Aaron Diehl, piano

About This Performance

“Melodic precision, harmonic erudition, and elegant restraint” (New York Times) are hallmarks of Aaron Diehl’s playing. Praised for his “freedom and playfulness” (Philadelphia Inquirer), this celebrated musical polymath makes his PCMS debut with a program titled: An Evening of Ragtime and Harlem Stride. One of the most athletic forms of jazz piano from the early 20th century, “stride” features a characteristic leaping left hand and a heavy use of improvisation and syncopation. It was also highly competitive. Pianists would often have “cutting contests,” many times at Harlem rent parties, where performances occurred in homes to help the tenants and musicians make ends meet. Aaron Diehl’s Valentine’s Day recital connects that history to our current time with a concert featuring compositions by James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Willie Smith, and other luminaries from the 1920s.