 Vana
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Vana (Werner "Vana" Gierig) is one of New York's premier
pianists. His broad jazz vocabulary and award winning, virtuosic
performance style have attracted a core of loyal fans worldwide and have
been an integral part on many international tours and recordings and
provide many mesmerizing moments on his critically acclaimed CD
"Small Regrets".
He has lent his virtuosic style to Regina Carter, Rachelle Ferrell, Lena Horne, George Howard, Special EFX, Najee and as musical director to Warren Hill, Will Downing, Angela Bofill and many others. With his trio (Vana Trio) Vana has been promoting his CD which in 2000 had taken him on tours to Germany (Berlin, Munich, Dresden), Italy (Torino, Rome, Bergamo, Giaveno, Coazze, Avigliana, incl. a week of live performances at the RAI) and Brazil (concert series in Rio de Janeiro, featuring Vana's and Mark Lambert's music). The trio received great reviews. Three of Vana's original compositions on his CD are featured on the soundtrack of the motion picture "Sins of Fate" - released last summer by Troma Films. Last year Regina Carter and Vana visited underprivileged public school students in an inspiring jazz education tour called "Harman: How to Listen". Through this program, sponsored by Harman International Industries and created by Wynton Marsalis, Vana visited 12 states to bring the art of jazz to American children for whom arts education is underfunded. Vana has repeatedly toured all over the world, including multiple appearances at festivals such as Newport in the US and Japan (Madarao), the JVC in New York, Rome (Italy) and Torino, the Lugano and Montreux festivals in Switzerland, North Sea/Holland, Umbria Jazz/Italy, the Berlin Jazz Festival, Ireland's Cork Jazz Festival, Brazil's Chivas Jazz Festival, Pori/Finland, Kongsberg/Norway, Glasgow/Scotland, Sardinia Jazz/Italy, Giaveno Sunset Jazz/Italy, Vitoria & Almunecar/Spain, Copenhagen/Denmark, Vienna State Opera House/Austria and many others. He has also played for the King of Morocco (at the palace in Marrakesh) and many of the major Jazz Clubs in the world, including the Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil, the Blue Note in New York as well as Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka), London's Ronnie Scott's, the Half Note in Athens/Greece, the Camelot in Israel etc. In November 1997 the highly-acclaimed European TV channel "Arte" featured Werner "Vana" Gierig and his group in a profile on Europe's most-watched cultural program "Metropolis". His compositions have been used by the Emmy award-winning PBS program "City Arts" and BET's "Bet on Jazz". His live TV performances include the BET and PBS networks, Nancy Wilson's "Red Hot & Cool" Show, CNBC/"America's Talking" Network, and many local morning shows such as NBC's "Today" Show and Fox's "Good Day Atlanta". Years: 2000/2001: Vana (Werner "Vana" Gierig) continued promoting his CD "Small Regrets" (Avenue C Records) by touring internationally with his trio (Vana Trio) to Italy (concerts at the Giaveno Sunset Jazz Festival and in Torino, Bergamo, Coazze), Germany (concerts in Berlin, Munich and Dresden) and Brazil (concerts in Rio de Janeiro). He gave many master classes in the US and Europe, two of which were with his trio at schools in Torino, Italy (Istituto Tecnico Avogadro and Istituto d'Arte Bassoni). He recorded and is featured on Regina Carter's new CD "Motor City Moments" (Verve) and is an integral part of her band with whom he finished a 8-month long international Jazz Festival and Club Tour (many of them televised), incl. the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles, Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall for the JVC Jazz Festival in New York City, the Barbados Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, the Berlin Jazz Festival in Germany, Ireland's Cork and Belfast Jazz Festivals, Brazil's new Chivas Jazz Festival, Vienna Jazz Festival at the Vienna State Opera House (Austria), Pori Jazz in Finland, Kongsberg Jazz in Norway, Marciac Jazz Festival in France, Glasgow Jazz in Scotland, Brecon Jazz in Wales, Sardinia Jazz in Italy, Vitoria Jazz Festival & Almunecar Jazz Festival in Spain, Copenhagen Jazz in Denmark, the Tri-C Jazz Fest in Cleveland, OH, the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival in Oregon, the Billy Higgins Jazz Festival in CA, the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival in Wilmington, DE, Seven Springs Jazz Festival in PA ... a week each at Sweet Basil in New York City, Ronnie Scott's in London, the Half Note in Athens/Greece, the Camelot in Tel Aviv/Israel ... concerts at Schoenberg Hall at the University of California in Los Angeles, the Herbst Theater in San Francisco, the Culturgest Hall in Lisbon, Portugal, the Theatre de la Ville in Paris, France, the Auditorio di Milano in Italy, the Radiant Theatre in Lyons, France ... and many others, such as a special appearance at the International Tennis Hall of Fame Tribute to Martina Navratilova at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City (during the US Tennis Open), . Vana - in duo with Regina - also continued a US teaching tour called "Harman How To Listen", sponsored by Harman International Industries and created by Wynton Marsalis, in which they visited underprivileged schools in 12 states to bring the art of Jazz and listening to American children for whom arts education is underfunded. He also participated in an Internet-Master Class for Manhattan School of Music at the Knitting Factory in New York City He appeared on CNN live from Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion, in support of the famed Playboy Jazz Festival, and performed on numerous local morning news shows throughout the country, promoting the Harman clinics and Regina Carter's CD. Vana also performed with Mark Lambert's Brazilian Project in New York City and Italy ... with the Alvester Garnett Quartet ... and recorded with Morris Pleasure and Ralph Johnson (both with Earth Wind & Fire) for their CD project called "The Great Dane", at Marcel East studio in Los Angeles, CA. 1998/99: Vana (Werner "Vana" Gierig) released his debut solo CD "Small Regrets" (Avenue C Records) and started promoting it internationally (incl. a New York benefit concert for "Pathways for Youth"). A tour to Italy included a week of live solo performances at the RAI radio station in Rome, as well as several concerts (Rome, Torino, Avigliana). A tour to Brazil performing both - Vana's and Mark Lambert's music included an outdoor concert on Rio de Janeiro's Ipanema beach. He is also featured on Regina Carter's current release "Rhythms of the Heart" (Verve) and is an integral part of her band which finished an international Jazz Festival and Club Tour, incl. the Montreal-, North Sea-, Nice-, Umbria-, Monterey- and many more televised Jazz Festivals, a week at Sweet Basil Jazz Club and a week at the Village Vanguard - both in New York City, and much more. He also did a US teaching tour called "Harman How To Listen", sponsored by Dr. Harman and co-created by Wynton Marsalis, in which Regina and Vana visited underprivileged schools in 12 states to bring the art of Jazz and listening to the children there. Vana also performed nationally as musical director for saxophonist Warren Hill, and recorded and toured with the group Special EFX. In New York he did some piano work for the great vocalist Lena Horne. Vana wrote, scored and performed the music for the motion picture "Sins of Fate", to be released mid '99. The film also uses 3 original compositions from Vana's debut solo album "Small Regrets". Last summer Vana toured the US, Europe and Japan with Regina Carter. Concerts included the famous Newport Jazz Festival both in original Newport/RI (which was recorded live for broadcast on PBS) and in Madarao, Japan, the JVC Jazz Festivals in New York City, Torino and Rome, Italy, and Estival Jazz in Lugano, Switzerland. Vana also musical directed for saxophonist Warren Hill's tour in '98, appeared with vocalist Angela Bofill at various concerts and Jazz Clubs in the US, as well as with Special EFX guitarist Chieli Minucci. Led his own trio and quartet for performances in New York and Europe. In the year 98/99 Vana performed, composed and/or produced on seven CD's released or to be released: 1. Produced, performed and wrote his own debut album "Small Regrets" (Avenue C Records). 2. Recorded on Regina Carter's new CD "Rhythms Of The Heart" (Verve Records), to be released in May '99, featuring Lewis Nash (drums), Peter Washington (bass), Rodney Jones (guitar) and special guests Cassandra Wilson and Kenny Barron. 3. Performed on saxophonist Warren Hill's CD "Life Thru Rose Colored Glasses" (Discovery Records), which has been on number one in the R&R charts for a few weeks in February '99. 4. Produced, co-wrote and performed on saxophonist Michael Rosen's album "Sweet Lingering", to be released in late Spring '99. 5. Performed on a track of Gabriela Anders' Warner Brothers release "Wanting". 6. Performed and co-wrote on saxophonist Carol Chaikin's release "Lucy's Day Off" (Miss Ecstacy Records), featuring among others Gene Lake on drums and Gregory Jones on bass. 7. Performed on Mark Lambert's upcoming CD "More Than Friends". 1996/97: In November 1997 the highly acclaimed European TV channel "Arte" (French/German) featured Vana and his group in a profile (Werner Vana Gierig - Jazz pianist in New York City) on Europe's most watched cultural program "Metropolis". He appeared on such notable recordings as Regina Carter's Atlantic Records release "Something for Grace" - for which he co-wrote and co-produced the song "Reflections"; and Warren Hill's "Shelter" on Discovery Records. He performed several weeks at the famed Blue Note Jazz Club in New York, for example one week with saxophonist George Howard, drummer Buddy Williams, bassist Dave Metcen, guitarist Keith Robinson and percussionist Munyango Jackson; another week with the Angela Bofill Trio included bassist Francisco Centeno and drummer Ed Uribe. Other tours included a week in the Caribbean with saxophonists Ed Calle and Aaron Heick, as well as guitarist Roy Louis and his brother Elmer on percussion. He also performed at numerous Jazz Festivals with Regina Carter and Warren Hill and select Jazz Club appearances with guitarist Zachery Breaux. 