JP
News
Spring 2023
The epic tour of 2023 continues, while I am preparing for the release of The Queen's Cartoonists's first studio album, "Mozart's Cartoon Requiem." Part visual album, part theater, get ready for dates coming your way in 2024!
Winter 2023
TQC are recording our first studio record, a re-imagining of Mozart's Requiem for cartoon ensemble. We are on tour with our admittedly odd holiday program, and then heading to Canada in January for more shows.
Fall 2022
Edinburgh Fringe was incredible but exhausting. The 22-23 season is under way, with The Queen's Cartoonists heading all over the US and Canada. Multiple composing and writing projects under way.
Summer 2022
Preparations for Edinburgh Fringe are under way, with a partnership with Aardman Animation in the works. The Queen's Cartoonists will be recording our first album this fall. TQC has announced 40 shows for the 2022-23 season, including one with symphony orchestra. I am finishing up an album of original solo piano music. I got a puppy. There's a lot happening this summer.
Spring 2022
So many concerts! It's great to be working. And I'm happy to announce that I will be performing 21 shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. See you there!
Winter 2022
Concerts are back! The Queen's Cartoonists are on tour going full power to 33 cities with more than 50 concerts between January and April. With all the prep necessary for these shows, I won't be doing anything else this winter, and I'm happy about that.
Fall 2021
Starting off the 2021-2022 concert season is a week of shows at the Konzerthaus Berlin, followed by more concerts in Germany and Austria, before US shows begin again in November. Also, a new writing project is under way, as well as composing music for 3 short films.
Summer 2021
Looking forward concerts finally coming back in the fall. Currently schedule includes Germany, Austria, the UK, Utah, Vermont, New York, and California. In the meantime, I am now officially splitting my time between NYC and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Why don't you come for a visit.
Spring 2021
Concerts continue to be moved to 2022. In the meantime, the big news is that I have been signed by Yamaha as a Yamaha Artist. I will be one of the pianists to be listed as both a classical and jazz artist. More to come.
Winter 2021
With another covid winter upon us, I am staying in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The Queen's Cartoonists still have a few gigs on the books, but most of our work will be moved to winter 2022. Booking is still happening for shows in the summer and fall in Europe, when hopefully the world is a calmer place.
Fall 2020
While 2020 continues to hammer the arts, I'm happy to say that The Queen's Cartoonists have announced a fall tour of outdoor, socially distant concerts. Check the website for information about shows in TX, MS, NY, VT, PA, OH, and VA.
Putting this tour together is so much work, I have not been doing anything else.
Summer 2020
Things are crazy right now, but The Queen's Cartoonists fall, winter, and spring tours are holding up (so far).
TQC is also joining the roster at Harmonic Artists, a leading agency in the UK. We are working on a deal to show films by Aardman Animation at our UK shows, so stay tuned!
No new book projects for now, but a few ideas are starting to formulate.
Spring 2020
The Queen's Cartoonists are booking our first season of tours as artists on CAMI Music. We will have 3-4 major tours with approximately 50 dates. In the meantime, we just signed with German agency KD Schmid, thus joining a roster of artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Mitsuko Uchida. We are also in final talks with a UK agency. Soon we will bring cartoon mayhem to the entire world!
Winter 2020
After selling out 2 shows at The Blue Note, The Queen's Cartoonists are premiering a holiday show at Sony Hall in Times Square, before heading out on the road this winter.
My latest book, The Nutsmacker, is a comic book with sheet music embedded in the text. It's a re-telling of the Nutcracker, except in this version, The Nutsmacker is a super hero who fights crime with a pantyhose full of walnuts.
Fall 2019
I am making my band leader debut at the Blue Note Jazz Club on 9.21!
There's another ridiculous book in the works, too. Check Kickstarter.
Summer 2019
The Queen's Cartoonists are gaining momentum, as our new management company has started booking some great spots for us!
Sadsap Music has a new book coming out: You Suck at Guitar.
Spring 2019
Big news! I have signed a management and booking contract with CAMI Music - a major NYC-based music agency. They will be booking The Queen's Cartoonists and, hopefully, some other things for me. The band will be headlining the Blue Note Jazz Club in September thanks to CAMI Music. They represent some serious pianists (Chick Corea, Lang Lang) and composers (Max Richter, Eric Whitacre) so I'm going to need to set up.
Winter 2019
Busy with The Queen's Cartoonists, as always. Performing in the Midwest and the Carolinas this winter.
Working on 2 new books (one guitar book and a holiday book).
Fall 2018
I've added videos of a few of my piano pieces to the "compositions" page.
The Queen's Cartoonists are hitting the road with 15 performing arts centers & 5 conferences this season!
TQC has also just signed with Inpulse Creatives - a management agency in Asia and the Middle East.
Summer 2018
My new 2 new books are live on Kickstarter. One is "You Suck at Piano 2: You Still Suck", and the other is called "20 Piano Pieces for People with Emotional Problems". I am becoming more involved with the Kickstarter folk; The Queen's Cartoonists will be doing a live streamed concert from their offices on July 10th!
