News

Time and Again is out January 31st on Next Paradigm Music.

Purchase and stream the album now on BANDCAMP.

Amidst a musical landscape reliant on remote collaboration and new approaches to presenting music, an emerging collection of compositions demanded a return to the format that inescapably calls us back, time and time again: trio.  

This session documents the living, breathing connection forged between three musicians in one room, in real time. We embrace the mantra of Counting Sheep and invite a tone row’s movements and Glances, and in song we Remember the voice of Carol Fredette and lament the loss of Frank Kimbrough. I’m immensely grateful to Ben Wolfe and Terreon Gully for joining me.

New EP from Delisle and Frei. All proceeds go to the ACLU. LISTEN HERE

AMP Trio's latest album, Go Naive, is available Friday, December 4th! Approaching our tenth year as group, we've celebrated the occasion with a vinyl pressing baring the beauty of Ranboya Gorge, Ofunato, Japan.
Preorder LP or digital album, Presave to Spotify.

Owners of a Yamaha Disklavier instrument can enjoy a live performance of holiday classics from the comfort of their own home. Christmas in Manhattan is the latest addition to Yamaha's PianoSoft Library.

"Comment On War", a new work for piano trio and string quartet was selected as a winner of the 2020 Ravinia Festival Bridges Composition Competition. We hope to premiere the piece in 2021!

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New Single, "Night Funeral in Harlem" 
Released exclusively on the compilation, The Harlem Sessions Presents "After the Jam," Rent Party, Vol 2, “Night Funeral in Harlem” was born out of Langston Hughes' poem. Reading Hughes' description of a Lenox Ave. dirge in late March seemed to eerily capture our neighborhood's spirit as we began to face unprecedented loss and grief. Listen to the track here.

"Free State (Firebird)"
A new composition premiered during a live stream performance for the Lied Center at the University of Kansas on May 20, 2020. The title celebrates Kansas's legacy in the abolitionist movement. Pride of a Lawrence High School, the Firebird mascot also references a tribute to Igor Stravinsky's theme.  See the video to the left.

WBGO Performance with Andrew Renfroe
Reflecting on one of my last performances before the quarantine: duo with guitarist Andrew Renfroe at the Yamaha Piano Salon in New York City. We also enjoyed a conversation with WGBO’s Nate Chinen. We open with, "You and I," a favorite Stevie Wonder composition, then move to “ACP Memorial” (7:10) written in memory of the Pollidore Family of Harlem.

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Watch Addison Frei’s latest video release, performed live at the Yamaha Piano Salon in New York, NY.

Alan Lomax captured this moving performance by Joe Savage in Greenville, Mississippi in 1978. Now more than 40 years later, pianist Addison Frei brings his piano reflections to the tune "Texas Is My Home".
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For those located in New York, I’ll be sharing my original music at National Sawdust on Saturday, November 10th. Join us at this incredible venue for the Revolution Vol. 33 featuring vocalist Alina Engibaryan, bassist Leon Boykins and drummer Matt Young. Tickets are available HERE.

I hope you’ll get a chance to watch my latest video, “For Good” featuring vocalist Michael Mayo and artwork by climate scientist Jill Pelto. Climate Change is a tremendously important issue that Jill is addressing by incorporating data into her artwork. I’m so happy to be able to collaborate with her and pair these paintings with my composition. Special thanks to Sam Neufeld of Noof Designs for creating the video.

I’m also proud to share that I was recently named a semifinalist in the 2018 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and will be performing in Washington, D.C. on December 2nd. For more information on the competition read the full press release.

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Presented by TCB Records, Addison Frei latest album, No Defense, is now available for PURCHASE and STREAMING. The new trio features New York-based bassist Tamir Shmerling and Vienna-based drummer Mario Gonzi. Kevin Sun writes, "One can't help but let down one's defenses listening to such tender, unguarded music." The recording was made possible by the Generations Festival, Swiss Radio and TCB Records. 

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Addison Frei’s digital EP release, Future Speak, sings an anthem for social progress and the promise of tomorrow’s community. Spanning soulful hooks, spoken verse, acoustic improvisation and electric dance grooves, this collection of songs envisions a world where our planet is valued, where black lives matter and stories unfold without the stain of guns. David Ashton’s music video brings the music to life and captures the American spirit in its many shapes and forms.

Stream and purchase the EP on Bandcamp or watch the official music video HERE. 

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Two exciting news items from the past month:

On June 15th, 2017, AMP Trio featuring Tahira Clayton was selected as the winner of the DC JazzPrix. From 77 applicants, three groups were chosen to perform live at the University of District of Columbia alongside last year’s winner, the New Century Jazz Quintet. AMP Trio and Tahira Clayton will now perform at the 2018 DC Jazz Festival and engage in a year-long professional development partnership.

On July 3rd, 2017, I was awarded first prize in the Parmigiani Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition. The jury was chaired by Ramsey Lewis and featured nine pianists from 4 continents. This honor includes a performance at the 2018 Montreux Jazz Festival, studio time at Balik Farm in Switzerland, and a limited edition Parmigiani Fleurier watch. Click HERE for an interview and performance clips from the festival. 

