Pianist George Foley's virtuosity, warmth and humor have endeared him to audiences for over thirty years. His wide-ranging repertoire includes jazz, rags and other gems from the ragtime era, standards from the teens, 20's and 30's, swing tunes, blues, short 20th century classical pieces and occasional forays into modern jazz and movie themes. He is sometimes referred to as "Lefty" due to the power and dexterity of his "killer" left hand.

George also sings in a style reminiscent of Fats Waller, Jack Teagarden and Mildred Bailey.

George is in great demand as a soloist, with his own band and as a featured member of other bands. He appears regularly as a soloist at Nighttown, as pianist with the Mercuries and with the Night Owls, and in a duet setting with bassist Gene Epstein.

George's ability to swing and improvise contribute to the intensity and drive of his performances.

George Foley Bio

Born in 1958, George Foley started playing ragtime at the age of 13. He received most of his musical education at the Cleveland Music School Settlement, where he studied piano, theory, composition and jazz improvisation.

George attend the College of Wooster in Wooster Ohio, where he hosted a weekly ragtime radio show and payed piano for the Wooster Jazz Ensemble.

He was awarded the Charles V. Rychlik Composition Award by the Cleveland Music School Settlement for his "Chinatown Rag" in 1974.

He released his first album "Cleveland Rag" on Century-Advent Records in 1977. It was re-issued on the Jazzology label in 1980.