Barbara first began studying piano when her elementary school choir director suggested she take lessons. Her piano teacher, Richard Freeman-Toole, was a dedicated teacher and a great source of inspiration. Within her first three years of study, Barbara performed Haydn’s D Major piano concerto with a local community orchestra. This early experience led to other performances, as well as opportunities to work as an accompanist.

Although Barbara’s early musical training was almost entirely classical, her interest in jazz and other contemporary music grew. In order to broaden her musical palette, Barbara enrolled at Berklee College of Music in Boston. There, she studied with Neil Olmsted, who, as both a jazz and classical pianist himself, was able to bridge the gap between the two genres for his classically-inclined students.

After earning her degree, Barbara returned to the San Francisco Bay Area to embark on her musical career. During this period, she released two albums with bassist Henrik Bridger, and performed regularly in duo, trio, and quartet settings. In 2003, Barbara returned to Boston and commenced graduate studies in jazz and classical piano performance at Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. It was here that Barbara had the opportunity to study with two phenomenal musicians, Wayman Chin and Charlie Banacos. During this period, Barbara worked as an accompanist for Berklee.

In 2005, Barbara traveled to Japan with Henrik and fellow Berklee grads to perform in clubs, concert halls, and schools. Since returning to the Bay Area in 2006, she has focused on playing and composing in a more contemporary musical genre. This Side Up represents her venture into this territory.

Henrik began playing bass at the age of 11 in Sweden and joined a rock band as a teenager. He was introduced to fusion and jazz styles at Sundsgardens Folkhogskola in Helsingborg, Sweden, and eventually ended up studying Jazz Performance at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. There he studied with such luminaries as Oscar Stagnaro, Anthony Vitti, Bruce Gertz, Whit Browne, Rich Appleman, and John Repucci. He also attended master classes with the late Ray Brown, Chuck Rainey, Gary Willis, and the Chick Corea Elektric Band’s Jimmy Earl.

Henrik’s performances have taken him all over the world. With rock band Beyond Logic, Henrik toured the Western United States and Scandinavia. He toured Japan with his own trio, as well as with Berklee faculty member Makoto Takenaka’s Big Band and Quartet. Henrik has released two CDs, and is a featured player on many other artists’ albums, including Theresa Perez’s 2010 release, Small World: Boutique, Jamie Bonk’s 2009 release, St. Joseph Street, and Barbara Jones’ 2007 release, Live at Pickman Hall. Henrik can also be heard on Peter Janson’s award-winning album, Beautiful Day. With Janson and drummer/percussionist Bertram Lehman, Henrik toured throughout the U.S. and Canada to promote the CD’s release.

Since relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2006, Henrik has performed with a wide array of artists representing many styles of music. He is currently the bassist for the Theresa Perez Band, the James Riddle Band, Vudustu, and the Bridger-Jones Trio. This Side Up is his most recent recording project.

I just happened upon this fine duo, pianist Barbara Jones and Swedish bassist Henrik Bridger,during a casual search and couldn’t be happier that I did. I’m sure that saxman Eric Marienthal found them in a much more personal manner and certainly had to have taken as immediate a liking to them as I did, as he joins them here on four of the ten tracks of their latest release, This Side Up, a delectable offering of diverse tastes of smooth jazz, with even one mainstream twist for added flavor.

On the peppy opening and title track, Marienthal’s trademark sassy sax provides a nice intro to the duo (for those of us who may need one), and you just know it’s going to be an enjoyable journey – and it is just that – as the album dances and sways through each tune with equal amounts of exuberance and sultriness. All types of moods abound here. The sexy side swoops you up on tracks like “Words Unspoken” and “Green Eyes” as Jones seduces with her light well-stated touches on piano while Bridger holds down the bottom with soulfully deep and thick bass lines. There’s the finger-snappin’, mid-tempo offering “On My Way,” featuring Marienthal, an island mover “Rio del Mar,” a sassy slow-to-mid-tempo vibe on “Bittersweet,” and Marienthal again on “Kilsyth” to take you to that mid-level funk place.

In the midst of all this, the duo finds time to level it all off with a visit to the land of more traditional/mainstream jazz with “Summer Wind.” They close with some funked-up bass on a contemporary/jazz fusion piece. Oh, I do like the way these two mix up the flavors and invoke the moods. Their individual and collective exposure to jazz, rock, fusion, and classical music serves them well, and I truly hope we will get to hear so much more from this fine collaboration of talent. – Ronald Jackson

Source: http://www.thesmoothjazzride.com/site/barbara-jones-henrik-bridger-this-side-up

2010 Gigs

May 7 – Cinnabar Winery, Saratoga, CA

June 11 – Cinnabar Winery, Saratoga, CA

June 13 – El Rio, San Francisco, CA

July 9 – Cinnabar Winery, Saratoga, CA

July 17 – Fabulosa Festival, Petaluma, CA

October 17 – 12:45 – 1:40 p.m. – 22nd Annual Fiesta on the Hill, Bernal Heights, San Francisco with the Theresa Perez Band

Dec 17 – Cinnabar Winery, Saratoga, CA
5:30 – 8:00pm

Dec 31 – Cinnabar Winery, Saratoga, CA
5:30 – 8:00pm New Years’ Eve Jazz & Wine Party