Looking ahead, I’ll soon be releasing a new digital EP called Future Speak featuring the talents of Michael Mayo, Tahira Clayton, Andy Clausen, Drew Zaremba, Matt Young, Perrin Grace, Nolan Byrd and Tim Basom. Chris Sulit engineered and mixed the project, and David Ashton, director of Transit, will return to direct the Future Speak music video. Stay tuned!
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It’s been an eventful spring already with many more travels and opportunities ahead...

I’m happy to announce that I will be enrolling at Juilliard this fall as a member of their Artist Diploma program. This performance ensemble will tour and participate in educational outreach. I can’t wait for this next chapter in my musical education. 

In April I returned to South Africa for a wonderful tour, performing and presenting workshops at several universities in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Durban. 

Meanwhile, AMP Trio has been active on the road, celebrating the release of our new record, Three. Check out our teaser videos or purchase the album HERE. Since February we’ve played throughout North Texas and Ontario, Ann Arbor, Orlando, Miami and New York. We’ll cap off our spring tour with a performance at ETA in Los Angeles on May 23rd, followed by our first Japanese tour. We’re immensely excited! Follow our Facebook Page for details on shows. Back stateside, we’ll be joined by our resident vocalist Tahira Clayton for a performance at the DC JazzPrix on June 15th.

I’m also eager to make a couple trips to Switzerland later this summer: first to participate in the Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition on July 2nd and 3rd. In August I’ll return to record a new trio album with Tamir Shmerling and Mario Gonzi for TCB Records. Following the session, I’ll join the Generations Unit, comprised of members from the Frauenfeld Festival last fall, for a week of performing in Basel, Winterthur and St. Moritz.

For those in New York, I’ll be playing solo piano at the Kitano on each Tuesday in July. Look for some special guests to sit in too. Hope to see you at a show soon!
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The new single "Postcard" is out! Check out the video HERE or visit BANDCAMP to download the track. Many thanks to Simon Yu for his directing chops, John Young and Cam Covello for making the track sound purty, and Tahira Clayton, Perrin Grace and Matt Young for throwing down. Share it with a friend or neighbor... More to come!
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Like so many of us, I am deeply saddened by results of our country’s election. In the midst of these trying times, it is important for artists to strive to dig deeper and create more honest and passionate work.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to join my friend Drew Zaremba’s appropriately titled Unity Orchestra.  We will perform a program of classical arrangements as well as my original composition, “Ad Astra Per Aspera” at the Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas on Thursday, November 10th.

I recently returned from the Generations Festival in Frauenfeld, Switzerland, and was honored to be asked to record a new album for TCB, the Montreux Jazz label. I look forward to crafting new music for this project, and in addition, I will perform with the Generations Unit next July on a tour throughout Switzerland and Germany.

Meanwhile, AMP Trio is assembling a tour in the spring of 2017, as we prepare for the release of Three, our 3rd record. Lastly, I’m excited to collaborate with director Simon Yu on the music video for “Postcard”, a new single of mine that features Tahira Clayton.

Love and light to all—Addison
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As feelings of fall slowly begin to fill the air, I’d like to look ahead to a number of exciting engagements in this upcoming season!

First, I have the pleasure of serving as musical director and pianist for B-Side Productions’ The Wild Party by Michael John LaChiusa. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with such a diversely talented cast and the creative direction of Billy Bustamante. Come check out our unique play space at the TBG Theatre in New York! Click HERE for tickets and schedule.

Upon concluding the show run, I’ll travel to Frauenfeld, Switzerland for the Generations16 Workshop and International Jazz Festival. The program features faculty like Mark Turner and Alex Sipiagin and is comprised of participants from both the US and Europe. 

After a great run with AMP Trio this summer in Georgia and Texas, we will reunite in NYC for a performance at Club Bonafide and a studio session at Michael Brorby’s Acoustic Recording. Follow the new project at amptrio.com

Lastly, I will travel to Texas in early November to be a guest artist with Drew Zaremba’s Unity Orchestra. I had the opportunity to record on Drew’s small group album this summer and am thrilled to join him again on a larger scale. Check out the Unity Orchestra’s excellent promo video to see some of the amazing work they have done already!
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I'm thrilled to announce the release of Transit has finally arrived. The album is available for sale at CD Baby HERE, as well as Amazon, iTunes and other online outlets. 

Visit the watch page to see the Transit music video, directed by David Ashton and featuring Tahira Clayton and myself in transit throughout Manhattan. 

I hope you'll enjoy this collection of songs. I'm incredibly thankful for the friendship and musicianship of my colleagues: Perrin Grace, Matt Young, Tahira Clayton, Janis Siegel, Wayne Tucker, Andy Clausen and Rachel Koblyakov. 

