Jazz on Jay brings Peter Van Keuren Trio Closer to Home

The longer players play, the more bands and jams many join.

Peter Van Keuren not only leads his trio with saxophonist Dan Grider and drummer Cliff Brucker, he also plays with the 10-piece Diamond Cut Horns. “I also play in trio, duo and solo settings,” said Van Keuren, “music from jazz standards to pop, often arranging pop pieces with a jazz flavor.” He’s also the music director of the Burnt Hills United Methodist Church, arranging and performing music for Sunday services and special events.

He follows his organist-choir singer father, Richard, in making church music while his mother, Doris, was a school teacher who incorporated music in her classes, and his sister, Luise, was a musician, opera singer, actor, author, and artist.

“Having grown up in the fifties and sixties, I am an avid Beatles fan,” said Van Keuren, listing David Benoit, Pat Metheny, Boz Scaggs and Kurt Elling among his inspirations. “Favorite bands include Yellowjackets and Spyro Gyra.”

He’s released two albums of original music – “Closer to Home” and “Lights In The Distance” – and will release his third, “A Place In The Woods,” this summer.

Tenor saxophonist Dan Grider plays with Van Keuren in the Diamond Cut Horns; he is also one of few non-doctors in the veteran big band Swing Docs of physicians and medical technicians.

Brucker co-founded and co-leads the Brucker/Weisse/Canterbury Jazz Orchestra (playing several big shows in coming months) and plays in numerous smaller bands. He’s also released “Full Circle” volumes 1 and 2, co-starring veteran saxophonist Leo Russo.

“There is plenty of space for improvisation in these settings,” Van Keuren said; bandmates Grider and Brucker are clearly up to the task.

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.

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