Nina Beck
Professional Pianist, Vocalist, & Flutist Accompanist @Free-Lance Musician
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WORK HISTORY
Professional Pianist, Vocalist, & Flutist Accompanist @Free-Lance Musician
Most of this is also described above.)NINA BECK attended the High School of Music & Art in NYC, and studied with the famed late John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet at The City College of New York where she graduated with a BA, Magna Cum Laude. Nina has been steadily performing 1920s through \'40s American Songbook standards, jazz favorites, and occasionally also, some classic old-school pop, rock, & easy listening from the 1950s to ’80s around L.A. for over 35 years on piano & vocals, both solo and with groups from small combos to big bands.Since March, 2008, Nina has been the steady pianist at Casey\'s Tavern, Canoga Park on Sunday evenings, 6-9 PM, with the Jelly Roll Jazz Band, now led by fine wind player Ted Carmely, in which she plays upright piano and sings a couple of tunes. Other members: Les Benedict, Curt Sletten, Mike Flick, and Michael Rosen. Former leader Woody James sadly passed in 2022.For 4 years, Nina also played at Casey\'s on Saturday evenings with Evie & All That Jazz featuring Evie Fiorani, lead vocalist, 7-string guitarist Jerry Case (Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Bob Wills, etc.) and 3 other fine musicians. That band\'s steady engagement ended on April 30, 2022.Nina has studied piano with numerous artists of world renown, and took private songwriting lessons with the late Jack Segal, composer of the well-known “When Sunny Gets Blue” and \"Scarlet Ribbons.\" As a songwriter, Nina has two published original songs (country crossover, and country rock - recorded by talented vocalist Dainel Jackson), and she collaborates with drummer, singer, guitarist, & BMI songwriter Joe Barile, formerly with the Ventures and Shango. They\'ve written over 30 retro swing, Latin, pop jazz, and pop rock songs, many of which they\'ve performed and recorded.Since mid-2022, Nina has been steadily entertaining at various assisted living communities and nursing homes, e.g. the Ivy Park chain including Oakmont; the Sunrise chain; Terraza Court; and others.
EDUCATION
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art
Diploma, Music
Inwood J.H.S. - "J.H.S. 52"
Liberal Arts
The City College of New York
BA, Music
P.S. 187, Manhattan
Reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic!! AND music!!
Duolingo online, and Living Language program
None, Italian (language)
SKILLS
ABOUT NINA BECK
Nina has been a professional jazz pianist and vocalist in L.A. for 4 decades, performing in major venues like Jax, The Lighthouse, Lunaria, The Money Tree, Spazio, etc. as well as hotels, restaurants, civic and commercial venues, private homes, and summer concert series, such as at Long Beach\'s Shoreline Village. She now entertains on solo piano at numerous assisted living communities and nursing homes.A grad of Music & Art HS in NYC en route to a B.A. in Music, Magna Cum Laude from The City College in 1978, Nina had the opportunity to study with the famed late John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Other teachers: Milcho Leviev, Terry Trotter, and the late Paul Smith. Nina leads her \"All Key\'d Up\" groups and performs with combos and big bands. Notable credits: Ernie Andrews, Les Benedict, Donald Dean, Corey Gemme, Woody James, Clarence Johnston, Larry Klein, Dean Koba, Sherry Luchette, Doug MacDonald, Peter Marshall, Ralph Penland, Kim Richmond, Cathy Segal-Garcia, Richard Simon, Annette Warren Smith, Chris Tedesco, Johnny Vana, John B. Williams, and Scott Whitfield.Nina has subbed for noted pianists Cecilia Coleman, Karen Hernandez, Alexandra Caselli, Eric Ekstrand, and others. She has perfect pitch, and can play tunes in near-\"real time.\" Her style has been likened to Diana Krall, Kenny Barron, and Marian McPartland;\"idols\" are Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Tommy Flanagan, Bobby Timmons, and Hank Jones. A published songwriter, Nina studied privately with the acclaimed late Jack Segal (When Sunny Gets Blue, Scarlet Ribbons.), and performs a few of her wide array of well-crafted originals on gigs. Her 2 published songs are \"No One Touches Me Like You Do\" & \"Lovin\' Me Up While You\'re Lettin\' Me Down.\" She writes lyrics to retro swing and Latin melodies by drummer/singer, BMI writer, and friend Joe Barile; they have 5 demo’d songs and more in work.Specialties: Piano (swing, jazz, Dixieland, w/ improvisation; left-hand bass), accompanying, harmonizing, reading chords, and transposing. Nina plays ~900 songs in any key, sings over 250 songs, and her transposing ability helps many vocalists.
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