1994/95: On New Year's Eve Vana was invited to perform and co-direct a musical gala event for King Hassan II of Morocco at his palace in Marrakech. He toured Europe with Dionne Warwick and Will Downing. Under Vana's musical directorship the Will Downing group was awarded "Best Live Performance, 1994". In 1995 the Emmy award winning "City Arts" Program on WNET (PBS) New York used one of Vana's original compositions for one of its documentary features, called "Ludlow Street". The Black Entertainment Television (BET) channel also used one of his compositions - "Nocturnal Serenade", for a "1994 review" along with compositions by Michael Jackson, George Benson, etc. Vana toured with vocalist Rachelle Ferrell (Blue Note). Performances included Jazz Festivals like Saratoga and Newport, which was recorded live for broadcast on Public Broadcasting Systems (PBS). He appeared with on the Black Entertainment Television (BET) channel's "Jazz Central" with violinist Regina Carter, drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, bassist Emmanuel "Chulo" Gatewood, a.o. Performed at another BET performance with vocalist Will Downing. Vana also performed concerts in Brazil, including the "Bahia Festival de Musica e Arte" with saxophonist Marion Meadows and appeared with guitarist Peter White at events like the Capital Jazz Festival. 1989-93: Performed for Nelson Mandela at his first US tour after his release from prison in South Africa with saxophonist Najee. Tours with Najee also included several weeks at the Blue Note Jazz Clubs in Japan and New York City, the Essence Awards at Radio City Music Hall and countless Jazz Festivals, such as the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, which was recorded live for broadcast on Public Broadcasting Systems (PBS). Vana also recorded on two of Najee's albums - "Tokyo Blue" and "Just an Illusion", both of which went gold. Vana performed with his own trio in Europe and the US, including a clinic at the Palm Beach Community College during the Sunfest Jazz Festival. Other tours were with Special EFX to Chile which included bassist Tracy Wormworth and drummer Lionel Cordew, and with saxophonist Marion Meadows to Europe and the Cancun Jazz Festival. 1987/88: Performed at the famed Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy with his own group "Private Charter", which included saxophonist Mark Turner. Part of the tour were also a live broadcast at the Radio Bayern II in Munich/Germany and concerts throughout Germany and Italy. Toured the Caribbean and US with the Roy Louis group which alternately featured saxophonists Donny McCaslin and Warren Hill. 1978-86: Awarded the 1986 Boston Jazz Society Award for "Outstanding Achievements in Jazz". Many student concerts both in Europe and the US. In 1984 toured France and Germany with the Bocle Brothers (Gildas & Jean-Baptiste Bocle), including saxophonist Danny Walsh. Also had first Jazz Festival appearances with own and other student groups, e.g. from Berklee College of Music. Performed, and/or recorded with: Regina Carter (Verve & Atlantic) Discography, featuring Vana (Werner "Vana" Gierig) as
performer and/or composer and/or producer: Television appearances include: Premier 1999 Jazz appearances on European national Television stations, covering Vana's Jazz Festival appearances with Regina Carter (e.g. Dutch TV from the North Sea Jazz Festival, French TV from the Nice Jazz Festival, Italian TV from the Umbria Jazz Festival, etc.) Numerous appearances on PBS (Public Broadcast Systems): live from the Newport Jazz Festival '98, live from the Newport Jazz Festival '94, live from the Jacksonville Jazz Festival '91. Premier Jazz appearances on BET(Black Entertainment Television): 1997 live from J&R Jazz Festival, New York City, 1995 with Regina Carter at Jazz Central, 1995 live from Capital Jazz Festival with Warren Hill, 1994 with Will Downing. Twice on the NBC "Today-Show", also "FOX Morning News". "FOX" and "TELEMUNDO", "Live from the Blue Note in New York" Nancy Wilson's "Red, Hot & Cool" Show. Talk shows appearances at the "Arsenio Hall Show", "Joan Rivers Show", CNBC/"America's Talking" Network, "Telethon with Jerry Lewis", etc. International TV appearances, incl. Japan, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Curaao, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, England and many more. Education: Master Degree from New England Conservatory in Boston. Bachelor Degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Diploma, Joe Haider Jazz School, Munich/Germany. High School Diploma with Classical Piano Major, Gymnasium Pullach, Munich/Germany. Awards: 1986 Award from the Boston Jazz Society for "Outstanding Achievements in Jazz". Awarded "Best Live Performance, 1994" in Europe with Will Downing under Werner "Vana" Gierig's Musical Direction.
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