Duo Session: Lori Mechem w/ Joe Freel and Joel Frahm
Join Lori Mechem, Joe Freel and Joel Frahm at the Nashville Jazz Workshop in the Jazz Cave on Thursday, September 7, 2023. The concert begins at 7:30pm CDT (Doors at 7:00pm).
LIVE PERFORMANCE TICKETS ($35) – NEW add a charcuterie box on Eventbrite with your ticket, more details here.
Lori Mechem: A respected jazz pianist, composer and educator, Lori, along with her husband Roger Spencer, has lived in the Nashville area since 1988. In addition to directing production shows and conducting musical theatre, she has performed with artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Red Holloway, Jimmy Smith, Cal Collins, Roy McCurdy, Terry Gibbs, Pete Christlieb, Edie Gorme, Bobby Militello, Kirk Whalum and Donna McElroy. A native of Anderson Indiana, Lori received a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana.
Lori’s first CD, “Welcome to Brazil” was nominated for “Best Jazz Album of the Year” by the Nashville Music Awards in 1997. In 2003, Lori’s second CD, “Shiny Stockings, rose to #26 on the jazz charts. In 2005 she released a Brazilian Christmas album on Village Square Music. Since then she has released three more CD’s: “April in Paris” (a second Count Basie album), “The Dream of Life” (original meditation music), and “Return to Ipanema.”
Joe Freel: From his first role at ten years old as the lead character, Tom, in his elementary school’s production of “Tom Sawyer,” vocalist Joe Freel progressed to significant performances while earning a Bachelor of Music degree from Boston’s esteemed Berklee College of Music. Between Tom Sawyer and Berklee were musical theatre, wedding and rock bands, madrigal groups and jazz club appearances. Freel has dedicated his life to the pursuit of excellence in vocal performance. For the past six years, Freel’s appearances at the renown Nashville Jazz Workshop have resulted in a significant group of fans and colleagues who resonate with the quality of his musicianship. His energetic but soothing vocal delivery, punctuated with a candid sense of humor both on and off stage, create long remembered performances. Freel’s primary vocal influences are Al Jarreau, Mark Murphy, Little Jimmy Scott and Tony Bennett.
Joel Frahm: For more than 30 years, Joel Frahm lived in New York City, working in jazz clubs, collaborating with other musicians, and honing his craft. He now lives in Nashville, where he continues to play the music he loves. His bold, inventive tenor sound has won fans in the U.S. and across the world. He has worked alongside Betty Carter, Kenny Barron, Freddy Cole, Dianne Schuur, Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit, Bill Charlap, Brad Mehldau, Matt Wilson, Cyrille Aimee, and many other top artists. He has played as a leader or sideman on more than 100 recordings and has appeared at jazz festivals in the United States, Europe, Israel, Canada and South America. In addition to his work as a performer, he has taught jazz classes in clinics at the University of North Carolina, the University of Connecticut, New York University, Wichita State University, the University of North Texas, Baylor University, Colorado State University, Furman University, the University of Toronto, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the University of Manitoba and others. He also has worked at the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation program; the Sant Andreu Youth Jazz Orchestra in Barcelona, Spain; the Dave Brubeck Institute in Stockton, California; the Center for Jazz Studies at the Israel Conservatory in Tel Aviv; the Czech Jazz Workshop in Prague; and the Siena Jazz Workshop in Italy. Joel grew up in Racine, Wisconsin and moved to West Hartford, Connecticut as a high school freshman, where he became part of the acclaimed Hall High School jazz band. It was there he developed a passion for jazz, exploring the music of jazz greats such as Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Horace Silver and Wayne Shorter. In 1992, he received a bachelor’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music.