A world premiere recording of Andante con espressione by Florence Price. This graceful work is given a beautiful performance by violinist Lady Jess and pianist Ric'Key Pageot.

As part of the Chicago Black Renaissance, Florence Price was the first African-American woman to have a work performed by a major symphony orchestra

“To be able to premiere this never recorded gem by Florence Price written in 1929 is nothing less than an honor and privilege that I cherish dearly. I’d like to thank the score’s editor and historian Michael Cooper for introducing it to me, and violinist Lady Jess for her exceptional musical contribution in helping me bring this piece to life.”

— Ric'key Pageot

 ALBUM CREDITS

Florence Beatrice Price: Andante con espressione / Ric'key Pageot, Lady Jess • STNS 30201

Release Date: 2/4/2022

Recorded November 6, 2021 at Allegro Recordings, Burbank, California

Producer: Ric’key Pageot for CrazyglueMusic

Engineer: Matthew Snyder

Executive Producers: Jon Feidner for Steinway & Sons and Scott Power for Crewest Studio
Art Direction: Jackie Fugere

Design: Cover to Cover Design, Anilda Carrasquillo

Photos: Nilaya Sabnis

Photo of Lady Jess: Akinkfe Fatou

Production Assistant: Renée Oakford

Piano Technician: Bernard Alexander 

Piano: Steinway Model D #519958 

About the Artists

Montreal-born pianist, accordionist, producer, composer and music director, Ric’key Pageot comes from a musical family of Haitian descent. As a child he studied in the sought-after professional arts music program, Pierre-Laporte School in Montreal, studying classical piano, and taking advanced courses in music theory, history and ear training. During his time there, he performed as a recitalist and chamber musician, and as a chorister, performing in concert with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, led by Charles Dutoit, at the renowned Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at La Place Des Arts. 

In 2002, Ric’key was hired to be part of the original cast of “Motown Generation,” the most successful Motown Music Review ever produced in Canada. In the following years he toured France with recording artist, Corneille, whose album ‘Parce qu’on Vient de Loin’ was certified double platinum in France and platinum in Canada. In 2005, Ric’key began to work with Cirque Du Soleil as a musical director, keyboardist and accordionist for the show “Delirium;” he was the youngest MD ever hired by the Quebec company. After the Delirium premier in Montreal, Pageot gave close to 200 performances in the U.S. alone. Billboard Magazine certified ‘Delirium’ as the 6th biggest grossing tour in North America in 2006.

After more than two years of touring the US and Europe with Delirium, Ric’key left the show and moved to Los Angeles with his wife and singer/songwriter Dessy Di Lauro. It was shortly after that move that Pageot got a call to go on tour with Madonna for her “Hard Candy” promo tour and “Sticky & Sweet” world tour. For these tours he was called on to play keyboards, piano and accordion. Since, Pageot has toured with Madonna on four world tours: Sticky & Sweet (2008-09); MDNA (2012); Rebel Heart (2015) and Madame X (2019-20).

When he is not touring with Madonna, Pageot is leading his band Parlor Social with Dessy Di Lauro. Together they have designed a new and unique genre of original music they call Speakeasy-soul/Prohibition Funk, which seamlessly blends the styles of 1920-30’s Harlem renaissance jazz with today's contemporary urban sounds. In 2013, they released their debut album 'This Is Neo-Ragtime' to critics' acclaim. Their single, Jump N’ Jivin was featured throughout the 2015 ESPN TV broadcast of the NCAA women’s Final Four.

Parlor Social has performed notably at the Montreal International Jazz Festival; Blue Note Jazz Festival, Charlotte Jazz festival, the inaugural Dymally Jazz festival in Carson, CA and in 2018, Parlor Social performed their biggest show thus far at the fabulous Hollywood Bowl for the 40th annual Playboy Jazz Festival. In 2019 they went on their first headlining tour ‘Not Giving Up On You’ with cross-continental stops in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, and London.

Pageot has written and recorded with Earth Wind & Fire, Jill Scott, and up and coming R&B sensation Justin Parks. He has also toured with major music icons such as Diana Ross, Cher, and the late Dr. John. Ric'key Pageot is a Steinway artist.

Lady Jess is Artistic Director and lead violinist of the Urban Playground Chamber Orchestra (UPCO) in New York City, leads strings under the baton of Darin Atwater’s Soulful Symphony in Baltimore, MD, is a regular Los Angeles session musician, and a soloing member of Beyoncé K Carter’s band. Artist credits include collaborations with Stevie Wonder, The Roots, J.Lo, Max Richter, Alicia Keys, Imagine Dragons, Hans Zimmer, Diana Ross, Spike Lee, Miley Cyrus, Stewart Copeland, Terence Blanchard, Jay Z, JLo, Solange and more. TV credits include The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon with The Roots, Saturday Night Live, and more.

Recent projects include the Emmy-nominated documentary Homecoming with accompanying live album, the On
The Run II Tour with Beyonce and Jay-Z, the Grammy-nominated joint album Everything is Love, and recently
released soundtracks to Disney’s The Lion King with Hans Zimmer. As a session musician in Los Angeles, she
can also be heard on the soundtrack of Charlie’s Angels, It II and more. While in LA, LJ also performs with the
Hollywood Bowl orchestra, most recently for performances of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and Disney Pixar’s Coco live. In 2021, she served as contractor and concertmaster for the Oscar award-winning film Judas and the Black Messiah.

LJ made her solo debut at Disney Hall (Los Angeles) in collaboration with Nicole Miller, for and by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as part of a festival curated by Essa Pekka Salonen. She was featured soloist with the University of NC School of the Arts Symphony in November 2020, and is currently on tour with the Sphinx Virtousi. In spring of 2021, she was soloist with the Harlem Chamber Players. Lady Jess is a guest panelist and speaker at the League of American Orchestras and Sphinx Con, and is a featured guest of the podcast Being Seen, hosted by Anika Noni Rose.

About Steinway & Sons label

The STEINWAY & SONS music label produces exceptional albums of solo piano music across all genres. The label — a division of STEINWAY & SONS, maker of the world’s finest pianos — is a perfect vessel for producing the finest quality recordings by some of the most talented pianists in the world.