Concert showcases Ben Rosenblum’s Jazz Trio Medley

The crowd in the mainstage of the Pierce College Performing Arts Center had no idea what music Ben Rosenblum would perform. He managed to capture the crowd with his optimism as he moved his fingers across the piano and on the accordion.

Bass player Eduardo Belo said that Rosenblum is a professional when it comes to captivating listeners.

“He’s very eclectic,” Belo said. “He knows how to set up a repertoire and a set list that really involves the audience.”

Roseblum played a variety of songs, some including Harold Arlen’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” his own original composition, “Center of a Ripple,” some Brazilian folk music and duo performances with bass instructor Jake Leckie and Belo.

The musician has been a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall’s Stern-Perelman Auditorium and a part of venues including the Appel Room in Lincoln Center, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Ravinia, Himawari-No-Sato Concert Hall in Yokohama, Bird’s Eye in Basel and the Library of Congress. Leckie said that while he used to play ensembles with Rosenblum in New York, hearing his solo music was something new to him.

“It was really nice to hear him play solo,” Rosenblum said. “He covers so much ground stylistically.”

Rosenblum said that while it was a different experience, he still enjoyed it.

“Most of our shows on the road are a trio,” Rosenblum said. “It’s a different challenge. You’re responsible for a lot more, but it also has certain freedoms. I get to make a lot of spur-of-the-moment