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Gary Versace

Since basing himself in New York City in June of 2002, jazz organist, pianist, and accordionist Gary Versace has quickly become one of the busiest and most versatile musicians on the scene, often featured in bands led by musicians such as John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Maria Schneider, Matt Wilson, Lee Konitz, Eliot Zigmund, Scott Wendholt, Joe Magnarelli, Danny Gottlieb, Seamus Blake, John Hollenbeck, Andy LaVerne, Adam Nussbaum, Brad Shepik, Ingrid Jensen, Tim Ries and many others.

Versace was voted a "rising star" on the Hammond organ in the last three Downbeat critics polls, and was the subject of a feature article in the July 2004 issue of Keyboard magazine.

Versace has been a featured soloist on several critically acclaimed recordings of recent years: accordionist on Maria Schneider's Grammy-winning recordings "Concert in the Garden" and "Sky Blue" and as the pianist on John Hollenbeck's Grammy-nominated large ensemble recording, "A Blessing."

Over the past five years, Versace has appeared as a leader for the Criss Cross and SteepleChase labels, and as a sideman on over 50 recordings with artists on various labels including Palmetto, ACT, Omnitone, Songlines, Pirouet, High Note, Justin Time, ArtistShare, Fresh Sound, Kind of Blue, and many others.

As a pianist, Versace performed in a two-piano recital with Marian McPartland, and in April of 1999 appeared on her acclaimed National Public Radio program, "Piano Jazz." McPartland has called him "...endlessly inventive...(Versace) really has an extraordinary talent."

Gary Versace has a masters degree in music performance from the Eastman School of Music, and spent eight years as a tenured associate professor in the jazz studies department at the University of Oregon. He remains active as a clinician and guest soloist both nationally and around the world.

Lea Maria Fries, Gary Versace, Amalie Dahl, Ingrid Jensen & More

by Ludovico Granvassu
April 18, 2026

No matter its origins--European or American, live or recorded in the studio, from the '30s or today--this playlist brings together music that is not only recent or upcoming, but destined to stay with you.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Ingrid Jensen “Many Homes, Many Places" Landings (Newvelle) 0:16 Host talks 4:41 Gary Versace “Darn That Dream" Three Track Mind (Sunnyside) 6:09 Host talks 11:45 Lea Maria Fries “Just ...

Album Review

Maria Schneider Orchestra: American Crow

Read "American Crow" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
March 24, 2026

Maria Schneider has a thing for birds. Credible sources have reported sightings of the jazz composer frequenting Central Park wearing a floppy hat, a pair of binoculars hanging from her neck. Her 20-plus minute “Cerulean Skies," from her album (one of her masterpieces) Sky Blue (ArtistShare, 2007) speaks to her love for birds; her fascination with their migratory nature and their arduous flights, which span continents and beyond. The composition “Bluebird," from the “Our Natural World"' half of her 2-disc ...

Album Review

Dara Starr Tucker: Time Wouldn't Wait

Read "Time Wouldn't Wait" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
March 24, 2026

L'ultimo album della cantante Dara Tucker conferma la sintesi tra l'estetica dominante nella prima parte della sua carriera (i quattro album dal 2009 al 2019 per Watchman Music, impegnati di jazz, blues e soul) e quella più incline al neo-soul e al pop, presente in Dreams of Waking--Music for a Better World (Green Hill 2021) e nel successivo Dara Starr Tucker del 2023. È un aggiustamento dovuto (forse) a esigenze di mercato che non pregiudica il buon gusto e la ...

Album Review

Ingrid Jensen: Landings

Read "Landings" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
March 13, 2026

On Landings, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen convenes a quartet that thrives on speed and alertness. With organist Gary Versace, guitarist Marvin Sewell, and drummer Jon Wikan, she leads a band capable of sharp turns and open-road lyricism in the same breath. The music feels meticulously shaped yet gloriously unbound; an ensemble language forged in deep listening and shared risk. The album starts with a historic moment as 89-year-old tenor legend George Coleman joins in for his own composition “Amsterdam ...

Album Review

John Ellis & Double Wide: Fireball

Read "Fireball" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro

by Alberto Bazzurro
February 24, 2026

La spinta, la propulsione, la pienezza, che può generare la presenza di una tuba (o di un sousaphone, come accade qui) all'interno di un combo jazz è indiscutibile, generalmente tangibilissima, almeno se il suo impiego è di natura prevalentemente (ma non esclusivamente, attenzione) ritmica. Il Double Wide diretto ormai da quasi vent'anni dal cinquantunenne polistrumentista e compositore John Ellis ne è esempio quanto mai tipico. Ellis è nativo della Carolina del Nord, si è formato musicalmente a New ...

Album Review

Ingrid Jensen: Landings

by Jack Kenny
February 14, 2026

Ingrid Jensen has emerged as a unique trumpet player with a distinctive sound that defines her and proclaims her nonpareil gifts. The album opens with “Handmaiden's Tale," a virtual duet with Gary Versace that clearly demonstrates the beauty of Jensen's tone. The track weaves together many strands of sheer beauty: warmth, lyricism, resonance and the roundness of the notes. It balances space and pace with a barely suppressed melancholy and soft dynamism. There is a fluidity here--refusal to ...

Album Review

Ellery Eskelin: About (or On), First Visit

Read "About (or On), First Visit" reviewed by Stefano Merighi

by Stefano Merighi
July 3, 2025

All'interno di un catalogo variegato ma di sicuro assottigliato negli ultimi anni, il tenorsassofonista Ellery Eskelin ha dato prova di controllare una cultura musicale ampia e sofisticata, nutrita sia dalla tradizione gospel e blues che dalle decostruzioni postmoderne. I due dischi di cui la ezzthetics stavolta meritoriamente cura la riedizione, pubblicati nel 2011 e nel 2013 dalla Prime Source Recordings, stanno un po' per conto loro nella discografia del compositore, ma brillano per inventiva, maestria e originale sonorità, ...

