Pianist Kent Strand is one of the top pianists for corporate and private events throughout the United States. His repertoire includes bluesy, swinging jazz, funky R & B, pop, Latin jazz including Brazilian bossa novas and sambas and Broadway hits.
Recent Events: October 22, 2018 Wall Street Journal event for Women In The Workplace event, Mark Zuckerberg & Priscilla Chan for their two baby showers at Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s home, accompanying jazz great Mary Stallings and many corporate events. The Kent Strand Trio played for Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the St. Regis Hotel San Francisco on February 8, 2018.
Kent Strand has played at the top clubs and hotels in the San Francisco including 8 years at the Compass Rose at the Westin St. Francis Hotel, 10 years at The Starlight Room at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel and extended engagements in the Redwood Room at the Clift Hotel and many year at Jeremiah Tower’s legendary Star’s. He performed for the grand openings of the San Francisco’s Ritz-Carlton, the Intercontinental Hotel and the Marriott Marquis.
“One of today’s best-kept secrets in piano jazz. A great classic jazz trio” February 2004 Keyboard Magazine review of Kent’s Trio CD.
Kent Strand has performed for Presidents Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter, the King of Norway and for the last six California governors including Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was the featured pianist for the 50th anniversary celebration of the United Nations where he played for the ambassadors of the world.
Kent has been hired to accompany Michael Bolton, country star Darius Rucker and jazz greats Cab Calloway, Benny Carter, Barbara Morrison, Mary Stallings Mark Murphy, Kevin Mahogony and trumpet legend Doc Cheatham at jazz clubs and festivals throughout the United States. He has performed six times on Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion Show and has backed comedians Bill Murray, Robin Williams, Paula Poundstone and Martin Short.
Kent Strand backing vocalists Bill Murray and Clint Eastwood at the AT&T Golf Tournament.
Kent has played many events for Clint Eastwood, Gordon Getty, Mayor Willie Brown and Danielle Steel.
Additional events include the San Francisco Symphony Black & White Ball and the San Francisco Opera Gala, the Junior League, Bloomingdale Grand Opening party at the St. Regis, ten years for the Stop Aids Benefit, Smile Train Benefits with Alex Trebek, Kaiser Permanente, Google, Yahoo, Electronic Arts, McGraw-Hill, Wells Fargo, Forbes, Ford, Apple, Genentech, Oracle, Yahoo, the French Laundry, Deloitte Services Price Waterhouse Coopers, Bechtel, private party for Bill Marriott of Marriott International, fifteen years playing for the San Francisco Hotel Association, SemiCon West Trade Show, Hartford Insurance event in Freeport, the Bahamas, California Restaurant Assn., Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, hundreds of events for Kimpton Hotels, the Monterey Jazz Festival Gala for Clint Eastwood, the National Association of Catering Executives Gala, Ford, the St. Regis Hotel’s national meeting, Starwood Hotels and Resorts GM conference, Time Magazine, One Market, Moose’s & BIX Restaurants, Macy’s, the RSA Conference President’s Dinner for eight years. many parties for the AT & T Golf Tournament in Carmel, the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, the San Francisco Food Bank, The Guardsmen and many more.
