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Sue Maskaleris

New York City's best play in the park
Angelito Jusay
May 31, 2024, 12:30pm–2:30pm

A-one and a-two and a-you know what to do...!
Come on down and swing along with the best ragtime, stride, and jazz musicians in town.

Upper Terrace (at the base of the William Cullen Bryant Statue behind the New York Public Library)

Sue Maskaleris

Thelonious Monk Award Winner, Composer

“A touch like Bill Evans.” - McCoy Tyner, John Coltrane Quartet

Sue Maskaleris is an award-winning pianist, singer, composer, lyricist, arranger, and producer - who has lived in and around NYC for over 40 years, performing and touring the world as a bandleader and soloist.

Sue has played for singers Annie Ross, Abbey Lincoln; worked with bassists Mike Richmond, Ron McCLure, Harvie Swartz; hornists Don Elliott, Wayne Andre; worked on new works by LeRoy Jenkins, Geri Allen, Taj Mahal and Burt Bacharach. Her songs have been performed by Bob Dorough, Roger Kellaway; and have been recorded by Bill Watrous and Bob Moses. 

Her first CD, Unbreakable Heart (Jazilian Records) featured legends Eddie Gomez, Lenny White, Mark Murphy,Michal Urbaniak and Toninho Horta. 

Sue’s second CD of original Brazilian jazz, Bring Nothing But Your Heart debuted at #3 nationally, featuring Mark Egan and Horacio “El Negro” Hernández.

Sue’s last CD, Love Is the Key ranked #6 for 2021 and 2022 in Latin Jazz on the Roots Radio Reports. It features Janis Siegel (The Manhattan Transfer), Darmon Meader (The New York Voices), Grammy-noms violinist Sara Caswell and drummer Mauricio Zottarelli; plus percussionist Nêgah Santos from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.  

Sue performs a seemingly endless repertoire of unusual material and reconceived standards, but Brazilian jazz, Latin and jazz are her wheelhouse. Her music has been the ticket to such remote ports as Easter Island, Oman, Vietnam, and hundreds more. She has worked in Ireland, Switzerland, and Sweden. 

Recent shows with her group Trio do Rio have been at The NY Society for Ethical Culture, Maureen’s Jazz Cellar and the Jazz Forum. NYC favorites include Damrosch Park, Birdland Theater, the Blue Note, Iridium, Zinc Bar, The Knickerbocker and her annual week in this Piano in the Park series for nearly 20 years, thanks to Cobi Narita and Paul Ash! Sue also dabbles on electric and acoustic violin, upright and 5-string bass, Brazilian guitar, and sings in six languages.

Thank you for the music!

Many thanks to Sam Ash Music Stores for their support through the years.

Pianist Frank Owens sits at the piano in Bryant Park NYC with a crowd of listeners.
Angelito Jusay Photography