Charlie Bechler's Music Variations

A little about Charlie

Charlie Bechler

Piano, Composer
Born: 11/29/31, Long Island, N.Y.
Married - two children
Lives in Waldoboro, ME, USA

BACKGROUND SUMMARY

Forty years experience in teaching, performing, composing, arranging and being emmersed in music. Co-started Jazz Is a non-profit organization dedicated to the bringing of quality, less known jazz music and musicians to the Mid Coast and specifically the Waldo Theatre and Waldoboro Maine. Conceived, designed, and built an eight track/channel analog, MIDI and digital recording studio with video post production capabilities. Directed and composed music for the Theatre Group of Newburyport, in Massachusetts, which became established as a professional company. Helped create Osmosis a successful jazz/Rock (fusion) group, which featured world class alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano.
Composed/Arranged for Herb Pomeroy's Big Band.

EDUCATION and TRAINING

1959 to present Real-time, on the job training,
Real-world Continued self study and research.
1955 to 1959 BerkLee College of Music, Boston, Ma.
Professional Diploma arranging, composition and orchestrating major. Private study with Herb Pomeroy (arranging/comp) Madame Chaloff, Jaki Byard and Ray Santisi piano.
1950 to 1951 Shillinger House
Two semesters private piano with Pete Saitta.
1946 to 1949 Alphonso Green
Private piano studies.
1945 to 1946 On my own
Started studying/teaching piano at fifteen years old. Figured out the basics, after learning what my mother knew about natural notes and the "G" clef. Was fumbling through some old, even then, SATB pieces before starting with first teacher.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Jazz Performance

Extensive experience in a number of different jazz styles, types of music and situations.

Keyboardist/Composer for Osmosis
with Charlie Mariano

Osmosis a nationally headed jazz/rock group, performed in various concerts and clubs through out New England, Chicago and New York City.

1967 to 1970 Hugh Heftner's, Chicago Illinois
"1970" Playmate Bunny Pageant of the year. with David Steinberg, Tiny Tim, the Fillmore East light Show. Multi-media at it's best.
RCA Victor, New York, City
Recorded "Osmosis" album.
Village Vanguard, New York, City
Featured with Billy Cobham group.
Boston Tea Party, Kenmore Sq. Ma.
Opening act for Miles Davis.
Boston Arena, Boston, Ma.
Opening act for Ike and Tina Turner.
Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill, Ma.
In concert with J. Giles Blues Band.
"Summer Thing", Boston, Ma.
Series of concerts in Boston area.

Jazz Is: Concerts and Jams: The Jazz Is Trio with Charlie Bechler (Acoustic piano), Steve Grover (drums), either Ben Street, John Hunter or Jim Lydon (bass), augmented by either Rusty Quinn, Tom Patton, Rich Hollis or Al Delgado (drums), either Randy Whitman or Greg Whittaker (bass), and loads of musicians of ages ranging from 'teens to 80s.

1992 to present Friendship St. Community Center, Waldoboro, Me.
Jazz Is Jams each month.
1991 to present Bill's Cafe and Bookstore,Waldoboro, Me.
Solo Jazz Piano - Creating the same atmosphere as below and an afternoon of jazz, each month.
1986 to 1990 Pine Cone Public House, Waldoboro, Me.
Solo Jazz Piano - Creating a successful ambience for the right blend of listening and dining.
1990 to 1992 Friendship St. Community Center, Waldoboro, Me.
Jazz Is: the 'Hog, Bog, Traffic, Strawberry through to the Bluesberry and Cranberry Jam.
1990 to 1992 The Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro, Me.
Jazz Is concerts:

Tom Hoffman and Brad Terry

Marguerite Jueneman and Dave Demsey

Laurel Masse (vocals).

Rick Dostie Trio with Nell Wade Charlie Bechler Trio.

Charlie Bechler and Friends in Concert

Concert of all original acoustic and synthesized music and one of jazz standards.

1988 The Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro, Me.
Mid-Coast Art's and Media opening. With Berklee College's Music Professors Greg Badolato and Jeff Stout, group "Fringe's" John Lockwood and Bob Gilardi, and Rockport Maine's own, the late great Dick Cash.
1987 Pine Cone Public House Waldoboro, Me.
The Mid-Coast Art's and Media informal opening. With Dick Biscornet, the late Frank Fuller and Dick Cash.
1980 to 1987 Yankee Home Comin' Day, Newburyport, Ma.
"Jazz Day" concerts each year, with guest artists Herb Pomeroy, Paul Fontaine, Ike Roberts, Jim Cameron and Les Ramsey.
Sandy's Jazz Revival, Beverly, Ma.
House pianist for jazz stars including Carole Leigh formerly of the "Chicago Salty Dogs" and Wild Bill Davison.

Charlie Bechler Quartet

Various clubs and colleges through out New England. with Jim Cameron or Terry Keefe (sax).

1971 to 1980 Lennie's on the Turnpike, Boston's N. Shore. Michaels, Boston, Ma. The Grog, Newburyport, Ma. The Press Room, Portsmouth, N.H. The Sun and Old Port Tavern, Portland, Me.
1965 Picadilly Lounge, New Bedford, Ma.
Pianist for Slide Hampton's House band with quest artists: Junior Cook, Charlie Persop, Bennie Green, Curtis Fuller and others.

Hammond Organist for
1963 Cape Town House, Harwich Ma.
Bobby Hackett and quest artists : Cutty Cutshall (trombone), Eddie Condon (banjo), Pee Wee Russell (clarinet) and Dave McKenna intermission pianist.
1962 Windswept Inn, DennisPort Ma.
The Disciples With Buzz Saviano (guitar), Mickey (Julian) Jay (drums). A jazz organ trio clone of the more famous ones: Milt Buckner, Jimmy Smith, Johnny Hammond Smith, Larry Young and others.
1959 to 1961 Thorndike Hotel, Rockland, Me. Band Box, Kenmore Sq., Boston, Ma. Various other clubs
Rod Bridges band with either Jimmy Zitano, Tony Williams, Bobby Clark or Don McBride (drums)

Solo Jazz Pianist
1958 to 1959 Jazz Workshop, Copley Sq., Boston, Ma.
Solo Jazz piano and wednesday night pianist for the Jazz Workshop band.
Storyville, Copley Sq., Boston, Ma.
1954 to 1955 12th Air Force Band, Ramstein, Germany
Pianist/arranger for small and big band

TEACHING

Have taught from ages four to eighty. Students have studied piano, harmony, theory, arranging, composition, orchestrating, chord- progressions, song writing, and applied playing.

1992 to present Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Me.
Jazz Piano
1965 to present Private teaching, Massachusetts and Waldoboro, Me.
Keyboard/Piano, theory/harmony instruction for all age groups, styles and instruments. Music coaching for various band members and musician friends, who needed or need to pick a brain.
1988 to 1991 Northern Kingdom, Rockport, Me.
Keyboard and Music instructor for the Dr. Music program
1978 to 1980 Communications Theatre Group, Newburyport, Ma.
While Musical Director provided music lectures to members of the group and interested others.
1968 Berklee College of Music, Boston, Ma.
Directed, small and big band Jazz Workshops.

Playing Situations | Composing Studio | Teaching Studio Charlie's Music Variations bechler-arts.com

For more information, please contact:
Charlie Bechler 968 Backcove Rd. Waldoboro, ME 04572 1-207-832-6806
URL: http://www.bechler-arts.com/charlie

Layout, Design, and Revisions ©2003 by Douglas Bechler...... Revised, Mar. 25, 2003