Jazz Pianist Dan Dobek has been twice voted “Best Jazz Pianist of the Capital Region” by Metroland Magazine, National Accordion Champ by the American Accordionist Association, and Massachusetts State Accordion Champ by the Accordion Teachers Association of Massachusetts. He’ll be joined by Christopher Garabedian on drums and percussion and Ray Jung on guitar and vocalist Sherry Walkup. The concert is a tribute celebration to Charlie Eble and Jim Hammerle. Tickets are $15.

"An artist writes from experience, Dan says. "It comes from my joy, my struggles, even from dark places where faith is challenged, but always from where the hope is.

"As an instrumentalist, it's challenging to communicate this; yet I feel that people do feel that creative energy. A lot of artists claim to be tapped into creative energy. If you really understand the Scriptures and the gift that God has given us to be creative, it flavors the whole creative process, because you know you,re co-creating with the creator of all the universe.

Dan's career began at a very early age. By 10, he took top honors in a national contest for performance on the piano accordion, As he matured, he moved to other instruments, first to piano and then to jazz organ. After a brief stint at Berklee School of Music, Dan decided to investigate the piano thoroughly, searching for the broadest range of its possibilities. In 1990, with the release of his acclaimed CD Jazz For My Father, things began to gel. "That's when I realized that I was a writer, he recalls. "I started to view myself as a composer and not just a player. I feel that inspiration from something in my spiritual life and put that feeling to music.

Now, four recordings later and with another about to be released, Dan Dobek is sharing the love of God with his listeners. "That's the heart motivation and the musical motivation of my writing, he says. And it's that heart and music that reaches beyond perspectives, beyond personality, beyond time, to touch us all.