Spring 2018
The Queen's Cartoonists just finished 12 concerts at performing arts centers around the US. Now it's time to work on new arrangements.
Next season already has the cartoonists jumping around the country; plans for international concerts are brewing.
I spent some time in San Miguel, Mexico, writing 2 new piano books with my illustrator Kevin. Stay tuned.
Winter 2018
You Suck at Piano sold 5,000 pre-orders and I've signed a publishing deal with Mascot Books.
The Queen's Cartoonists are preparing for their winter tours!
I performed "Let It Be" for Paul McCartney. And he gave me a shoulder massage as thanks. Not a joke.
Fall 2017
Big news! I've written a book called You Suck at Piano. It's a snarky piano method book for adults (and particularly hip children). I'm doing a Kickstarter campaign - as much for the exposure as the actual $. I'm not even halfway through the campaign and I've raised over $40,000. The book should be released on November 1st. And I think I found a publisher as well.
In other news, The Queen's Cartoonists have gigs this fall in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa!
Summer 2017
I shacked up in a cabin to arrange a number of pieces for the Houston Symohony's concert with The Suffers (a great soul band).
I won second place in the New York Philharmonic's New World Initiative Composition Competition for my piece "Afternoon on a Hill".
The Queen's Cartoonists have been asked to open for the New York Philharmonic on June 15th in Cunningham Park, Queens.
Spring 2017
The Queen's Cartoonists released our 2nd album, "Live at the Prairie Center".
I have given up all my corporate gigs, which feels very good. Have I graduated into only doing things I really want?
Winter 2017
I'm finishing the draft of my first book - an adult piano book that's also a humor book. More to come.
My piano studio is basically full, with three full days of teaching.
The Queen's Cartoonists got nice write up in the Chicago Tribune and are looking at a number of tours for next year.
Fall 2016
The Queen's Cartoonists are heading to Washington, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois on our first mini-tours.
We are also collaborating with the NY Philharmonic on their "New World Inititiave".
I'm arranging a piece for the Houston Symphony; it's a huge orchestra and includes a gospel choir!
I have a new teaching website: www.nycpianodoctor.com
Summer 2016
Played a gig with Ke$ha. Random. Also, I'm working on a book - it's a sarcastic piano method book for adults.
The Queen's Cartoonists had a short feature on NPR and on RAI TV (Italy).
Spring 2016
The Queen's Cartoonists are playing two shows at the Friar's Club in NYC. We are opening for Jerry Lewis! Oh my sweet glavin!
I've finished work on new websites and promo videos for both the cartoonsits and Tara Khaler. Look under the "Projects" heading.
Winter 2016
Two albums I produced and play on will be released this winter: The debut album from The Queen's Cartoonists, and
"Oceania" from jazz vocalist Mandy Meadows. I will put links on the "recordings" page.
Interview feature in The Wall Street Journal.
Fall 2015
Highlights for The Queen's Cartoonists will be playing the Long Beach Jazz Fesival & at Lincoln Center.
Other gigs with vocalist Tara Khaler & dance band Amaretto will take me up and down the east coast.
I'm also excited to be joining the jazz faculty at the Brooklyn Music Factory.
Summer 2015
All productivity has stopped, as my new son, Bix, is taking all of my time! This is a busy time of year for gigs as well.
I'm playing around NYC, Maryland, DC, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Cape Code, and heading to Vail, CO.
Spring 2015
The Queen's Cartoonists are up and running! Look for us at a venue near you (in Queens).
I have updated this site to showcase a bunch of videos and some programs from concerts featuring my arrangements.
Expecting my first child around April 28th. Hard to focus on much else!
Winter 2015
I've started a group dedicated to preserving and performing music from classic cartoons. Check us out at:
Also, I've started teaching at the Williamsburg Music Studio and Riverside Music Studios.
Fall 2014
The first full length record from my new record, is now available on Bandcamp, iTunes, & Amazon.
The album is called "Beautify Your Vestibule", & features some amazing musicians & (hopefully) interesting music.
Summer 2014
Album release at end of summer. Plans for final move to NYC.
Heading out to Scandinavia & The U.K. for shows with Tara Lynne Khaler in July & August.
Spring 2014
I have successfully defended my disseration, and am now officially a Doctor of Music!
Album is still in progress, sigh. Oh, and I also got married.
Winter 2014
Just returned from a trip to South America, perofrming with Tara Lynne Khaler. Made it to Antarctica & Easter Island!
Final mixing on my first record is finishing up. Hope to have it released by summer.
Fall 2013
Work on my dissertation is underway, featuring music for electromagnets placed on piano strings.
Tracking on my first solo record is complete, & mixing has begun!
Summer 2013
My piano composition "Tideland" will be featured in the film "The Internship".
I'm hitting the road for 5 weeks with vocalist Tara Lynne Khaler, with stops in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, & Turkey.
Spring 2013
My composition "Route 666" is being premiered by The Kronos Quartet in April in Washington, D.C.
March marks the end of studying & time to take my Comprehensive Exam (which I passed).