Dylan shows up, and it’s like Harry Connick Junior walked in the room!

– Ilios Steryannis, Toronto drummer

I’ll make no claims to being another Harry Connick, but Ilios sure was nice to say that.

If instruments are languages, then the piano is my mother tongue. Originally classically-trained, I joined the Dark Side when I found my Dad’s copy of Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue and became hooked on jazz. I eventually found myself studying jazz and contemporary improvisation at York University, and wound up with a Specialized Honours degree. Twenty years of professional playing later, I went back for a Masters in Jazz Performance.

But it didn’t stop there: my curious ears and hunger for musical knowledge keep my playing style wide-open. I’ve played with all sorts of people in all sorts of styles: straight-ahead jazz (solo, FreePlay Duo), R+B/soul (the Soul Foundation), world fusion (Autorickshaw , Kobena Aaqua Harrison), contemporary free improvisation, classical-meets-electronica (Lara St. John), rock (Honeymoon Suite)… and just about anything else in between.
 

I probably wouldn’t win any prizes for speed or technical athleticism: I’m about trying to be a sensitive, communicative player,  bringing a unique voice to the table while remaining open and faithful to the music and the moment. Just don’t be surprised if I throw a little scat singing or beatboxing in for good measure.