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An artist who “gracefully melds two worlds, merging the improvisational spirit of jazz with the compositional intricacies of Western classical music” (DownBeat), pianist Aaron Diehl is a superlative instrumentalist of rare flexibility and creative power. Best known as a bandleader and classical pianist, and to SFJAZZ audiences for his work with Cécile McLorin Salvant, he brings his working trio for this headlining date.

Beginning classical piano studies at seven, Diehl was a finalist in Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition, an event that helped springboard the Columbus native into his professional career as part of the Wynton Marsalis Septet in 2003.

Diehl’s early trio with bassist Paul Sikivie and drummer Lawrence Leathers became Salvant’s working band, appearing on the vocalist’s first three albums including the GRAMMY winners For One to Love (2015) and Dreams and Daggers (2017).

The pianist has performed with major composers Philip Glass and Tyshawn Sorey, appeared as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony, and released a half-dozen album including his latest, a landmark trio recording devoted to piano legend Mary Lou Williams’ iconic Zodiac Suite accompanied by the Brooklyn-based orchestral collective The Knights.