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Arts & Entertainment

Stamford's Joyce DiCamillo Brings World Class Experience to 'Jazz Up July'

The local pianist will headline the third concert in the city's newest music series.

When it came to selecting headline artists for Stamford’s new outdoor concert series "," one of the first performers to make the list must have been Joyce DiCamillo.

Next Wednesday evening, DiCamillio takes to the Heineken Stage in at 6:30 pm with fellow musicians Thierry Arpino, Bruce Eidem, Tony Kadleck Morrie Louden and John Mastroianni on a bill that opens with another local favorite — vocalist Maydie Myles — for the third concert in the series.

A Stamford native, DiCamillo has been a constant presence on the Fairfield County music scene with her jazz trio for over 20 years. And, as a pianist, she has traveled the U.S. and to festivals as far flung as Ireland and Italy to play with jazz greats such as Phil Woods, James Moody, Nick Brignola and Marlene verPlanck, only taking time out to tour with disco diva Donna Summer before returning home to share the wealth of that experience with her local fans.

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DiCamillo holds a degree in Music Theory/Composition with Honors in Piano from the Syracuse University School of Music. For the last two decades she’s passed along what she’s learned both in school and out as a co-founder and instructor of the Young Artists Summer Jazz Workshop, as well as serving as the executive director of the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic.

DiCamillio is included on the International Roster of Steinway Artists. As such, she will be the featured performer at a tribute to John Lennon and Paul McCartney at the Steinway Piano Gallery in Westport on June 23.

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Patch: "Jazz Up July" is a brand new concert series. But, you’ve performed on the stage in Columbus Park before, haven’t you?

DiCamillo: Yes, I have, in the beginning years when they first put up the stage there.

Patch: Even people who know next to nothing about jazz have heard of, for example, famous outdoor venues like the Newport Jazz Festival. What is it about performing jazz outside in the summertime that appeals to audiences?

DiCamillo: It’s a convivial setting that makes it so much fun. The jazz festivals, like Newport, really started it all back in the fifties. That led to pop and rock and all of the other outdoor concerts, like the ones in Central Park, taking a page from that book.

Patch: Do you look at performing outside differently than, say, playing in a small, dark nightclub?

DiCamillo: We don’t program music that is too intimate. That plays better in a small setting. When you’re playing to thousands of people over huge speakers you have to keep the energy level up.

Patch: You’ve appeared with a long list of jazz greats. Who are some favorites?

DiCamillo: Phil Woods was my dream come true. He is my idol, even though he’s an alto saxophone player and not a pianist! His Live from the Showboat is my desert island album, if I had to pick one. When I played a concert with him, it really was the thrill of a lifetime. I think had a smile on my face the whole night! The same thing happened when I played with James Moody. I had a smile on my face all night! I think it was more of a thrill for me than the audience!

Patch: You’ve had other exciting experiences like touring with Donna Summer and headlining at festivals overseas. How does that compare to a local gig like "Jazz Up July?"

DiCamillo: Playing for the hometown crowd is always the best. And we don’t often have the opportunity to do it. That’s where you feel the most support – get the most lifted up — when you see friends and family out there. It’s a warm, wonderful feeling. I was born and raised in Stamford and have most of my professional life here. It’s where I feel at home.

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