Harold Sherman Jazz/Society Trio, Harold Sherman & Friends Latin/Jazz Fusion, Reeds and Rhythm Live and the Five Gringos. He continues to perform with other groups and also as a solo act. As a leader and sideman, he has multi-tasked on keyboard with left-hand bass, added solo and fill lines on saxophone, played cello in classical ensembles and supplied lead and backing vocals. Presently, he is supply organist for Church of the Holy Trinity in Georgetown, KY. In addition, he rehearses and performs with the Bluegrass Area Jazz Ambassadors (BAJA), a Lexington area community big band. Over the past several decades, he has played events for the following familiar Central Kentucky personalities: Don & Mira Ball, Mrs. Jody & UK Medical Center Chancellor Peter Bosomworth, U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, Leslie Combs II, Chuck Creacy, K.C. & Scott Crosbie, Dick DeCamp, Chris Eddie, Will Farish, Gov. Ernie Fletcher, John R. Gaines, Cindy & Glenn Leveridge, Lisa Kaplan, U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, Family Court Judge Lucinda Masterton, Mrs. Marilyn & Dr. Franklin Moosnick, Bill Morgan, Gov. Paul Patton, J. Peterman, Kristen Pflum, Warren Rosenthal, Alan & Kathy Stein, Isabel Yates and W.T. Young. He twice accompanied former Governor "Happy" Chandler singing "My Old Kentucky Home" and once played for Bertha Wright as she sang "The Good Ship Lollipop."
Whether entertaining seniors with Frank Sinatra tunes at retirement homes or performing jazz standards and originals at a local cafe or concert venue, Harold Sherman makes his audience feel like guests in his living room. Playing in the orchestra pit for numerous musical theater productions in the area--including musical direction and conducting--has added depth to his vocal and instrumental performance.
Recent credits include:
--Musical Director of GUYS & DOLLS in Woodford County, April 2004
--Conductor of SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL in Winchester, Sept. 2004
--Musical Director of Lexington Children’s Theatre production of ALEXANDER, WHO'S . . . NOT GOING TO MOVE in the Spring of 2006 - performances at LCT, Glema Mahr Arts Center and the Renfro Valley Big Barn
--Musical Director of SCAPA-Bluegrass production of OLIVER! at the Lexington Opera House, Nov. 2006
--Musical Director of Lexington Children's Theatre production of A YEAR WITH FROG & TOAD in the Spring of 2007
--Musical Director of SCAPA-Bluegrass production of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES at the Lexington Opera House, Nov. 2007
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PHOTO by BOB DeMATTINA
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The following audio clips are, in order: One original piano jazz waltz (later arranged for 5 saxes & rhythm section: Titled NEW FRESH WALTZ in the WALRUS catalogue), a vocal/piano interpretation of a standard jazz ballad with a Latin treatment, a vocal excerpt from a recording of the Dave Hummel Jazz Octet, an original composition for 5 saxophones & rhythm section (earlier studio recording - different session than the Miles Osland Master Class) and two short "basement original" instrumentals.
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PHOTO by MARK KIDD
for
1986 MISS LEXINGTON PAGEANT
(No, not a contestant--just the music guy)
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