Jon Weber

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)

**This performance was initially scheduled to be played by Armen Donelian. Jon Weber will be substituting in his place. 

Armen Donelian

International Bandleader and Composer

“Those who still believe that jazz is a down-and-dirty genre of music must cast their ears toward Armen Donelian, who, with his original music and arrangements of the scores of others, brings a serene sense of dignity and elegance to every measure.”  - Richard Houdek, The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield CityJazz Festival) 

An eclectic musician of Armenian origin,  Armen Donelian has appeared internationally as a pianist, composer and bandleader since 1975. He has worked with many of the “greats” including Sonny Rollins, Mongo Santamaria, Chet Baker, Paquito D’Rivera, Jackie Paris, Billy Harper and Night Ark. His piano playing reveals a masterful command rooted in classical and jazz studies, clean articulation, a deft swinging touch, access to a broad dynamic spectrum, a virtuosic harmonic vocabulary, and a boundless source of creative ideas. Armen is also a Fulbright Scholar, educator, author and producer of 14 acclaimed recordings. 

Jon Weber

Jazz, TV Score Composer, Radio Host

“Immensely gifted.” “Formidable talent.” “Phenomenal.” “Essential.” -The New York Times

Jazz pianist Jon Weber has recorded and toured all over the world, winning numerous accolades for performance and composition - and scoring extensively for television since 1987. Gary Burton, Roy Hargrove, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, and Avishai Cohen have all recorded Jon’s music. His newest critically acclaimed release, Simple Complex, rose to #1.

Even The Wall Street Journal sings Jon’s praises: "Most frequently seen across New York as the accompanist to any singer lucky enough to hire him, Jon Weber is best known to the rest of the country as the worthy successor to the late Marian McPartland on the NPR staple Piano Jazz.  He's at once an exceptional musician as well as a gifted historian and storyteller, and, above all, a true piano polymath. Playing and talking, Mr. Weber takes us through a century of history, making it crystal clear what Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, Bud Powell, Nat King Cole, Erroll Garner, Dave Brubeck, Oscar Peterson and the other figures on jazz piano's Mount Rushmore.

Jon lives in New York City and hosts NPR's Piano Jazz Rising Stars, after frequently serving as guest host for Marian McPartland on NPR's Piano Jazz.