SEQUIM — The Ted Brancato Trio will perform jazz standards and original music during a free concert set to take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Wind Rose Cellars, 143 W. Washington St.
Jazz pianist Ted Brancato — accompanied by musicians Dirk Anderson on bass and Tom Svornich on drums — will perform several compositions composed by Brancato throughout the past several months.
These recent songs were inspired by the beauty of living in a cabin on Dabob Bay in Quilcene with his wife Mary Sue, Brancato said.
The trio also will perform selections from Brancato’s 2013 album “The Next Step.”
The album was recorded at a studio built by Brancato in 2009, and features renowned jazz bassist Ron Carter, drummer Terry Silverlight and saxophonist Matt Langley.
Seattle roots
After growing up in Seattle, Brancato graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in music, and has made his living playing in jazz clubs and as a studio musician ever since.
Brancato spent the past 33 years as a professional musician in the New York City area. During that time, he served as musical director for vocalist Jeanie Bryson, daughter of Dizzy Gillespie and Connie Bryson.
He recorded three albums with Bryson, playing with many jazz greats such as Christian McBride, Don Braden and Paquito D’Rivera.
Brancato traveled the world with Bryson, including two trips to Brazil.
He also did two stints with vocalist Dee Daniels in West Africa as part of a jazz ambassador program sponsored by the U.S. Information Agency and more recently engineered, mixed and played on her latest release titled “Intimate Conversations.”
While living in and around New York City, Brancato collaborated with late singer/songwriter Eugene McDaniels on “Feel Like Making Love,” “Compared To What” and “One Hundred Pounds of Clay.”
Brancato also has gigged with jazz greats Houston Person, Milt Jackson, Ernestine Anderson and Richie Cole.
He has maintained many of the relationships from that time in his life, he said, including a 35-year friendship with singer/songwriter Mark Pearson of The Brothers Four.
