Music that emotes

Pianist Richard Kimball hosts an evening of great melodies and improvisations at The Peach Grove Inn on Dec. 11 Warwick - Jazz pianist and composer Richard Kimball will perform some of “the best musical examples of ‘The Great American Songbook’” at The Peach Grove Inn in Warwick on Saturday evening, Dec. 11. In announcing the concert, Kimball, a Warwick resident, wrote: “It’s taken me literally a lifetime of professional experience (over fifty years) to finally admit that I’m just an unabashed romantic. Good Lord! I’ve always felt a little guilty about it - just being my most natural inclination as a pianist/composer. “But this actually has been good, of course, in forcing me to embrace so many other aesthetic styles and points of view. They have all met together to become the guy I am today. “For the past three decades I have been ensconced at the world famous River Café under the Brooklyn Bridge. Hey, no problem being a romantic there. That’s what it calls for. “There I developed a special repertoire, carefully limiting it to only what I believe are the best musical examples of ‘The Great American Songbook’ - not the ones that just have clever lyrics - but the songs that have great melody over a profound harmonic framework - ones that lend themselves smoothly to spontaneous pianistic improvisation. “I also add my own pieces, some classical jazz standards and various of my own spontaneous jazz interpretations of Bach and other timeless greats. The repertoire is often set in a finger-snapping context and always has a flow. It emotes.” Essential information The program begins at 7 p.m. and will be presented in two sets. John Mastropierro and his business partner, Laura Totaro have provided a Kawaii medium-size grand piano in the center of two large parlors in the historic mid-nineteenth century home. “They’re providing wine, cheese and dessert - and two hours of my playing all for $20,” Kimball added. The Peach Grove Inn is located at 205 Route 17A. Call 986-7411 for reservations.