UPPER LAKE — At 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, pianist and entertainer Kelly Park brings his KP3 Jazz Trio to the Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake to conclude the hotel”s 2011 Concerts with Conversation series. These intimate concerts, held in the meeting house next to the hotel, give a small audience of 40 or so the chance to listen to and interact with world-class musicians at close range.
Park has played all the major venues in the San Francisco Bay Area and hosts the “Kelly Park Presents” series at the Rrazz Room at the Hotel Nikko.
“I”ve had occasion to visit Lake County and the Tallman Hotel several times,” Park said, “and I”ve loved it each time. I”m really looking forward to bringing the trio up and putting on a fun show of original music and my own renditions of familiar tunes.”
Park attended and later taught at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, from which he received the “Mercer Ellington Jazz Masters Award” in 1981.
Reviewer Lee Hargrove recently caught a show by the Trio and said of Park: “Heck, I wouldn”t doubt that he could roller skate while playing the piano. What makes Park so interesting is not only his enormous talents for music ? but also his glowing personality.”
Joining Park on stage will be Daniel Fabricant on bass and Beth Goodfellow on drums. Fabricant plays with a wide variety of artists in the Bay Area and beyond, from cabaret to rock to classical ? but saves his best for the jazz genre and said he “loves playing with Kelly and Beth.”
Goodfellow is a freelance drummer based in San Franciso who plays not only with the KP3 Trio but also with the all-female Mighty Aphrodite Jazz Band. She maintains an active calendar of events including educational shows as part of the San Francisco Symphony Adventures in Music Program.
“This is a great group,” Park said, “but I”ve also got a mystery guest guitarist who will join us for a few pieces that I know the Tallman audience will love. Should be fun.”
As in previous years, 10 percent of all proceeds from the Tallman concerts are donated to the Soper-Reese Community Theatre Fund, which has developed Lakeport”s performing arts center.
A limited number of tickets for the upcoming concert are still available. Tickets cost $25 plus tax and include coffee and cookies served at the concert venue. Tickets may be obtained at the Tallman Hotel reception desk or by calling 275-2244.