Recording

Guitarist John Basile Releases 'Satisfied' with Gary Versace and Carmen Intorre, Jr.

Source: John Basile
September 3, 2023

Jazz enthusiasts are in for a treat as the highly-acclaimed jazz guitarist John Basile announces his 11th, much anticipated new release, Satisfied. The project brings together a stellar trio featuring the incomparable Gary Versace on Hammond B3 organ, and driving the rhythm forward is the impeccable Carmen Intorre Jr. on drums. The session features a captivating mix of original compositions and reinterpretations of classic jazz standards, each track meticulously crafted to evoke a full spectrum of emotion. “The chemistry and ...
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348

Recording

The Claudia Quintet + Gary Versace - Royal Toast (2010)

Source: Something Else!
August 8, 2010

By PicoThe Claudia Quintet is an ensemble that goes by its own set of rules. With its slightly weird combination of vibes, accordion, sax, double-bass and drums, and songs that don't follow the script of how songs go (but avoids skronkery and dissonance), the five piece band is an anomaly of an anomaly. It all comes for the deviously clever composing mind of its drummer and leader, John Hollenbeck. Drummers from Art Blakey to Matt Wilson have led ...
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267

Performance / Tour

Refuge Trio with Theo Bleckmann, John Hollenbeck and Gary Versace at Joe's Pub 1/13/07 at 7PM

Source: All About Jazz
December 17, 2006

"Expect the unexpected with the refuge trio, featuring the vocalist Theo Bleckmann, the drummer John Hollenbeck, and the keyboardist Gary Versace. Bleckmann and Hollenbeck have enough new-music, cabaret, and jazz chops to move the music in any direction they want, while Versace has lately been making big noise on his Hammond organ." - The New Yorker Refuge Trio takes its name from the Joni Mitchell song “Refuge of the Roads". The collaborative trio was formed to play at the 2002 ...
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108

Performance / Tour

Will Sellenraad & Root Down LIVE @ Detour feat: Victor Lewis, Abraham Burton, Gary Versace(fri), Gary Wang(sat)

Source: All About Jazz
May 20, 2005

get down... Friday, May 20th 9:30pm 1:30am Detour 349 East 13th Street @ 1st Ave. NYC :: 212.533.6212 ***Will Sellenraad & Root Down*** **Abraham Burton- saxophone** **Will Sellenraad- guitar** **Gary Versace- organ** **Victor Lewis- drums** *** Saturday, May 21st 9:30pm 1:30am Detour 349 East 13th Street @ 1st Ave. NYC :: 212.533.6212 ***Will Sellenraad & Root Down***
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103

Performance / Tour

Will Sellenraad & Root Down weekend extravaganza @ DETOUR NYC Feat: Eric McPherson & Gary Versace

Source: All About Jazz
January 28, 2005

***Will Sellenraad & Root Down*** **Will Sellenraad- guitar** **Gary Versace- organ** **Eric McPherson- drums** *** get down... Friday, January 28th 9:30pm 1:30am & Saturday, January 29th 9:30pm 1:30am Detour 349 East 13th Street @ 1st Ave. NYC :: 212.533.6212 *** Hey folks, please join us for a very special winter weekend engagement at our favorite spot in NYC! ...
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256

Recording

Guitarist Sheryl Bailey Releases "Bull's Eye!" with Gary Versace and Ian Froman

Source: All About Jazz
September 28, 2004

Bull's Eye! - the newest release from guitarist, Sheryl Bailey. The much-anticipated follow up to her trio's smash debut, The Power of 3!.

Nine new compositions that allow the band to create their unique sound, and develop their special rapport and interaction. This is not your typical groove-based guitar/organ trio; this is a modern jazz power trio dedicated to expanding the post-bop language, from the lineage of the Grant Green/Larry Young/Elvin Jones sound.

Here she opens up with, “Old and ...
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110

Performance / Tour

Will Sellenraad & Root Down, FRI & SAT @ Detour NYC. Feat... Gary Versace & Darren Beckett

Source: All About Jazz
September 17, 2004

***Will Sellenraad & Root Down*** **Will Sellenraad- guitar** **Gary Versace- organ** **Darren Beckett- drums** *** get down... Friday, September 17th 9:30pm 1:30am Saturday, September 18th 9:30pm 1:30am Detour 349 East 13th Street @ 1st Ave. NYC :: 212.533.6212 *** Hey folks, please join us for a very special fall weekend engagement at our favorite spot in NYC! We ...
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111

Performance / Tour

Will Sellenraad & Root Down feat: Victor Lewis & Gary Versace, Tonight at Detour NYC

Source: All About Jazz
July 8, 2004

"...(Versace) has recently been making big noise around town (NYC) with his Hammond organ..." - The New Yorker.

"I love unusual harmony, and (Versace) has got some very thoughtful and different ideas about chord structure. He is endlessly inventive. He does a lot of fresh things - he really has an extraordinary talent." - jazz pianist and NPR radio host Marian McPartland.

"...a star on the rise - clearly someone to watch..." - All About Jazz.

"Versace is a member of that new breed of organists extending the tradition in their own personal way." - Cadence Magazine.

"...adventurous, joyous...Versace's very light, deft touch was featured sufficiently to showcase his wide ranging influences and phenomenal technique." - Times Colonist (Victoria, B.C.)