Larry Vuckovich

Yugoslavian-born, West Coast based jazz pianist Larry Vuckovich has recorded two highly successful CDs celebrating the film noir genre. His current CD, High Wall: Real Life Film Noir (2008), and Street Scene (2006), both recorded on his Tetrachord Music label, have placed in the Top 10 of the national JazzWeek charts. Street Scene hit #1 on XM Satellite Radio for six weeks. His interview with Marian McPartland on her Piano Jazz show was heard in May 2008 on NPR affiliated stations. The show was recorded during his successful 2007 East Coast tour that included a concert at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca Cola and marked his first return there since her lived and performed there from 1985 to 1990.

A highly versatile jazz pianist, Larry has performed with top musicians from various jazz influences, including Anita O'Day, Joe Williams, Helen Humes, Cab Calloway, Red Norvo, Don Byas, Charlie Haden, Bobby Hutcherson, Larry Grenadier, Tom Harrell, and Charles McPherson. Accompanist for vocalist/ lyricist Jon Hendricks for many years, Larry has appeared at major festivals and clubs in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

While in Europe, Larry met and toured with Dexter Gordon and Philly Joe Jones. In the late '60s, he led the house trio for one of Germany's top jazz clubs, The Domicile, in Munich, where he backed such greats as Slide Hampton, Lucky Thompson, Pony Poindexter and Clifford Jordan. He returned to San Francisco and became house pianist at the famous Keystone Korner from 1978 until its closing in 1983, working with Arnett Cobb, Buddy Tate, Charles McPherson, Leon Thomas, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson.

Larry moved to New York in the 1980s. He appeared at major jazz clubs, including Village Vanguard, Blue Note, Bradley's, Zinno's, West End, and Hanratty's, working with Billy Higgins, Cecil Payne, Al Cohn, Curtis Fuller, Milt Hinton, and Mel Lewis and received top reviews from the New York Times, the Village Voice and The New Yorker. Gary Giddins in the Village Voice said he has "a book of piano gems that will keep you guessing." Jon S. Wilson of the New York Times praised Larry for "bringing with him an outlook and a collection of influences that set him apart from most pianists who are heard regularly in New York."

Larry now lives in Calistoga, in the wine country north of San Francisco with his wife and co-producer, singer-percussionist Sanna Craig. His son Alexi Vuckovich, is a classical piano student at San Francisco State University and his step-son is guitarist and recording artist Josh Workman.

He performs and records on his Tetrachord Music label with a variety of combos, including the Young at Heart band and the Blue Balkan ensemble (whose CD was selected among the top jazz CDs for 2002 by Gary Giddins in the Village Voice.) He currently performs at Yoshi's, Jazz at Pearl's, The Bach, all in the San Francisco Bay Area. He also performs in Napa Valley at Copia wine and arts cultural center, Napa Valley Opera House, and was named a "Jazz Ambassador of Good Will" for the newly renovated 1,200-seat Lincoln Center premier performing arts center in July 2008.

Awards

Larry Vuckovich Day in San Francisco, December 8, 2006