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Valerie Capers was born in the Bronx, New York in 1935. Her father, Alvin Capers, was a stride pianist and Fats Waller was a family friend, so music was a big part of young Valerie's life. |
She was already showing an interest in the piano and picking out tunes by the time she lost her site at age six. The New York Institute for the Education of the Blind allowed her to pursue an education and continue her piano studies, learning to read music in Braille.
Capers attended the Juilliard School of Music, becoming its first blind graduate. She received both a bachelor's and master's degree. While her emphasis in conservatory was obviously on classical music, her brother, the late jazz sax and flute player Bobby Capers, encouraged his sister to pursue jazz.
Following her brother's advice, Capers went on to a career playing jazz. She's had the opportunity to play with such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Ray Brown, Tito Puente, Slide Hampton, and Max Roach. She's also performed with her trio at clubs, festivals and concert halls in the United States and Europe. Her unique style and remarkable compositions clearly reflect her continuing interest in classical music.
In addition to a successful performing career, Capers has made her mark in jazz as an innovative and award winning jazz educator. She has taught at the Manhattan School of Music and Hunter College and is professor emeritus at the Bronx Community College. While serving as the Chair of the Music and Art department at BCC, Capers instituted the school’s first jazz program. Capers has also received commissions from institutions such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the CUNY Research Foundation and the Smithsonian.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast to hear a preview of this week's show as well as clips from Valerie's first appearance on Piano Jazz in 1983.
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Set List for Valerie Capers on Piano Jazz:It Could Happen To You (Van Huesen, Burke)
Round Midnight (Monk)
Isn't It Romantic (Rodgers, Hart)
Lament (J.J. Johnson)
Duke's Place (Ellington, Roberts, Thiele, Katz)
The Entertainer (Joplin)
He's Chosen Me (Capers)
Embraceable You (G. and I. Gershwin)
Scrapple From The Apple (Parker)
Capers attended the Juilliard School of Music, becoming its first blind graduate. She received both a bachelor's and master's degree. While her emphasis in conservatory was obviously on classical music, her brother, the late jazz sax and flute player Bobby Capers, encouraged his sister to pursue jazz.
Following her brother's advice, Capers went on to a career playing jazz. She's had the opportunity to play with such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Ray Brown, Tito Puente, Slide Hampton, and Max Roach. She's also performed with her trio at clubs, festivals and concert halls in the United States and Europe. Her unique style and remarkable compositions clearly reflect her continuing interest in classical music.
In addition to a successful performing career, Capers has made her mark in jazz as an innovative and award winning jazz educator. She has taught at the Manhattan School of Music and Hunter College and is professor emeritus at the Bronx Community College. While serving as the Chair of the Music and Art department at BCC, Capers instituted the school’s first jazz program. Capers has also received commissions from institutions such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the CUNY Research Foundation and the Smithsonian.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast to hear a preview of this week's show as well as clips from Valerie's first appearance on Piano Jazz in 1983.
Subscribe!
Set List for Valerie Capers on Piano Jazz: