蓋瑞·凡賽斯是一位備受推崇且多才多藝的美國爵士鋼琴家、風琴演奏家和手風琴家。他於 1968 年 4 月 25 日出生於康乃狄克州格林威治，已確立自己為當代爵士樂界的重要人物，以其在多種鍵盤樂器上的卓越音樂才能和即興演奏技巧而聞名。
凡賽斯的音樂之旅始於手風琴，這是他父親鼓勵他演奏的樂器。然而，他的熱情轉向了鋼琴和爵士樂的世界。他透過與鋼琴家凱文·海斯的私人學習磨練了他的技巧，並隨後在伊斯曼音樂學院獲得了音樂演奏碩士學位。
他的職業生涯涵蓋了與眾多知名爵士藝術家的廣泛合作，包括約翰·史考菲爾德、瑪麗亞·施耐德、約翰·艾伯克龍比、寇特·艾靈和瑪德琳·蓓優，以及許多其他音樂家。他能夠在鋼琴、哈蒙德風琴和手風琴之間流暢地轉換，這使他成為備受追捧的伴奏樂手和該音樂類型中獨特的聲音。
凡賽斯也以自己的名義發行了幾張廣受好評的專輯，展現了他作為領導者和作曲家的才華。他的錄音作品經常探索具有強烈旋律感和富有創意的和聲語言的當代爵士樂風格。他的一些著名專輯包括《Reminiscence》、《Outside In》和《All for Now》。
除了他的演奏生涯外，凡賽斯還是一位盡職的教育家。他曾在奧勒岡大學爵士研究項目擔任終身教授多年，目前在伊斯曼音樂學院任教。
他在爵士樂領域的貢獻獲得了眾多獎項的肯定。他在 2009 年和 2010 年被《DownBeat》雜誌的樂評人票選評為哈蒙德風琴類別的「明日之星」。爵士記者協會於 2018 年授予他「最佳樂器演奏家 – 爵士樂中罕見樂器（手風琴）」獎，並於 2012 年授予他「年度風琴演奏家」獎。值得注意的是，他還兩次登上瑪麗安·麥克帕蘭備受讚譽的 NPR 節目《鋼琴爵士》，她在節目中稱讚他的演奏「充滿無限創意」且「才華非凡」。
蓋瑞·凡賽斯多方面的音樂性、他對多種樂器的精湛掌握，以及他作為演奏家和教育家的重要貢獻，鞏固了他作為當代爵士樂界一位受人尊敬且富有創新精神的音樂家的地位。
Gary Versace is a highly regarded and versatile American jazz pianist, organist, and accordionist. Born on April 25, 1968, in Greenwich, Connecticut, he has established himself as a prominent figure in contemporary jazz, known for his exceptional musicianship and improvisational skills across multiple keyboard instruments.
Versace's musical journey began with the accordion, an instrument his father encouraged him to play. However, his passion gravitated towards the piano and the world of jazz. He honed his skills through private studies with pianist Kevin Hays and later earned a Master's degree in music performance from the Eastman School of Music.
His career has encompassed a wide range of collaborations with renowned jazz artists, including John Scofield, Maria Schneider, John Abercrombie, Kurt Elling, and Madeleine Peyroux, among many others. His ability to seamlessly transition between piano, Hammond organ, and accordion has made him a sought-after sideman and a unique voice in the genre.
Versace has also released several critically acclaimed albums under his own name, showcasing his talents as a leader and composer. His recordings often explore contemporary jazz idioms with a strong melodic sensibility and inventive harmonic language. Some of his notable albums include "Reminiscence," "Outside In," and "All for Now."
Beyond his performance career, Versace is a dedicated educator. He held a tenured professorship at the University of Oregon jazz studies program for several years and currently serves on the faculty of the Eastman School of Music.
His contributions to jazz have been recognized through numerous accolades. He was named a "Rising Star" in the Hammond organ category in DownBeat Magazine's Critics Poll in 2009 and 2010. The Jazz Journalists Association honored him with the "Best Instrumentalist – Instruments Rare In Jazz (accordion)" award in 2018 and the "Organist of the Year" award in 2012. Notably, he has also appeared twice on Marian McPartland's esteemed NPR program "Piano Jazz," where she praised his "endlessly inventive" and "extraordinary talent."
Gary Versace's multifaceted musicality, his command of multiple instruments, and his significant contributions as a performer and educator have solidified his place as a respected and innovative voice in the contemporary jazz landscape.