Centerpiece Jazz
"A Sophisticated Sound for Discerning Ears"
Check us out on the video below...

Performing straight ahead classic jazz, swing tunes, show tunes and other standards, Centerpiece Jazz plays all of your favorites. From Miles & Monk, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong & Ella to Antonio Carlos Jobim, Coltrane & Cole Porter. 

                                                                                             
Playing a variety of venues and occasions from festivals, country clubs, weddings, music halls and fund-raisers around Western North Carolina, CENTERPIECE JAZZ provides an eclectic mix of swing, Latin jazz, show tunes and ballads and will modify the band line up to form a duo, trio, quartet or quintet to accommodate any event or budget.

CENTERPIECE is sure to please the most sophisticated listener playing background music at functions, clubs and restaurants where your patrons can have a decent conversation without having to shout over the music!

At the same time, the CENTERPIECE sound will inspire and encourage dancers that know all of the classic moves including: Swing Dancing; The Waltz; The Fox Trot and the always sexy “Tango”!


 "I've had the pleasure of performing with the help of some wonderful musicians forming the Jazz group: "CENTERPIECE". When the evening is getting hot - Centerpiece Jazz stays cool... with a very dance-able beat sure to please the most sophisticated listener and will inspire and encourage dancers that know all of the right moves!"




Joseph Hasty usually plays rhythm guitar and sings lead vocals  but will sometimes fill in on double bass. Often joining Joseph is: Dick Hull - a seasoned veteran on guitar;  Andy Page will also sit in on guitar from time to time. Andy teaches jazz guitar at Appalachian State University; On Up-right bass is either Ben McPherron, Daniel Iannucci, Zack Page or Jim Clark ~ all are excellent players; Other bassists that have performed CJazz gigs include: Trevor Stoia, Ryan Kjanka, Adam Booker (teaches double bass at ASU) & first-call Charlotte bass-meister: Ron Brendle. On Trumpet: Jim Shulstad - High School band director; Robert George - saxophonist with a smooth West-Coast style; Other sax players include: Rick Hefner or Michael Myers - also superb saxophonists that have sat in on CJazz gigs; We've used several top-notch drummers over the years including: Mike Barlowe; Wes Powers; Rick Dilling; Rick Cline; Michael Cain, Ben Bjorlie and Matt Decker as well as New Orleans jazz great: Geoff Clapp

All of these excellent musicians help round out the classic sound that typifies "CENTERPIECE JAZZ". 



I came up with the concept of "Centerpiece Jazz" back in 1995. It was an off-shoot of a jazz duo I had (with a female vocalist) called: "Deep Greens and Blues".


That dissolved in 1994, but I kept doing solo gigs at local Country Clubs and private parties. I moved to Charlotte in 1995 and set out looking for like minded jazz musicians. I found Adam Sztyber - a phenomenal jazz guitarist from Poland that had moved to Charlotte via New Orleans - and we hooked up to play some gigs in the Charlotte area. After moving away from Charlotte in '96, I did a few duo gigs with Brad Hubbard on Bari Sax; then Bill Ernest on guitar; Dick Hull on guitar and Robert George on alto Sax and so on... after a while I started adding a bass player on some gigs, then drums, then other horn players. Next thing you know I've got a full-fledged jazz band on my hands.



Just for the heck of it, I made a list of all the folks that have performed for Centerpiece Jazz gigs over the years, and thought I'd share that... The criteria for this list includes the fact that the player(s) had to have performed at least 2 or more "Centerpiece Jazz" gigs.


All told, there have been over 30 musicians to do 2, 3 or more gigs with me. Several gigs were done simply as "The Centerpiece Jazz Duo" or "Trio". Some other gigs we didn't have a particular billing, but we did the Centerpiece Jazz repertoire. The largest ensemble to date was a 7-piece outfit at the "Jazz in July" festival at Granite Falls Brewery in 2015. If I've left anyone out, I apologize in advance.  Anyway, here's the line up - in no particular order:
 


Guitar: Adam Sztyber; Greg McLaughlin; Bill Ernest; Dick Hull;
Chet Palmer; Andy Page, Ian O'Hare & Patrick Crouch (who also played a little mandolin on a couple of gigs)

Bass: Brandon Miller; Ben McPherron; Jim Clark; Zack Page;
Danny Iannucci; Ryan Kjanka; James Simmons; Ron Brendle; Trevor Stoia; Adam Booker. 

Drums: Geoff Clapp; Wes Powers; Mike Barlowe; Rick Dilling;
Rick Cline; Matt Decker; Michael Cain, Ben Bjorlie & Mike Willis. 

Saxophone: Brad Hubbard & Mike Myers - Baritone; Robert George - Alto & Tenor;
Patrick Brown - Alto & Tenor; Rick Hefner - Tenor; Josh Farnham - Tenor
 
Trumpet: Jim Shulstad;
I've also had the pleasure of sitting in with Shane Chalke on trumpet as well;

Vocals: Denise baxter-Yoder; Elizabeth Glynn; Brittany Howes; Julia Rush-Harrell
Violin: Nathan Leath; Bob Kogut
Vibes:  Mike Willis and Jason DeCristofaro.
Piano: Marcus Kearns; Michael Jefry Stevens; & Richard Shulman



Honorable Mention:

Sitting in on one gig each: Randy Ingold & Reggie Harris - who also played on two of my CD recording projects (Deep Greens and Blues and Rhythm Changes). Also playing on some of my recording projects: Marcus Kearns; Aaron Ramsey; Greg McLaughlin; Dick Hull; Wes Powers; Bob Kogut; Patrick Brown
Counting myself, that's well over 30 musicians/vocalists all told... The Centerpiece Jazz family of musicians keeps growing..."No wonder I can't remember who's doing what gig, when and where! It's all good, and I'm just tickled to be able to do a gig with such great players." - Joseph Hasty


 




 

CENTERPIECE JAZZ -
"A Sophisticated Sound For Discerning Ears."

 

House Concerts In Your Home