The Douglas Levine Trio to Perform at Pitt Nov. 17

PITTSBURGH-The Douglas Levine Trio will present "Standards and Originals," a musical program at the University of Pittsburgh, as part of the Heinz Chapel Pittsburgh Artists Series at 8 p.m. Nov. 17 in Heinz Memorial Chapel, Fifth and Bellefield avenues, Oakland.

The Douglas Levine Trio is known for its performances of standard and modern jazz repertoire and improvisation. The trio includes pianist and composer Douglas Levine and Pittsburgh Jazz artists Paul Thompson on the bass and Thomas Wendt playing drums.

Levine is a piano soloist, composer, arranger, musical director, and teacher. In early 2005, he released Kromatica, his debut recording of original piano compositions and arrangements.

Levine has written original music for City Theatre, Attack Theatre, Gateway to the Arts, Pitt Repertory Theatre, Renaissance City Women's Choir, and Pittsburgh Musical Theater. In June, he was coproducer and composer for the world premiere of Mimoun, a dance theater collaboration with choreographer Andre Koslowski. In August, he contributed live original music to and made his acting debut in Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre's The False Servant. In September, Levine's original score was part of the Playhouse Rep Company's production of Ibsen's Peer Gynt. He composed the scores for the new musicals Shakespeare Street (Playhouse Junior, 2001) and Colorfast (Pittsburgh International Children's Theater Festival, 2004).

Thompson just celebrated his 10th year of playing bass professionally. He's shared the stage with Stanley Turrentine, James Moody, Maynard Ferguson, and many other jazz legends. He's been in the pit orchestra for productions of Pittsburgh Musical Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, and the Playhouse Rep and Conservatory companies. Thompson was musical director for Billy Porter's Ghetto Superstar at City Theatre. He's also an adjunct teacher at his alma mater, CAPA High School.

Wendt has been playing the drums professionally since the age of 14 and has studied with master drummers Roger Humphries, Joe Harris, and Kenny Washington. He has taught

on the faculty of The Afro-American Music Institute, in Pittsburgh, since 1997. Wendt has performed in and around the Pittsburgh area with Gene Ludwig, Dwayne Dolphin, Jimmy Ponder, Sean Jones, Joe Negri, Maureen Budway, and Sandy Staley. He also has played with such visiting international artists as Donald Byrd, Javon Jackson, David "Fathead" Newman, James Moody, Clark Terry, Cecil Bridgewater, Monty Alexander, and Papa John Defrancesco.

Other upcoming Pittsburgh Artist Series performances are Mike Tomaro Quintet (Jan. 19), Daphne Alderson (Feb. 14), and Robert Sutherland Lord and Roger Zahab (Mar. 16).

Admission is $12 for all concerts with the exception of the Feb. 14 Valentine's Concert, which is $20. Tickets for the entire concert series are $50.

For more information, call 412-624-4157 or visit www.discover.pitt.edu/chapel.

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11/9/05/tmw