Pianist Julian Shore is known for his “deep maturity as a composer and bandleader” (DownBeat) and has been called “a pianist/composer who beyond the obvious elegance of his playing, has a clear sense of the bigger artistic picture” (Peter Hum, Ottowa Citizen).

From Narragansett, Rhode Island, Shore grew up listening to his father playing Bach on his home piano and would often sing along as a toddler. After starting piano lessons at a young age he began studies with famed educator Hal Crook as a teenager. Shore was awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music and studied there under Danilo Perez, Wayne Shorter, Brian Blade, John Patitucci and others.

He graduated in 2009 and toured with singer Gretchen Parlato in 2010 and performed at the Stockholm Jazz Festival. He appears as both leader and sideman at venues like as Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Blue Note, and jazz festivals around the globe. He has performed on record with Parlato, Ferenc Nemeth, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gilad Hekselman, Chris Cheek, Kendrick Scott, and Mark Giuliana, among others.

Julian’s most recent record “Which Way Now” was released in 2016 and features Gilad Hekselman, Dayna Stephens, Aidan Carroll, Colin Stranahan and a slew of guests and configurations. His debut record “Filaments” which features Kurt Rosenwinkel, Noah Preminger, Tommy Crane, Phil Donkin, and others was released to critical acclaim in 2012.

Julian was a Litchfield Jazz Camper from age 12 on and now serves on the Camp faculty.  This is his debut as a leader on the Litchfield Mainstage. He appears here with Dayna Stephens on sax, Jorge Roeder on bass, and Jimmy McBride on drums (another LJC alum, but Jimmy started with us at 9, so remarkable was his playing).  A very exciting new member of Shore’s group is the great guitarist Ben Molder. Monder’s significant role on David Bowie’s final record Blackstar was recognized in the form of several GRAMMY wins earlier this year.