PRESS
New York Times Music Review: Jon Weber-'Joplin to Jarrett'
Broadway World Review: Jon Weber & the Evolution of Piano Jazz
HEARD AROUND THE WORLD
“Immensely gifted.” "Formidable talent." "Phenomenal." “Essential.” – NEW YORK TIMES [USA]
"Jon Weber is a virtuoso - pure and simple. FIVE STARS" – ALL ABOUT JAZZ [USA]
"Incisive in his compositional ethic." – ALL ABOUT JAZZ [USA]
"BEST CD of 2004" - Howard Reich; Chicago Tribune [USA]
"Even Weber's more ardent fans never could have guessed that the man can write and arrange at such an exalted level. The originality of his compositions, the ingenuity of his arrangements and the high sheen of the ensemble performances he leads on "Simple Complex" force the listener to reassess Weber's gifts." Chicago Tribune [USA]
"You’re drawn into the mesmerizing quality of the mainstream and its journey from Ragtime syncopation to Bebop and beyond. Weber says it with backbeats, suitelike movements, and a cast of characters who comply by supplying superb musicianship." CADENCE MAGAZINE [USA]
"Weber unveils original music so unconventional in its scoring, unorthodox in its harmonies and unpredictable in its melodic course as to represent a nearly complete reassessment of his art." – CHICAGO TRIBUNE [USA]
"Weber indeed has soared into new regions of expression as composer-bandleader." – HOWARD REICH [USA]
"Weber has taken giant stride forward with the release of Simple Complex, which features 10 of his own sophisticated but accessible compositions" – DOWNBEAT [USA]
"Precision, polish, and nuance. Top 10 of the year" – JAZZIZ [USA]
"Eloquently woven strands of musical conversation." – JAZZIZ [USA]
"Mastery and intricate variations in the service of clarity and seeming simplicity." – JAZZIZ [USA]
"The originals are excellent; Brilliant pianist; Exploratory playing." - Scott Yanow – LA Jazz Scene [USA]
“Weber has an easy-going, friendly manner and shows an obvious passion for his craft. He is to be commended for his grasp of the many facts as well as the music that went into his presentation. His concept works." BIG ARTS SANIBEL [USA]
“Weber is indeed an impressive musician, not only for his instrumental performance but also for his ambitious compositions. His music distinguishes itself by its assertive complexity, indisputable melodicism and decisive spirit. – JAZZ HOT [FRANCE]
"An ambitious project worthy of respect.” – JAZZ HOT [FRANCE]
”Dense, driving, energetic and with beautiful solos.” – J A Z Z N Y T T [NORWAY]
“Intriguing composer, excellent arranger. Enchanting. FIVE STARS” - Radio Contadero Cuadernos de Jazz [SPAIN]
"Emphasizes the collective soul, giving pleasure with its clear, positively-textured tunes. Jon Weber may be sowing the seeds of a distinctive sound which will only get better.” - Caz Magazine – Türkçe İçerikli [TURKEY]
“Assembling an impressive crew to play entirely his own music, Weber is a technically skilled pianist with an impressive flow in his playing – interesting to listen to, throughout. His album is receiving recognition in numerous American jazz magazines, and deservedly so.” – ORKESTER JOURNALEN [SWEDEN]
"Overlapping time signatures, accent shifts and rhythmic feels that swerve from Cuban montunos to Indian tabla patterns to straight-ahead swing at the blink of an eye.” – MELBOURNE INTL. JAZZ FEST [AUSTRALIA]
"Guiding us through 100 years of music in just an hour, Weber interspersed each musical excerpt with insights and anecdotes that revealed a lifetime's worth of impassioned research." – Jessica Nicholas – The Melbourne Age Newspaper and ABC Radio Australia [AUSTRALIA]
"As the permeating figure, Jon Weber delivers a solid performance on the piano. – Jazz Special [DENMARK]
"This astonishing US pianist-composer is already my ‘Best New Star of 2005.’ His arrangements and playing are breathtaking. Exceptional" Chrissie Murray – JAZZ UK
“...dazzling right-hand lines and skillful stride-piano breaks.” Jack Massarik – LONDON EVENING STANDARD [UK]
“Definitely recommended.” – LONDON EVENING STANDARD [UK]
"Virtuoso stuff that is bursting with energy. Judging by the amount of times it’s already been sampled, is being seriously checked out." – STRAIGHT NO CHASER [JAPAN / UK]
“One almost becomes delirious upon discovering a great record from an extraordinary undiscovered artist. His compositions and arrangements are pleasant and quite catchy, and he is very skilled at knowing how to fit guest players into the music seamlessly.” – JAZZRYTMIT [FINLAND]
“Weber reveals himself most profoundly in his syncopated numbers, showing his virtuosity and uniqueness; but particularly in his ballads, he plays most convincingly. Listening to his performance, you have the feeling that no project is too ambitious for this man.” – FIDELIO [HUNGARY]
“…a very talented composer whose music may be complex but can also be easily approachable by the listener. Weber’s compositions are strong and mature despite the fact that most were composed when he was a teenager.” – APOPSI [GREECE]
"Very impressed, excellent arranging and group dynamics. Congrats and keep up the dynamite music!" – Radio Antenna Uno [ITALY]
“Overlapping time signatures, accent shifts and rhythmic feels that swerve from Cuban montunos to Indian tabla patterns to straight-ahead swing at the blink of an eye.” – Jessica Nicholas ABC Radio 2003 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FEST [AUSTRALIA]
"Every once in a great while a jazz musician who really knocks you out comes along to reinvigorate your faith in the well being of the music. Jon Weber fits that description, and then some. His CD "SIMPLE COMPLEX" is a rare expression of the kind of excitement we all seek and seldom find. Do yourself a favor and give it some ear.....then tell all your discerning friends about Jon Weber." - Mort Fega – NYC RADIO ICON
"Easy-going, charming and informative, Jon provides not only terrific music but also a thoroughly entertaining evening." BIRDLAND REVIEW by CABARET SCENES [USA]
"This Piano for Kids thing is a beautiful idea and in JW’s case worked in an impeccably improvised fashion. The spontaneous creation of a fun learning environment ended up just being a simple, logical extension of Jon’s persona: a piano player who loves to play. His visible, audible enjoyment is contagious, regardless of age." – 2007 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FEST [AUSTRALIA]
"He sat, played, stood spoke, twirled and joked like a wise, warm guru, planting the seeds of music enjoyment and appreciation. Some of these kids might live a life devoted to jazz and may well forever remember the day they first heard the music of Duke Ellington played live. – 2008 MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FEST [AUSTRALIA]
”Pianist Jon Weber delivers a surprise coup giving an insight into the art of improvisation.” Neue Luzerner Zeitung [SWITZERLAND]
“…intricate compositions remind me of the Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock masterpieces.” - Swiss National Radio