Mike Purcell & Company: A Musical Journey through Generations and Genres at Jazz on Jay

Longtime musician friends playing vintage tunes; that’s the recipe Mike Purcell brings to the table; that and generations of talent.

“I’m a third-generation keyboard performer,” said Purcell. His grandmother, father and all seven siblings played. Since he grew up hearing all different styles of music, “I’m a bit of an eclectic performer.”

He plays keyboards today with Bill Jenson, drums; Linda Brown, bass; Steve Lambert, trumpet, and James Corigliano, saxophone. “I’ve worked with most of these musicians over the last 30 years in many different formats,” he said, “theme parties (pop, Dixieland, jazz, island, country, the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s)…” Eclectic, indeed.

Purcell has played for ballroom dancers and Broadway-style revues, including several at Proctors, with his groups the Capitaland Swing Band and Mike Purcell & Company.

He cited his own family among his early musical inspirations but said, “As I grew older, I appreciated artists such as Oscar Peterson, Peter Nero and the ever-flamboyant Liberace – auditioned for him in Vegas.” Living near the Van Dyck, Purcell also saw piano giants including Teddy Wilson, Dave McKenna, George Shearing, Marian McPartland and “our own local legend, Lee Shaw.”

Purcell also credited his teachers: Sister Gerald in grade school, Irene Peterson in high school; then Ray Rozenski, Ann Collins, and Frederick Monks as a professional. He started early. “My mom was my agent,” he said. “She got me a job playing for a wedding at the Imperial (later OTB, then Mexican Radio, now closed) on State Street.” His fee (in 1968 dollars): $30. “I was hooked!”

His repertoire these days is “pretty much all standards,” said Purcell. “I like American Songbook classic tunes by Gershwin or Cole Porter.”

His approach is straightforward, respectful.

“I like to be true to the song (as written) and then expand it with improvisation based on the genre it’s played in.” In his band, as Purcell explained, “All the players have an opportunity to show their individual musical skills.”

All Jazz on Jay concerts are free through support from the New York State Council on the Arts, Schenectady County, the Upstate Coalition for a Fairgame, the Schenectady Foundation and the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation. www.nippertown.com is the series media sponsor.

Show time is noon at the Jay Street Marketplace. Rain site: Robb Alley at Proctors adjacent to Apostrophe. Free.