About Doug Strock
Doug Strock was raised in Boston and Martha's Vineyard. He holds degrees from Columbia and Yale where he majored in Russian. His fluency in Russian led to a position with the US-USSR Trade and Economic Council where he was liaison for fortune 200 CEO's and corresponding Russian ministers. During these years, Strock continued a life-long study of jazz piano, including private lessons with John Mehegan, the first teacher of improvisation at Juilliard. And promisingly, an early Strock performance was at a small birthday gathering for Leonard Bernstein. Gradually realizing the personal importance of his music, Strock decided to devote himself full-time to piano. His new existence involved separation from friends and a hardship-cleansing which allowed the birth of a special piano sound. This sensual, fragile yet unsyrupy music consists of beloved melodies and original compositions played with a freshness which beckons for repeat-listening.
Recently Rated:
Profile Stats:
<font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Doug Strock was raised in Boston and Martha's Vineyard; degrees in Russian from Columbia and Yale; liaison for Fortune 200 CEO's in Russian trade; private student of John Mehegan, Juilliard's first improvisation teacher; an early performance at Leonard Bernstein's home;</font></p></font><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE </font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Contact: </font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Doug Strock www.dougstrock.com strockmusic@mac.com 800 384 1410 </font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Jazz Pianist Doug Strock Arrives on iTunes San Diego, California, August 6, 2004 .On August 1, the sensual, fragile, innovative sound of Doug Strocks piano became available on Apples iTunes. There, a search by song title will find Strocks name positioned next to monumental pianists like Bill Evans and David Benoit; Strock is also located, by iTunes title search, along side of Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Diana Krall and other stellar musicians. </font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The singularity of Strocks delicate sound makes association with such greats understandable. Subtle and different, the sound can be termed the utopian ideal of background music. It does not force you to isten...instead it always rewards you for doing so. </font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Strock has created fresh new versions of the most unforgettable songs by Rogers and Hart, Gershwin, Keith Jarrett, Duke Ellington, Billy Preston and Thad Jones. Like many jazz musicians, Strock starts with the assumption that you know the melodies. He delights us with surprising variations on these familiar tunes. This pianist then goes one step further and assumes you know the rhythm and phrasing too. Dissecting the melody, he digs in, holding each chord up for inspection, twisting and shaping and then holding on, letting the chords breathe and stretch, and allowing the piano to respond. Perhaps even better than Strocks treatment of beloved standards, are his goosebump-producing originals. He has taken to heart the old adage that music is as much about the silence as the sound, as much about the notes that are not played as those that are. The unexpected pauses and harmony will keep you coming back. </font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Some reviewer observations: Strock is a master musician. San Diego, North County Times The sounds Strock strings together are achingly heartfelt and sincere, unfailingly perfect in their gentle dissonance. He proves that we are more than just slaves to the beat. Stop and smell the chords. San Diego, City Beat From the first notes, I immediately understood that this musician is in tune with his instrument and his gift, and the magic of well-crafted music will allow me to relax, unwind and remember. New York, Scoop You hear the images.</font></p></font>