‘Groove Port’ to feature the Robert Kopec 4TET, Neil Alexander

The UpFront Exhibition Center, located at 31 Jersey Ave in Port Jervis, will feature the Robert Kopec 4TET on Friday, November 8 at 7 p.m.

Robert Kopec is an acoustic/electric bassist, composer and educator from the Hudson Valley area. He started his musical journey at age 6 and was playing his first professional gigs in his early teens. Kopec ‘s love of all music has made him a versatile and in demand-side man, as well as an eclectic leader.

Then on November 15, also at 7 p.m., enjoy a solo show by Neil Alexander. Piano Transformations is a new live music project from jazz pianist and composer Neil Alexander. Presented in the format of a solo piano concert, the sound of the piano is captured, digitized and subsequently enhanced. This digitized sound is then “transformed.” The project features 8 new improvisational compositions, each of which utilizes a different processing technique coupled with specific musical style. The music and processing were created simultaneously and the piano and processing interact in different ways, creating ambient or rhythmic sounds and aural textures that enhance or contrast the original piano sound. The result is an electronic variation of “prepared piano,” where the sound of the piano is altered by external means.

In a career spanning more than four decades, pianist, synthesist and composer Neil “Nail” Alexander has made his mark on the international music scene, touring the US, Europe, Mexico and Canada. He has performed with artists such as The Mahavishnu Project, Joe Lovano, Marty Balin, Corey Glover, Carmen Moore, Pee Wee Ellis, and many others.

Tickets for each show are $20 at the door. The Gallery opens at 1 p.m. for viewing the current art show and will be open through to the concert at 7 p.m. For questions, call 845-754-1808.