Indiana State University Newsroom

The John Spicknall Jazz Piano Trio will perform in the Recital Hall of Indiana State University's Richard Landini Center for Fine and Performing Arts at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29. The program is free and open to the public.

The group consists of pianist John Spicknall, bassist Joe Deal and drummer John DiCenso. These musicians began working on arrangements of "Great American Song Book" repertory and jazz standards more than ten years ago that continues to grow and develop. The band has often appeared backing up guest musicians at Indiana State including performances with Bobby Shew, Jim Ketch, and Jim Perry.

The all-Gershwin program features a suite of tunes from the folk-opera "Porgy and Bess": "My Man's Gone Now," "It Ain't Necessarily So," "I Loves You Porgy" and "Summertime." Other Gershwin melodies included are "Embraceable You," "I Got Rhythm" and "S'Wonderful."

Deal is a jazz bass player living and playing in the Indianapolis area for the past 25 years. He has performed with jazz legends Lionel Hampton, Jimmy Heath, Ira Sullivan, Bobby Shew, Pat LaBarbera, Phil Wilson, Mike Metheny, Art Blakey pianists James Williams and Geoff Keezer, comedian Rich Little and Spyro Gyra member Dave Samuels. CDs include: The Joe Deal Jazz Trio "Moods" "Red Green and Blues" by Ron Enyard and "I'll Never Stop Loving You" by Harry Miedema with Deep 6.

DiCenso grew up in a musical family in the Boston area, playing in high school concert and stage bands as well as earning first-chair parts in regional jazz bands. He played in his college's big band and was an active working drummer in Boston's general business music industry through his late teens, 20s, and early 30s. John is Materials Manager for Raybestos Powertrain, LLC in Sullivan.

Spicknall retired from Indiana State University School of Music in 2007 where he was involved in woodwind, music education and Jazz instruction, but continues to teach jazz piano there in an adjunct position. He also is visiting professor of Jazz Piano at DePauw University, a position he has held since 2006. Last fall, he retired from the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra after more than 30 years of service. He has been the house pianist at Stables Restaurant for the last 10 years.

Writer: Paula Meyer, ISU Communications and Marketing, 812-237-3783 or paula.meyer@indstate.edu