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After a delayed arrival in Pretoria, South Africa, due to a blizzard in NYC, and four rounds of different repertoire, I was thrilled to be named the first prize winner of the 2016 UNISA International Piano Competition. The University of South Africa has been presenting international music competitions since 1982, including classical piano, strings, voice, flute, clarinet and organ, but this year marked its first jazz category. I had a wonderful experience hearing so many other talented players and absorbing such a vibrant culture. Click HERE for the official press release and see photos from a concert I gave at a local elementary school. Photos: 1  2  3

Looking ahead, next month I’ll travel to my home state of Kansas for several exciting gigs including duo performances with vibraphonist Christian Tamburr and vocalist Tahira Clayton. I’ll also manage to visit Texas to perform and record with saxophonist Mario Cruz for an upcoming album release. Meanwhile, in New York I am working to complete a theatrical music video with filmmaker David Ashton for the title track of my sophomore album, Transit.

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Happy New Year and thanks for visiting my website! 2016 has already begun with a bang as I celebrated the release of AMP Trio’s m(y)our world with a tour of Michigan and Ontario. Visit the watch page to see several of my compositions featured in our video series directed by the fabulous Andy LaViolette, the mastermind behind Snarky Puppy’s video production. m(y)our world recently climbed to #35 on the Jazz Week radio charts and has garnered multiple reviews ranging worldwide. Visit AMP Trio’s new website created by bassist Perrin Grace to stay up to date on the group’s latest news.

Following the Canadian performances I traveled to Central Florida to fulfill a tour earned through receiving first prize in the American Jazz Pianist Competition this fall. Through this opportunity I gave a solo concert at Atlantic Music Center in Melbourne, Florida and also performed at the Grand Bohemian in Orlando and the Casa Monica in St. Augustine.

Looking ahead, I’m traveling to New Orleans to perform with vocalist Charles Turner for a MLK Tribute concert at Dillard College. His quartet for this gig also features Barry Stephenson and Diego Ramirez; all four of us were 2013 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead alumni.

I’m also excited to share that later this month I’m headed to Pretoria, South Africa to participate in the first UNISA International Jazz Piano Competition. This two-week engagement will be an incredible performance opportunity as well as a chance to connect with several participating friends. Follow the link for a schedule and more info.

Finally, I’m continuing to organize details surrounding Transit, my second solo release, including original artwork by Weston Getto Allen (website) and my first theatrical music video that will feature Tahira Clayton (website).  Stay tuned!
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We’ve finally arrived... it’s Autumn in New York, full of beautiful weather, fall colors and enriching musical experiences. 

First, I’m returning to the Cell Theatre on October 24th to present “When Jazz Meets Classical”. This gig will be a special opportunity for me to reunite with the wonderful vocalist Janis Siegel, diving into melodies from Ravel, Tchaikovsky and Schubert as well as a few choice standards and new original compositions. tickets

The following week I’ll be performing at the June Havoc Theatre as musical director and pianist for B-Side Productions’ The Adding Machine. This provocative, challenging musical has been so rewarding to work on thus far. Immediately following our opening performance on October 27th, I will collaborate with Alli Foss to kick off B-Side’s Artist by Artists late night series with a program of Bon Iver and original music.  promo video, tickets

After concluding the musical run, I'm leading a group at Silvana on November 1st featuring vocalist Tahira Clayton and guitarist Ronan Delisle. Currently based in Seattle, Ronan will team up with me that week for duo performances at Pete's Candy Store (11/3) and Caffe Vivaldi (11/5).  

Shortly thereafter AMP Trio will release its sophomore album, m(y)our world, on November 6th (read more). In addition to the album, we will be sharing several in-studio videos directed by Andy LaViolette (Snarky Puppy). The trio will come together in New York on November 19th for a CD release show at ShapeShifter Lab alongside Andy Clausen's Wishbone Project. Stay tuned for more AMP Trio dates to be announced shortly. 

After a successful night at the Kitano with vocalist Ben Cassarra, I'm looking forward to returning for two nights of solo piano on November 17th and 24th. Lastly, I'm continuing to work on my newest recording project, Transit, with engineers Michael Brorby and Joseph Branciforte. The road to releasing this album is still long, but I'm very proud of this collection of songs. 

As always, thanks for stopping by and supporting. 
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Welcome to my new website! Stay current on upcoming performances by visiting the "gigs" tab.

I'm hitting the road in the coming weeks for several exciting engagements. First, I'll travel to Orlando, Florida for a return to the Timucua White House, a gorgeous home converted into the finest listening room in Orlando. I'm thrilled to be joined by vocalist Tahira Clayton. 

Back in New York, I'm presenting the "When Jazz Meets Classical" project at the Cell Theatre, featuring violinist Rachel Koblyakov and my musical brothers Perrin Grace and Matt Young. 

Later in August, AMP Trio (myself, Matt and Perrin), will perform at the Velvet Note in Atlanta, and several other concerts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Be on the lookout for new AMP Trio videos directed by Andy LaViolette (Snarky Puppy) coming soon... I hope to see you at a concert!