'Kind of a reunion': John Funkhouser to bring his jazz trio to Placitas

John Funkhouser swears his name is for real.

The Boston-born jazzman is the leader and pianist of the John Funkhouser Group, and has toured the U.S. several times, performing at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, Pittsburgh’s Mellon Jazz Festival, Oklahoma City’s Jazz In June, Boston’s Beantown Jazz Festival, and The Riverbend Festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has played at the Blue Note Jazz Club, Birdland, and Dizzy’s in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Wang Center and the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, as well as top venues in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Funkhouser also has performed on national television shows, including ABC’s “20/20” and NBC’s “Today Show.”

He moved to Albuquerque during the pandemic, and fans can see him at Las Placitas Presbyterian Church on Sunday, March 17.

Funkhouser studied classical piano from age 7 and bass at age 9 before turning to jazz and R&B.

In 2000, he accepted a job at Berklee College of Music, where he taught ear training, piano, bass, harmony and ensembles until 2021.

“My mom was an amateur classical pianist,” Funkhouser said. “I just never had a very good aptitude for classical.

“Jazz came more easily to me,” he continued. “It felt more like home. With jazz, it was fun to practice for hours.”

Funkhouser is bringing his Boston band to New Mexico.

“It’s kind of a reunion,” he said. “This will be the first time they’ve been out here.”

Audiences can expect a feast of Funkhouser’s original tunes. He described his style as a mashup of world music, South African jazz, Indian classical music, Irish fiddle music, New Orleans jazz and ’70s prog rock, especially Frank Zappa.

He’ll also throw in a few standards such as “Love for Sale” and “The House of the Rising Sun.”

The trio features Funkhouser on keyboards, Greg Loughman on bass and Mike Connors on drums.

Funkhouser still teaches privately and he performs around the city at Hotel Albuquerque, Vernon’s Hidden Valley Steakhouse in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, Ben Michael’s Cafe and more.

Concertgoers are encouraged to come early for a 2 p.m. monthly artists’ reception in the church fellowship hall.