Lou Czechowski
Lehigh Valley native Lou Czechowski’s love of music, which began at age 7 is an expression of a spiritual lifestyle. Whether playing a jazz club date, teaching a classical piece to a student, or executing a “synthesizer solo” on an R and B recording, the music played contains his fundamental belief of creating art with respect to the idiom.
Studies in traditional piano pedagogy, singing in the choir at Trinity Church Bethlehem playing recitals by the age of 8 , childhood musical memories of listening to his mother (an accomplished pianist) play Chopin and Rachmaninoff and hia father playing Al Hirt records have contributed to this artists ability to successfully play music in different genre’s.
As teenager, he played in the Martin Guitar supported, “Lehigh Valley Jazz Lab Band” led by Bob Grauso (inventor of Fibes drums) and trumpeter Rueben Heller. It was with this group he played with other notable area jazz musicians such as Nelson Hill and Paul Rostock, participating in “clinics” with jazz greats such as Marty Napolean (piano) Richard Davis (bass) and The “Airman of Note” . His participation in the LVJLB provided the experience of opening for Buddy Rich, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson Orchestras before the age of 18. Exposure to Marty Napolean, listening to Oscar Peterson initiated the love of jazz as he began studying jazz piano with local bandleader Matt Gillespie who encouraged him to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston MA.
While attending Berklee, he studied composition as well as classical and jazz piano with Emanuel Zambelli and Mike Marra (jazz). At Berklee he could be found almost nightly in the ensemble practice rooms playing with numerous other students such as Rick Sebastian (drummer whose credits include Herbie Mann, Jaco Pastorius, Charles Fambrough), Joe Cohn (son of legendary saxophonist Al Cohn ) as well as Berklee faculty members. He began playing “club dates” in the Boston area including concerts at Harvard and Boston Universities.
After leaving Berklee College of Music he returned to the Lehigh Valley beginning to work locally in the Poconos playing in the house band at famous Cartoon Room at Shawnee on the Delaware, as well as other resorts. This was augmented with club dates in the Philadelphia Area and continued music studies at Moravian College.
Several years later, he left to go on the road with Anthony Tillman and the East Coast Brass. This group was a powerful dynamic “show band” traveling with 7-10 members including dancers presenting “floor show” and dance music which included Earth Wind and Fire and Stevie Wonder. He remained with the act for three years becoming musical director during it’s tours to Europe, Canada and other areas in the United States. With Tillman, he also appeared Harrah’s Casino 26 weeks a year, appeared on the Today Show (Buffalo), Weather Channel as well as played at local Television Stations in the Florida Area.
This tenure was to conclude when a call came in to become the house pianist at Fernwood Resort playing the club and shows with Pat Cooper, Larry Storch and others who were appearing at the resort. He also began teaching piano at Lehigh University in the music department. It was during this period that he formed his own group breaking from the “ club-date” material and performing straight ahead jazz. appearing at Musikfest , Mayfair as well as concerts.
After a brief absence, Lou began teaching at Community Music School in Allentown and began playing at the Hotel Bethlehem in 2001. It was during this period he released his first CD “From Time to Time”. This recording reflected his varied musical background of Classical, Jazz and Pop compositions. The CD was sold at Tower Records and continues to be available on-line at Apple i-tunes, Amazon.com and multiple other digital retailers. He also played for the delegates at the 2001 Republican National Convention. Throughout this period and currently, Lou continues to play for musical contractors in the Philadelphia area at Hilton City Line Ave, Four Season, Hyatt Bellevue, Union League, Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences as well as locally at the Hotel Bethlehem. He released his second CD “Out Cattin Around” in 2007, which is distributed in Japan by Gats Productions.
Today, he continues teaching at Community Music School in Allentown ( Macungie Campus) and recent performances include his own group at Jazz Upstairs at Symphony Hall, as accompanist for Simone (daughter of Nina Simone) and Bernadette Peters. He has been side man for many local artists including Al Gaumer (trumpet), Fusion Jazz Trio, Alex Watkins (trombone), Rob Stoneback Big Band. He has also played and recorded with local rock guitarist Scott Bradoka (who has opened for Jeff Beck and Lee Rittenour in Europe ) and is found playing synthesizer and electric keyboards on Scott’s “Everything Release”, a 2/CD-DVD set recorded at the Ice House in Bethlehem. He also has recorded two of Bradoka’s new compositions on an upcoming CD.
His current roster of musicians include, Greg Eicher Bass, vocalists Vicki Doney, Sharon Norris, Nancy Reed and long time friend Gary Rissmiller. Major piano influences include Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Emmanuel Axe and Alfred Brendel.