Howard Alden and Lenore Raphael Duo

Howard Alden and Lenore Raphael

"He may be the best of his generation," writes Owen Cordle in JazzTimes

"It's the best recording of the seven-string guitar I've ever heard."  Leo Kottke

“Raphael is simply one of the best pianists in the jazz mainstream. She always swings and never runs out of fresh ideas”…Scott Yanow, LA Jazz Magazine

“One need not know her idol is Oscar Peterson. It’s evident in the lightning fast runs, clean technique and hard swing”… Jon Kelman, AllAboutJazz

Born in Newport Beach, California, in 1958, Howard began playing at age ten, inspired by recordings of Armstrong, Basie and Goodman, as well as those by guitarists Barney Kessel, Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt and George Van Eps. Soon he was working professionally around Los Angeles playing in groups ranging from traditional to mainstream to modern jazz. In 1979, Alden went east, for a summer in Atlantic City with Red Norvo, and continued to perform with him frequently for several years.

Upon moving to New York City in 1982, Alden's skills, both as soloist and accompanist, were quickly recognized and sought-out for appearances and recordings with such artists as Joe Bushkin, Ruby Braff, Joe Williams, Warren Vache` and Woody Herman.

He has continued to win accolades from critics and musicians alike, adding Benny Carter, Flip Phillips, Mel Powell, Bud Freeman, Kenny Davern, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie and George Van Eps, as well as notable contemporaries such as Scott Hamilton and Ken Peplowski to his list of impressive credits.

Howard Alden has been a Concord Jazz recording artist since the late '80s where his prolific recorded output as leader, co-leader, and versatile sideman, has captured an artist of consistently astonishing virtuosity and originality.

“Raphael is simply one of the best pianists in the jazz mainstream. She always swings and never runs out of fresh ideas”…Scott Yanow”, LA jazz Magazine

“One need not know her idol is Oscar Peterson. It’s evident in the lightning fast runs, clean technique and hard swing”… Jon Kelman, AllAboutJazz

Lenore Raphael, is an internationally renowned jazz Pianist, Steinway artist, radio host and jazz teacher and has been critically acclaimed as one of the best pianists in the jazz mainstream today.

She has performed and in many cases, sold out major jazz clubs and festivals…Dizzy's at Jazz At Lincoln Center (3 times), The Blue Note (NYC), Birdland (NYC) The London Jazz Festival, The Tel Aviv Jazz festival, Ottawa International Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott's in London, The S.S. Oosterdam jazz cruise, and many more. She was one of three featured internationally renowned Steinway pianists including Ahmad Jamal and Abdullah Ibraham, at the Joy Of Jazz festival in Johannesburg, South Africa. Lenore also performed to sold out audiences in April 2014 at the Casa Da Musica in Porto Portugal and at The Broward Center for the Arts Amaturo theater in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She has toured in England and Europe and Israel. In 2016 she did a major tour in South Africa and is always invited to return to venues where she performs.