Jason Reolon
Jazz Pianist
Jason Reolon, celebrated South African-born jazz pianist, keyboardist, synth & melodica player, composer and university educator, has a solid reputation as one of the country’s finest talents. In all his musical undertakings, Reolon never fails to move, inspire and challenge audiences with his fresh and dynamic approach to his art.
Complex, groovy, soulful, his music transcends the boundaries of jazz, deep house and electronica to reach new and exciting realms in the world of sound. As the son of jazz songbird, Josie Gien and the South African drumming legend Bobby Gien, who performed with the famous Ronnie Scott Trio for half a decade, Reolon’s world has always been centered around music. Reolon’s love of and exposure to music throughout his life led him to complete his BMus Degree in Jazz Performance and Composition studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2001, the same internationally esteemed institution at which he has held a permanent lecturing post for the last 16 years.
In his final year of study, Reolon won the South African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) National Overseas Scholarship Competition for Jazz Piano, an honour which took him to move to New York in 2004 to further his studies and career. He has performed on stages and festivals all over the world including countries such as France, Spain, Italy, UK, Switzerland, Germany, Majorca, Argentina, US, Canada, Bali, Mauritius, Netherlands, Italy, Namibia, Zambia and recently completed his second successful tour to Australia and third tour to Europe. Reolon has recorded and released 8 internationally acclaimed albums and a live DVD in his career, besides having recorded on countless others. This extensive collaborating with other artists has rightfully earned Reolon a reputable place in the South African music industry and has likewise kept his playing style fresh and up-to-date.
No matter the project, Reolon is dedicated to honing his craft, constantly searching for new ways to expand and redefine what ‘jazz’ means to audiences and music-makers alike.
