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Artists
Sharon LaMotte, vocals and Bill Gerhardt,piano
Sharon LaMotte & Bill Gerhardt
Sharon, Vocals
LaMotte’s love affair with music and art has been a feature of her life from the beginning. Her total emersion in the world of jazz happened relatively late in life. She began to sing several years before meeting Bill Gerhardt and at his urging, started working professionally. She has continued to study with the great Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton in New York City. Her knack for choosing material that is perfectly suited to her is uncanny. Her set list includes unfamiliar, modern compositions, as well as standards ranging back to the 1920’s. Sharon’s delivery is highly personal and direct. Her trademark is a pure, unembellished interpretation that relies on tone and phrasing to communicate the lyric and melody. Another aspect of her style that sets her apart is the unique arrangements which are conceived with Gerhardt. Often compared to Blossom Deary and Astrud Gilberto, LaMotte performs with sincere, sexy honesty.
Bill, Pianist/Composer
Performing professionally from the age of fifteen, Gerhardt was always passionate about playing and composing jazz. After five years of working on the road in commercial bands, he formed his first serious group with bassist Ron Brendle, allowing him to hone his writing and arranging skills. They won the 1988 down beat Musicfest in Orlando and Bill was recognized for his arranging talent. In 1989, he moved to Amsterdam, the Netherlands and used that as a base for the next ten years. During that time, he traveled throughout Europe and had engagements in Africa and the Middle East. In 1999, Bill returned to the United States and began living and working in New York. He reconnected with old musical partners in the Carolinas as well and upon meeting Sharon, began working with young players in Asheville to form a non-profit organization called the Jazz Composers Forum. This group presents and documents new original instrumental jazz as well as teaching workshops throughout the region.
Together, this duo creates beautiful music. Sometimes sweet and sentimental, sometimes adventurous and edgy, sometimes dark and moody but always swinging!