Janice Mitchell and Jim Beishline will perform their special arrangements of the songs of the Great American Songbook. Their unique arrangements of the standards blend jazz, blues, and gospel flavors into their signature jazz sound. Jim is one of the area's first call pianists, an educator, arranger, and composer.
Janice is an inductee of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, as well as Jazz Buffalo's current Female Vocalist of the Year. Their combined talents over the past two decades have made them one of Western NY's most outstanding duos.
Buffalo, NY-based vocalist Janice draws upon gospel roots to deliver jazz standards, R&B, & blues vocals in her soulfully unique fashion. Janice's extensive musical background includes five world tours as a backup singer for Ray Charles (a Raelette). She has also performed live as a backup vocalist for Stevie Wonder, Fabian, Yvonne Elliman, and numerous others. Janice (formerly donning the stage name of Afreeka Trees) has recorded with a long list of musical giants whose names include Jimmy Smith, Nancy Wilson, Les McCann, and Melba Moore to name a few.
Mitchell's exceptional talents have taken her to the showrooms of Reno, Lake Tahoe, and Las Vegas' casinos, as well as cruise ships. Movie fans may recognize Janice from her appearance and vocals in the Sidney Poitier film, "Uptown Saturday Night" or Taylor Hackford's "The Idolmaker". Janice has made her home in Western New York, where she freelances. She performs regularly with the Jim Beishline Trio and also as a duo with Jim on piano. Buffalo Music Awards 2000 honored Janice with Jim's trio, bestowing upon them the title of 'Buffalo's Best Jazz Small Band'. Janice has been inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame.
Buffalo-born Jim has spent a majority of his career as a freelance jazz pianist, arranger, copyist, and educator. He began performing professionally in the late 70s, playing with a number of local bands, including the beginnings of Spyro Gyra before their hit-making days. In the 1980s he accepted a road job with Danny and The Juniors and shortly after he returned home to work as a staff piano player for BMK Studios, which produced radio jingles in the Buffalo area. Being stationary allowed Jim the opportunity to teach piano technique, harmony, and theory privately and to perform workshops at The State University of New York at Buffalo and local high schools.
Jim was hired by QRS to make solo piano CD's for player pianos and disclavier player units.
Throughout his career as a first-call pianist, Jim has accompanied nationally known pop and blues artists, including Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Waters, when they performed in the Western NY area. He has also played piano for numerous local recording artists.
Jim currently enjoys playing jazz piano with his *duo, trio and arranging for jazz ensembles and vocalists, as well as playing solo.
In the late nineties, Jim and vocalist, Janice Mitchell became musical partners and continue to give their personal and unique interpretations to jazz and blues standards for local concerts, jazz festivals, private and corporate events.