Jazz pianist performs music of other great composers

Pianist Bruce Dudley is well known in area jazz circles as both an outstanding soloist and fine accompanist. But Sunday Dudley will demonstrate his interpretative skills as the Nashville Jazz Workshop (NJW) Master series features the Bruce Dudley Trio with Strings in concert.
Getting there
The Bruce Dudley Trio with Strings will appear Sunday afternoon at the Nashville Jazz Workshop, 1312 Adams St., in the Jazz Cave. Tickets are $10 and the concert is at 4 p.m.

The group will play compositions by Bill Evans, Jimmy Rowles, Ornette Coleman and Thelonius Monk, with Dudley being joined by a group that includes Roger Spencer, Jim White, David Davidson, David Angell, Chris Farrell and Matt Walker. The concert is being held in the NJW's live performance facility, the Jazz Cave.

Dudley has long been equally skilled in jazz and classical music, having studied both in high school with Biff Hannon at the Eastman School of Music. Additional studies eventually led to Dudley earning a Master of Music Degree in Jazz Performance.

Since moving to Nashville in 1995, Dudley has been a valued contributor to various sessions and club dates, and a member of the faculty at Belmont University and Middle Tennessee State University. He's also a member of the Middle Tennessee Jazz Orchestra.

Dudley is sought after not only as a pianist, accompanying vocalists, playing theatrical shows and backing up many fine jazz artists, but as a clinician as well. He has conducted piano clinics in Canada and the U.S. at many universities including Brigham Young, Western Washington, Tennessee State, Eastman and Houston Community Colleges.