Gaea Schell is a Los Angeles-based jazz pianist/composer and singer. She is a native of Alberta, Canada  where she grew up playing music from an early age. During the pursuit of a classical harp degree in college, Gaea began listening to piano greats Oscar Peterson

Oscar Peterson

Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...

, Bill Evans

Bill Evans

William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...

 and Red Garland

Red Garland

William "Red" Garland was an American hard bop jazz pianist whose block chord style, in part originated by Milt Buckner, influenced many forthcoming pianists in the jazz idiom.-Beginnings:...

  among others. This inspired a move East and subsequent graduation from the jazz program at acclaimed McGill University

McGill University

Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...

.

Schell gained valuable experience playing with proteges of greats like Joe Henderson

Joe Henderson

Joe Henderson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than forty years Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent labels, including Blue Note.-Early life:From a very large family with five sisters and nine...

, Wynton Kelly

Wynton Kelly

Wynton Kelly was a Jamaican-born jazz pianist, who spent his career in the United States. He is perhaps best known for working with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1959-1962.-Biography:...

 and Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...

. A 1999 Canada Council for the Arts grant took Gaea to New York City where she studied with internationally known pianist/composer Richie Beirach

Richie Beirach

Richard "Richie" Beirach is a jazz pianist and composer born in New York City.He initially studied both classical and jazz before entering the Berklee College of Music....

.

Gaea made her California debut as a featured performer at the San Jose Jazz Festival and has been performing professionally as a pianist (and recently vocalist) for over ten years in many diverse musical contexts. Her experience includes everything from trio to big band to solo work to orchestral performance. Notable artists she has played with as a sideperson include Nancy King

Nancy King (jazz singer)

Nancy King is a world-renowned jazz singer from Portland, Oregon, United States.- References :...

, John Stowell

John Stowell

John Stowell is an American Jazz guitarist, composer, author and lecturer.- Biography :Stowell, who plays electric and acoustic guitar, raised in Connecticut had private studies with Linc Chamberland and John Mehegan...

, Albert 'Tootie' Heath

Tootie Heath

Albert "Tootie" Heath is an American jazz hard bop drummer, the brother of tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and double-bassist Percy Heath.He first recorded in 1957 with John Coltrane. From 1958 to 1974 he worked with, among others, J. J...

, Tony Dumas

Tony Dumas

Tony Dumas is a retired American professional basketball player.Dumas played collegiately at the University of Missouri-Kansas City . He was the all-time leading scorer in UMKC history upon the completion of his career, with 2,459 career points. His senior season, he finished seventh in the NCAA...

, Bob Sheppard

Bob Sheppard (musician)

Bob Sheppard is an American jazz saxophone player.Sheppard has been a studio musician on a wide range of studio, film and television projects, and has also recorded his own albums...

, Ingrid Jensen

Ingrid Jensen

Ingrid Jensen is a Canadian jazz trumpet player.Jensen is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and Malaspina University in Nanaimo, British Columbia. She has been nominated for several Juno awards, winning one with her first release, Vernal Fields...

, Bobby Watson

Bobby Watson

Bobby Watson is an American post-bop jazz alto saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator. Watson now has 26 recordings as a leader. He appears on nearly 100 other recordings as either co-leader or in a supporting role...

, Dan Faehnle

Dan Faehnle

Dan Faehnle is the current guitar player for the group Pink Martini. He currently resides in Ohio, but was a resident of Portland, Oregon for many years.Dan has shared the stage with jazz greats such as Joey DeFrancesco, Delfeayo Marsalis, Dr...

 (guitarist with Diana Krall

Diana Krall

Diana Jean Krall, OC, OBC is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer, known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 6 million albums in the US and over 15 million worldwide; altogether, she has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist during the 1990s and 2000s...

), Earl Palmer

Earl Palmer

Earl Cyril Palmer was an American rock & roll and rhythm and blues drummer, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....

 and Gilbert Castellanos (member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra

Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra

John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton, and Jeff Clayton brought together a group of Los Angeles-based musicians in 1985 and formed the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra . Reviewers and fans loved the big band, and the orchestra's first recording, Groove Shop , earned a Grammy Award nomination. CD Review named...

).

Schell has released three CDs - Dream Away,For All We Know(2007) and After the Rain (2009)

External links

• Gaea's website
• "After the Rain"