The free admission Glendale Noon Concerts (GNC) series hosts live performances at the sanctuary of Glendale City Church, 610 E. California Ave. in Glendale.

On Nov. 18, GNC will feature the Ark Sano Jazz Trio playing standards, with Ark Sano on piano, Larry Steen on bass and Dustin Haner on drums.

Known as the pianist of the jazz band Black Note, Ark Sano is reputed as one of the top pianists on the jazz scene. As a summa cum laude graduate and scholarship recipient of the Berklee College of Music with a major in jazz and composition, one of his highest achievements was when he became a finalist of The Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition. He has appeared in numerous recordings with Black Note, and produced four albums including Jungle Music and Nothin But Swing. He has appeared in well-known jazz festivals at North Sea, Monterey, Montreal and JVC. In addition to his talented jazz skills, Sano is a composer, music arranger, music director and conductor of the Japan Chamber Music Ensemble.

Bassist/composer/producer Larry Steen has been declared “A giant of the not too distant future” by the Los Angeles Times. Equally proficient on both fretted and fretless electric bass, as well as classical and jazz upright bass, Steen’s accomplishments are nothing short of remarkable.

Steen has performed and/or recorded with a wide array of top name performers, cutting across all genres. The expansive list includes Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Billy Eckstine and Mel Tormé, Bennie Maupin, Louis Bellson, Bob Sheppard, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. He has also performed with Barry Manilow, Engelbert Humperdinck, Melissa Manchester and Jimmy Buffett, as well as Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Dave Koz and Steve Vai.

Steen has played bass on numerous TV and radio recordings, including Roswell, Providence, Felicity, Once and Again, Beverly Hills 90210, Power Rangers, General Hospital, Entertainment Tonight and many others. His debut CD, First Move, features jazz luminaries Ernie Watts, Dave Weckl, Otmaro Ruíz and others, including Yellowjackets bassist Jimmy Haslip, who served as executive producer. His latest release, View from Afar, recorded by the Larry Steen World Jazz Ensemble, features Robben Ford, Ernie Watts, Russell Ferrante, Doug Webb and other notable musicians.

Born in Downey into a working class family, Dustin Haner found his love for the drums in high school at the age of 13. Like many young people Haner was immersed in the old 60s rock of Led Zepplin, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones.  Quickly adapting to the rhythms and sounds he was hearing the discovery of jazz, be-bop in particular, became a foundational part of his playing.  Since then, Haner has been relentless in pursuit of swing and groove. His broad influences include the works of Schoenberg, Webern, Stravinsky as well as jazz musicians Thelonius Monk, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones and Roy Haynes.

Haner has been performing throughout the Southern California music scene with his 21st century group Stoptime, the Michael Le Van Trio and the local inspiration Jacques Leisures organ trio. His stint with the vocalist Elena Gilliam and background in music at CSULB as a young talent have given Haner the tools to provide great feeling grooves across the spectrum of music.

To learn of upcoming GNC concerts visit http://glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com.