Bunny Beck is a New York-based jazz pianist and composer.
Bunny Beck can be heard playing restaurants, cocktail lounges, private parties, corporate functions, weddings, grand openings, conventions, hotels, launch parties, fund raisers, special events and holiday parties. The fun and joy of playing come across as she plays, providing a really pleasurable listening experience.
Recently, the steady gig she had for 2 years, at the White Peach Restaurant in Gaylordsville, CT ended, because the restaurant closed. She played their jazz brunch every other Sunday, as well as playing Saturday nights once or twice a month.
To book Bunny Beck for your special event, please click on Contact.
Biography
Jazz pianist and composer Bunny Beck comes from a long line of musicians. Her dad – banjo player, guitarist, singer Larry Sideman had a band that played hotels, her aunt played vaudeville violin and her grandmother sang opera.
A native New Yorker, Bunny graduated as a music major from the High School of Music and Art (now La Guardia), and by the time she was 16, was teaching private piano students, both adults and children.
Originally trained as a classical pianist starting at age 6, Bunny studied with a range of teachers. She is extremely grateful to have had the honor of being the only child student of renowned concert pianist Selma Kramer.
Ultimately Bunny realized that jazz was her passion, so she sought out jazz mentors. She studied for several years with the superb performer, composer, arranger Lee Evans who provided a great foundation, and with the brilliant performer Fernando Hernandez.
In 2002 Bunny had the unique opportunity to study and play in Cuba with Reinaldo Gomez Ruiz and his band, “Gens”.
She has studied with renowned recording artist and band leader Sonny Bravo, pianist for the late Tito Puente and his band, and with jazz piano legend Harold Mabern.
An ardent admirer of many great jazz pianists, Bunny gravitates most toward the sound, feel and style of Bud Powell, Wynton Kelly and Sonny Clark.
Bunny performs solo and with other musicians wherever the gig takes her, playing in the US as well as abroad.
Professional musician memberships include the American Federation of Musicians - Local 802 and ASCAP. Bunny is also a member and past Board member of the International Women in Jazz.
Gigs
VENUES (Partial List)
The New York Palace Hotel
Couture Bridal Collection Cocktail Reception
The Four Seasons Restaurant, NYC
Anniversary Party
The Grill Room, World Financial Center, NYC
Special Promotional Event
The Park Avenue Café Townhouse, NYC
Private Event
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Boston
Wedding Cocktail Reception
Saks Fifth Avenue, NYC
Special Corporate Promotion Event
The Museum of the Moving Image, Astoria, NY
Special Corporate Event
Terrace on the Park, Queens, NY
Corporate Reception and Luncheon
The Riverdale Garden Restaurant, Riverdale, NY
Anniversary Party
La Guardia Marriott Courtyard Hotel, Queens, NY
Corporate Reception
The Crawford Mansion, Ryebrook, NY
Wedding Reception
The White Peach Restaurant, Gaylordsville, CT
Cocktail Party/Open House
The Regency, Glen Cove, NY
Soiree for Managers
Knickerbocker Country Club, Tenafly, NJ, Corporate Event
La Quinta Inn, Secaucus, NJ, Private Event
CLIENTS (Partial List)
Make Music New York (MMNY) Sponsored by Time Out NY
Sidewalk Performance at Pommes Frites
Queens Public Television, NY
25th Anniversary Celebration
Entertainment Fusion Group, (P.R. Firm) Los Angeles, CA
Promotional Special Event
Carmela Sutera Couture Bridal Collection
Collection Show Cocktail Party
Holliswood Hospital, NY
Staff Holiday Party
Carl Schurz Park Association, NYC
Benefit Cocktail Parties
Bryant Library, Roslyn NY
“What Makes Jazz, Jazz?” Performance and Discussion
The White Peach Restaurant, Gaylordsville, CT
on-going gigs; Saturday nights & Sunday brunch 5/07 - 6/09
The Riverdale Garden Restaurant, Riverdale, NY
on-going Sunday Brunch gig 2004-2005
LPG Music, Westchester NY
played numerous gigs at various venues for this entertainment company
Queensboro Council for Social Welfare, NY
Luncheon/Reception Annual Salute to Community Leaders
Health and Business Alliance, Queens, NY
Corporate Fair
Community Chest of Englewood, NJ, Benefit Cocktail Party
Music entertainment for private Alzheimer’s client, Port Washington, NY
Numerous Private Events
Solo, Duo and Trio: holiday parties, cocktail parties, weddings, receptions, anniversary parties, fund raisers, special events
Music
Bunny Beck’s piano jazz style has been noted for “its distinctive, warm, rich sound”.
Her technique is “fluid, smooth and brings clarity to every note.” Her playing has been called “sweet and strong, innovative, lyrical, and definitely swinging!”
Her broad repertoire includes the jazz standards typical of Porter, Gershwin, and Rogers and Hart, Ellington and Strayhorn works, and the harmonic genre and technically intricate music of jazz and blues greats such as Bud Powell, Miles Davis, JJ Johnson, Horace Silver, Chick Corea, and Mal Waldron.
Bunny creates her own arrangements and solo improvisations and composes original music. She's always exploring new sounds, new musical ideas, which constantly inspire her musical creativity.
In 2007, she recorded her composition “It’s In The Stars” with bassist Tom Hubbard and vocalist Mark Estabrooks.
Tunes from CD of Bunny Beck Trio with Tom Hubbard on bass, Scott Latzky on drums
Out of Nowhere
When Your Lover Has Gone
Easy Living
Meditation
On A Misty Night
I Didn't Know What Time it Was
I'll Be Around
Pete Kelly's Blues
Also Streaming:
It's In The Stars Original composition, Copyright 2007
Mark Estabrook on vocals; Tom Hubbard on bass; Bunny on piano
Testimonials
"Bunny Beck has been playing piano during lunch/brunch and dinner between 2007-2009 at the White Peach Restaurant.
The restaurant was a fine dining restaurant with nice reviews in the New York Times, Connecticut magazine and a variety of other publications.
Bunny’s style was perfect for the setting and her wide variety including jazz, classic and show tunes were very much enjoyed by the customers. Sunday brunch jazz standards had many patrons humming or singing along and people often asked if she would be playing.
Bunny has a very friendly, entertaining and easygoing style both musically and personally. She was very well liked by staff and customers. During the special events we hosted, when people hung around late, Bunny would graciously offer to play later as people were enjoying the music. It is really nice to see how passionate Bunny is about her music and how much she likes it herself, as it translates to very enjoyable performances.
As I am selling the restaurant, I will miss Bunny’s playing and her sparkling personality. If I would need to hire a piano player in the future, she is at the top of my list."
Jiri Krejcir
Owner
White Peach Restaurant
Gaylordsville, CT
"Thank you for providing the background music for the Community Chest’s “Grant A Wish” event. Not only was your music lovely, but it also created just the atmosphere we hoped for. The party was a huge success – first, everyone had a really nice time and second, it netted $19,000+ for the Community Chest and for the wishes of the hungry and homeless. Thank you for being an important part of our success."
Harriet Tanner
Executive Director
The Community Chest of Englewood
Englewood, NJ
Contact
Ways you can get in touch with Bunny:
Email - bunnybeck2000@gmail.com
Telephone - 212 828 6944
Cell - 646 732 9875
Bunny is available for hire within New York City, the Tri-State area, and beyond.
Her fee is $125.00 per hour. The fee varies when she is booked to play as a duo, trio, or if a vocalist or additional musicians are added to the engagement.
If you are interested in hiring Bunny, please fill out the form below: