Based in Colorado, pianist Steve Barta made an impression with his 1991 Kokopelli release Blue River. Although he started playing piano when he was six, Barta lost interest and stopped altogether when he was 11. He did learn trombone well enough to work in local funk bands in high school, but resumed playing piano while in his early 20s. After studying at Mankato State University in Minnesota, he moved to Colorado, where he has been involved in a wide variety of music. Barta wrote the "Heritage Suite," a work inspired by the freedom movement in Czechoslovakia; he performed it in the Czech Republic with an orchestra shortly after the country became free. Steve Barta recorded several local albums before meeting Herbie Mann and making his thus far lone effort for Kokopelli. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi