Tassajara Trio feat. Eddie Mendenhall, Dan Robbins & Steve Robertson

Dinner Special:
Summer Salad with Grilled Chicken
Salsa Verde
Baguette
*meat & veggie chili will be available to order at the counter

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Eddie Mendenhall began studying piano when he was four years old, and by the time he was eight he was good enough to play works of Schumann and Beethoven in front of his school. He became hooked on jazz at the age of 13, when he first attended the Monterey Jazz Festival. While still in high school, he earned a place in the Monterey Jazz Festival High School All Star Band in 1989 and 1990, under direction of Bill Berry and had the opportunity to accompany Dizzy Gillespie at the main stage of the festival. Soon after, Eddie earned scholarships to the Berklee College of Music in Boston and went on to graduate with a Bachelors degree in Jazz Composition. For the next seven years the Tokyo jazz scene kept Eddie busy along with several trips back to the states. He rapidly became one of the busiest pianists in Tokyo. Performances ranged from jazz clubs, major hotels, touring around Japan and embassy parties. Through this extensive time spent as a soloist, he developed his own style, but states that his main influences are Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, Hank Jones, Hampton Hawes and Bill Evans. The Tassajara Trio will feature Mendenhall joined by bassist Dan Robbins and drummer Steve Robertson.

Eddie Mendenhall Website
(Ticket Includes 5% City of Santa Cruz Admission Tax)