picture of Gary Versace
Gary Versace
Since basing himself in New York City in June of 2002, jazz organist, pianist, and accordionist Gary Versace has often been 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 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 various recordings.
 
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.
contact: gversaces@yahoo.com
homepage: www.garyversace.com
on tour Click on the logo to see Gary's tour dates.

 

Discography [35]
NY3
OA2 22008
recorded November 2001 in New York City/USA
Christian Eckert, guitar
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
Matt Jorgensen, drums
Now As Then
Justin Time JTR 8499-2
recorded May 2002 Clinton, NJ/USA
Ingrid Jensen, soprano sax, alto sax, trumpet, flugelhorn
Steve Wilson, alto sax, alto flute
Seamus Blake, tenor sax
Gary Versace, Hammond organ
Jon Wikan, drums
So Long 2nd Street
ACT ACT 9431-2
recorded 2002 and 2004 in Brooklyn, NY/USA
Joel Harrison, guitar, vocals
David Binney, sax
Rob Burger, organ
Uri Caine, piano
Gary Versace, accordion, organ, piano
Stephan Crump, bass
Todd Isler, frame drum, hadgini, percussion
Dan Weiss, drums
Total Praise, vocals
Time And Again
SteepleChase SCCD 31572
recorded December 2004 in USA
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
John Abercrombie, guitar
Rich Perry, tenor sax
Billy Hart, drums
Bazaar
ZOHO ZM 200613
recorded November 2001 in New York/USA
Rez Abbasi, guitar, sitar, percussion
Gary Versace, Hammond organ
Danny Weiss, drums, tabla
Kiran Ahluwalia, Indian vocals
Rudresh Mahanthappa, alto sax
Marc Mommaas, soprano sax, tenor sax
Gautam Siram, hand drum
Organic-Lee
SteepleChase SCCD 31559
recorded January 2006
Lee Konitz, alto sax
Gary Versace, organ
Many Places
SteepleChase SCCD 31572
recorded April 2005
Gary Versace, organ
Dick Oatts, saxes
Matt Wilson, drums
On Another Day
SteepleChase SCCD 31587
recorded April 2005
Ari Ambrose, tenor sax
Joe Magnarelli, trumpet
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
Mark Ferber, drums
Intelligent Design
SteepleChase SCCD 31618
recorded January 2006
Andy LaVerne, piano
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
Danny Gottlieb, drums
The Target
Palmetto Records PM2125
recorded in Buck's County, PA/USA
Kate McGarry, vocals
Donny McCaslin, tenor sax, vocals
Keith Ganz, guitar, vocals
Gary Versace, organ, piano, accordion, vocals
Reuben Rogers, bass, vocals
Gregory Hutchinson, drums, vocals
Theo Blackman, voice
Standards
Kind Of Blue Records KOB 10023
recorded February 2007
Jerry Bergonzi, tenor sax
John Abercrombie, guitar
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
Adam Nussbaum, drums
Outside In
Criss Cross Criss 1298 CD
recorded April 2007 in Brooklyn, NY/USA
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
Donny McCaslin, soprano sax, tenor sax
Adam Rogers, guitar
Clarence Penn, drums
Live At Louis 649
Anzic Records ANZ-3001
recorded live 27 & 28 August 2007 at Louis 649 in New York City/USA
Eli Degibri, soprano sax, tenor sax
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
Obed Calvaire, drums
If Less Is More... Nothing Is Everything
Palmetto Records PM2135
recorded December 2007 to January 2008 in Buck's County, PA/USA
Kate McGarry, vocals
Donny McCaslin, sax
Keith Ganz, guitar
Gary Versace, organ, piano, accordion
John Lawry, violin, vocals
Reuben Rogers, bass
Clarence Penn, drums, percussion
Peter Eldridge, percussion, vocals
Nuttree Quartet live in Stockholm 2008
bootleg
recorded live 01 April 2008 at Jazzklubb Fasching, Stockholm/Sweden
Jerry Bergonzi, sax
John Abercrombie, guitar
Gary Versace, organ
Adam Nussbaum, drums
Uptown
Posi-Tone Records 8056
recorded in New York City/USA
Wayne Escoffery, sax
Avi Rothbard, guitar
Gary Versace, organ
Noah Baerman, piano
Jason Brown, drums
At The Kitano Vol. 1
SteepleChase SCCD 31654
recorded live November/December 2007 at the Kitano Hotel in New York, NY/USA
Andy LaVerne, piano
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
Anthony Pinciotti, drums
Human Activity Suite
Songlines Recordings SGL SA1576-2
recorded June 2008 in Brooklyn, NY/USA
Brad Shepik, guitar, saz, tamboura
Ralph Alessi, trumpet
Gary Versace, accordion, organ, piano
Drew Gress, bass
Tom Rainey, drums
Winter Fruits
Pirouet Records PIT 3042
recorded June 2008 in Bennett Studios, NJ/USA
Loren Stillman, alto sax
Nate Radley, guitar
Gary Versace, organ
Ted Poor, drums
The Point Of The Moon
Consolidated Artists Productions CAP1024
recorded April 2010 in Brooklyn, NY/USA
Falkner Evans, piano
Greg Tardy, tenor sax
Ron Horton, trumpet
Gary Versace, organ, accordion
Belden Bullock, bass
Matt Wilson, drums
Girl Talk
Palmetto Records PM2157
recorded in New York City and Durham, NC/USA
