BOARDMAN Joe Augustine to play at B & amp;B Backstage

Accompanying Augustine will be his License to Groove band.
By DEBORA SHAULIS
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
The road behind jazz pianist and Steinway artist Joe Augustine of Howland is a long one. In the last few months, he's performed solo and small ensemble concerts in North Carolina, Washington, Oregon, California and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
It's the road immediately ahead that excites him.
On Friday night, Augustine will perform for the first time at B & amp;B Backstage in Boardman. He's planned a two-part concert, starting at 8:30 and continuing at 10, that will feature blues, jazz and rock compositions.
Seventy percent of the music hasn't been heard before, because Augustine has been writing it especially for this show, he said.
Also unusual is that Augustine will be accompanied by many other musicians -- some local, others whom he's met during recording sessions -- who make up his License to Groove band. "License to Groove" also is the title of one of Augustine's many recordings.
In the band
Drummer Jim "JR" Richley and bass player Tim Powell are from Youngstown and Warren, respectively. Saxophonist Matt Ferraro is from Pittsburgh. Russian-born guitarist Al Krasel received an award as the top jazz guitarist in Europe, Augustine said. Digital keyboard player Brook Hopkins recently moved from New York to Cleveland.
"I usually use a trio or quartet and play more laid-back stuff," Augustine said. "I don't know what gets into me. The older I get, the more fun I want to have. I'm just having a riot with this material."
Then there's vocalist William Cessna, formerly of Sarasota, Fla., whom Augustine compares to Michael McDonald, Ray Charles, Joe Cocker and Steve Winwood. "He has the flavor of all those people. He's awesome," Augustine said.
After listening to Cessna's voice, Augustine pulled an all-nighter while arranging two songs, Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful" and "America the Beautiful." Augustine calls the arrangement "powerful."
Augustine is happy to play at B & amp;B Backstage. It's "one of the greatest sound-light venues, in my opinion," Augustine said.
Augustine continues to think bigger. His next record will feature a quartet or quintet. It should be released next year, he said.
He also continues to record for PianoDisc, a manufacturer of electronic reproduction systems. The computerized player piano system can be installed on acoustic pianos and captures the nuances of the original pianist's performance.
shaulis@vindy.com