Jeri DiMarco Bergonzi – Piano, Vocal

 

Jeri grew up singing the songs of her beloved Laura Nyro and Joni Mitchell while listening to the progressive rock bands of the1970’s!  After graduating from Boston College with a degree in literature and philosophy she decided to get serious about her piano playing.  She studied jazz improvisation with the legendary Charlie Banacos and followed her newly found career path playing and singing the clubs and hotel venues in Boston.  Stints with Top 40 dance bands, GB groups and solo piano tours in Europe helped pay the rent while honing her jazz skills.  Today, Jeri’s repertoire spans the jazz tradition from the standards of Porter, Gershwin, and Ellington to the contemporary sounds of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner.  And, with a 17 year old daughter who loves to sing, she also remains tuned in to the pop songs of the day.

 

Jeri has appeared at numerous Boston jazz venues including Turner Fisheries at the Weston Hotel, Oak Bar at the Copley Plaza, Bay Tower Room, Scullers Jazz Club, Toff’’s Lounge of the Royal Sonesta Hotel, Marriott Hotels at Copley and Longwharf, the Ritz Carlton, and the Hyatt Regency.  She has also performed at New England jazz venues such as The Press Room, Mechanics Hall, Berklee Performance Center, Ryles, and the1369 Jazz Club as well as abroad at The Presidente Hotel in Helsinki and The Grand Hotel in Stockholm and the Viking Line Cruise Ship, to name a few.  Today, you are most likely to catch her performing with her jazz vocal trio or playing at the Top of the Hub with Tony Carelli’s quintet which features two horn charts from the memorable Blue Note years.

 

Jeri brings her teaching experience of 25 years (piano, harmony, improvisation, vocal coach) to Medfield Makes Music by way of her 2 children who studied with Lori Perkins more than 10 years ago.  She is a Medfield resident and is married to world famous saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi.  Jeri has worked with her husband editing his 7 book series titled “Inside Improvisation”, published by Advance Music, which describes practical methods and approaches for developing improvisational skills:  Melodic Structures, Pentatonics, Jazz Line, Melodic Rhythms, Thesaurus of Intervallic Melodies, Developing a Jazz Language, Hexatonics.

 

Jeri enjoys working with students of all levels and welcomes their individual preferences for the music that turns them on.  “I’m forever amazed at the uniqueness of each individual when they sit down at the piano.  Personal expression is just a wondrous thing.”