Rio Clemente and vibraphonist Warren Chiasson at the Watchung Arts Cente

The Watchung Arts Center is proud to present another in the series of “ImpresaRIO” jazz concerts featuring the dynamic Bishop of Jazz, pianist Rio Clemente. For this concert, on Friday, June 6 at 8 PM, Rio, who has been bringing a dazzling line-up of outstanding musicians to the WAC, will be joined by vibraphonist Warren Chiasson.
Master pianist Rio Clemente draws the audience up in a musical embrace and then takes them on an extraordinary journey of fanciful melodies and scintillating rhythms. Clemente mixes a strong classical background with a rich knowledge of jazz history, and then adds an amazing sense of creativity and interpretation. The result is a smorgasbord of music that is different from others, and nearly always produces a standing ovation and cries for “more.”
Rio was a child prodigy who received a BMI scholarship for musical theatre and then continued his education at the Julliard School of Music.  He went from Julliard to Nashville, where he spent two years as a performer and composer, making appearances at the Grand Ole Opry, After several television appearance, Rio advanced professionally to playing at several distinguished concert halls and festivals, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, Manhattan’s famous Birdland and the Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel, as well as the Newport and JVC Jazz Festivals, and a memorable appearance at the White House.  He regularly appears with groups such as The Morris Choral Society and Orchestra and at jazz venues from Manhattan to Cape Code and from Florida to California.  He has composed three masses and three musicals of which his “Dobdinob” has been published and performed around the country.  He has recorded for well-known labels and has published eight CDs under his own label, Etnemelc Music Productions.
A native of Morristown, NJ, Clemente is New Jersey’s own jewel of the jazz world. He is a member of the Morristown Hall of Fame, was named by the NJ Council of the Arts as an Outstanding Professional of the Year, and recognized as one of the “Top 40 New Jerseyans” by the New Jersey Monthly, as well as being selected for Who’s Who in America.
He is a proud member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary at Lake Hopatcong, NJ
Warren Chiasson is a highly regarded musician in the jazz world who has been called "one of the six top vibraphonists of the last half century" by the New York Times.
Originally a member of the George Shearing Quintet, he has emerged as his own man with a distinctive four-mallet technique that he weaves into a percussive, melodic style.
Born in the tiny French Acadian fishing village of Cheticamp, Nova Scotia, Chiasson, a self-taught musician, grew up in the rich, joyous culture of Cape Breton folk music. When Chiasson was fifteen, he was profoundly inspired by a George Shearing recording of "I'll Remember April" which led him to study modern jazz. He listened to the records of Shearing, Charlie Parker, Lennie Tristano, and Duke Ellington, practicing late into the night and memorizing their solos on the piano and guitar.
Finally, his jazz studies paid off during a trip to New York, when a chance meeting with a promoter led to a vibraphone audition with The George Shearing Quintet. A week later he was part of the quintet, touring the world and playing opposite the likes of Dave Brubeck and The Modern Jazz Quartet.
Since then Chiasson has collaborated with some of the finest musicians in jazz including Paul Bley, Ron Carter, Roland Hanna and the late Jimmy Garrison from the original John Coltrane Quintet. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Warren Chiasson/Jimmy Garrison Duo played regularly at Gregory's in New York City, while Chiasson also hosted a weekly jam session at the Signs of the Zodiac in Harlem. Regular guests included Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, Joe Farrell, Wilbur Ware and Joe Chambers.
Today, Chiasson is actively involved in jazz education and continues to travel extensively, performing at concerts and festivals. Recently, at the 20th anniversary of the Atlantic Jazz Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Chiasson was honored for his creative contributions to jazz and for being the first musician from eastern Canada to forge a10:15 PMn international jazz career, thereby paving the way for others to follow. The concert was recorded by CBC RADIO for national air play.
Tickets are $18 in advance, $22 ($20 WAC members, $10 students) at the door. Tickets may be purchased online at watchungartscenter.eventbrite.com. To obtain more information about upcoming performances, classes and workshops or monthly art exhibitions, please visit WatchungArts.org or call 908-753-0190.
The Watchung Arts Center is a multi-disciplinary performing arts facility serving Watchung, the surrounding communities and the Tri-State Area.