Kate McGarry, vocals
Keith Ganz, guitars
Gary Versace, organ, piano
Reuben Rogers, bass
Clarence Penn, dums, percussion
Kurt Elling, vocals
Live At Newport 2012
LiveJazzLounge
recorded live 04 August 2012 at Newport Jazz Festival
John Ellis, tenor sax
Alan Ferber, trombone
Matt Perrine, sousaphone
Gary Versace, organ, accordion
Jason Marsalis, drums
Songs I Like A Lot
Sunnyside SSC 1339
recorded in Frankfurt, M/Germany
John Hollenbeck, conductor, percussion
Frankfurt Radio Big Band
Heinz-Dieter Sauerborn, soprano sax, alto sax, flute
Julian Argüelles, soprano sax, tenor sax, flute
Steffen Weber, soprano sax, tenor sax, flute
Oliver Leicht, alto sax, clarinet, alto clarinet, flute
Rainer Heute, bass sax, bass clarinet
Günter Bollmann, trombone
Peter Feil, trombone
Christian Jaksjø, tenor horn, trombone
Manfred Honetschläger, bass trombone
Alex Schlosser, trumpet, flugelhorn
Frank Wellert, trumpet, flugelhorn
Martin Auer, trumpet, flugelhorn
Thomas Vogel, trumpet, flugelhorn
Martin Scales, guitar
Gary Versace, piano, organ
Thomas Heidepriem, bass
Jean Paul Höchstädter, drums
Kate McGarry, vocals
Theo Bleckmann, vocals
Organique
SteepleChase SCCD31805
recorded February 2015
Rich Perry, tenor sax
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
Jeff Hirshfield, drums
I Want To Hold Your Hand - At The Kitano Vol. 3
SteepleChase SCCD 31803
recorded live November/December 2007 at the Kitano Hotel in New York, NY/USA
Andy LaVerne, piano
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
Anthony Pinciotti, drums
Charm
Parade Light Records PL002
recorded August 2014 in New Orleans, LA/USA
John Ellis, tenor sax, clarinet
Alan Ferber, trombone
Matt Perrine, sousaphone
Gary Versace, organ, accordion, piano
Jason Marsalis, drums, cymbals
Top Down
JLC Records
recorded July &December 2015 in USA
Brad Shepik, guitar
Gary Versace, organ
Mark Ferber, drums
Willisau Live
hatOLOGY 741
recorded live August 2015 in Willisau/Switzerland
Ellery Eskelin, tenor sax
Gary Versace, Hammond organ
Gerry Hemingway, drums
The Subject Tonight Is Love
Binxtown Records
recorded May 2017 in Durham, NC/USA
Kate McGarry, vocals
Keith Ganz, guitar, bass
Gary Versace, organ, piano, accordion
Light Blue
Laika records 3510357.2
recorded April 2017 in Pipersville, PA/USA
Martin Wind, upright bass, acoustic bass guitar
Ingrid Jensen, trumpet
Scott Robinson, saxophones, clarinet, taragota
Anat Cohen, clarinet
Gary Versace, organ, piano
Bill Cunliffe, piano
Maucha Adnet, vocals
Matt Wilson, drums
Duduka Da Fonseca, drums
Act Three
SteepleChase SCCD 31885
recorded December 2018
John Hart, guitar
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ Andy Watson, drums
Songs You Like A Lot
Flexatonic Records Flex 001
recorded August 2020 at Hessischer Rundfunk in Frankfurt, Main/Germany
John Hollenbeck, conductor
Frankfurt Radio Big Band
Ben Kraef, soprano sax, tenor sax, flute
Oliver Leicht, soprano sax, alto sax, clarinet, flute
Heinz-Dieter Sauerborn, soprano sax, alto sax, clarinet, flute
Steffen Weber, soprano sax, tenor sax, clarinet, flute, alto flute
Rainer Heute, baritone sax, bass sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, flute
Shannon Barnett, trombone
Felix Fromm, trombone
Christian Jaksjø, trombone
Manfred Honetschläger, bass trombone
Martin Auer, trumpet, flugelhorn
Axel Schlosser, trumpet, flugelhorn
Thomas Vogel, trumpet, flugelhorn
Frank Wellert, trumpet, flugelhorn
Martin Scales, guitar
Gary Versace, organ, piano
Hans Glawischnig, bass
Jean Paul Höchstädter, drums
Claus Kießelbach, percussion
Theo Bleckmann, vocals
Kate McGarry, vocals
What To Wear In The Dark
Resilience Music RMA 015
Spotify
Kate McGarry, voice
Ron Miles, cornet
Keith Ganz, guitar, bass
Gary Versace, piano, organ, accordion
Michelle Willis, wurlitzer, vocals
Sean Smith, bass
Clarence Penn, drums
Obed Calvaire, drums
Christian Euman, drums
James Shipp, percussion
Erin Bentlage, vocals
Becca Stevens, vocals, charango
Air
Laika Records 35104012
Spotify Bandcamp
Martin Wind, bass
Gregg August, bass
Jordan Frazier, bass
Sam Suggs, bass
Gary Versace, piano, organ, accordion
Matt Wilson, drums, percussion
Lenny White, drums
Anthem Of Unity
HighNote 7348
recorded November 2022 in Woodstock, NY/USA
Spotify
Joel Harrison, guitar
Gregory Tardy, tenor sax
Gary Versace, organ
Jack DeJohnette, drums
Satisfied
Springtime Jazz
recorded July 2023 in Paramus, NJ/USA
Spotify
John Basile, guitar
Gary Versace, Hammond B-3 organ
Carmen Intorre, drums
When The Night
PJCE Records PJCER 058
recorded May 2023 in Paramus, NJ/USA
Spotify Bandcamp
Dan Balmer, guitar
Gary Versace, organ
Rudy Royston, drums

 
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