Loston Harris
For the last ten years Loston has headlined and found a home that shares his passion for timeless music, the legendary Bemelmans Bar at the prestigious Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan, New York. The Carlyle has a legacy of cabaret and great jazz talents like Loston.
As a teenager Loston had a fortuitous meeting with Harry Connick Jr. at the Theolonius Monk Jazz Competition in Washington, DC. Harry encouraged Loston to seek out Professor Ellis Marsalis (patriarch of jazz greats Wynton and Branford) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Loston enrolled, and surprisingly enough, was accepted to the music program as percussion major. One day (thinking he was alone) Loston was "messing around" on the piano when Professor Marsalis overheard him and said, "now THAT I can work with". From that point on Loston had a Mentor and the commitment to make the piano an extension of himself.
With early musical inspirations ranging from artists such as Earth Wind and Fire, the Police and other notable pop and R & B bands, it was jazz that ultimately chose Loston and Loston chose jazz. For Loston, jazz is "hip, serious, complex, improvisational and limitless". He blends traditional jazz riffs, gospel and blues with his own unique stylings. Loston is doing his part to continue a legacy and he is doing it his way. He has previously recorded three CDs to rave reviews — Stepping Stones, Comes Love, Timeless. As of January 1st, his fourth release, Why Try To Change Me Now is available on CD Baby and iTunes.
To date Lostons' career in music has been significant and he'll tell you he is living his dream. He has performed with the prestigious Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra under the direction of multiple Grammy winner, Wynton Marsalis; appeared worldwide on the PBS special "Portraits in Blue" with fellow pianist and Grammy Nominee, Marcus Roberts; performed at George Clooney's 47th Birthday with John Mayer; performed at Sarah Jessica Parker's private VIP after-party for the "Sex in the City" Movie (held at Bemelmans); was featured as himself in the feature film "Little Manhattan" with the lead character calling him "the best singer in New York"; was the on-air personality for "BET on Jazz" highlighting the St. Lucia Jazz Festival and possibly the highlight, had Sir Paul McCartney sit in and sing "The Ve ry Thought of You". In addition he's received accolades from A-List celebrities such as Liza Minnelli, Clint Eastwood, Lenny Kravitz, Denzel Washington and Alicia Keys.
Frank Sinatra, Bobby Short, Nat King Cole, Eartha Kitt and Rosemary Clooney can all rest knowing that Loston is keeping the flame alive. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
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