LEWISTON — American jazz pianist/composer Laszlo Gardony, who has shared his soulful improvisations and compositions with audiences in 23 countries, will bring his trio to the Franco-American Heritage Center on Friday, Oct, 28.

Gardony has won the Great American Jazz Piano Competition and released nine albums as a leader collaborating with Dave Holland, Miroslav Vitous and others.

His new CD “Signature Time,” which pays tribute to African-inspired music, features his trio of nine years, bassist John Lockwood and drummer Yoron Israel, as well as multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Stan Strickland.

Gardony has performed with the David “Fathead” Newman Quintet as well as with Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman and John Blake, who all appeared as guest soloists with his trio.

He has been featured with the Boston Pops, the Utah Symphony and The Smithsonian Institute’s “Beyond Category” Traveling Duke Ellington Exhibit. He also wrote and arranged for The Danish Radio Big Band. As a sideman, he toured and recorded with Yoron Israel, Shelley Neill, Garrison Fewell, Steven Kirby and the Wayfaring Strangers.

Gardony, who was born in Hungary, has been living in Boston for the past 20 years. He is a professor of piano at Berklee College of Music.

Of “Signature Time,” Gardony has been quoted as saying: “The lush palette of today’s music owes a lot to the birthplace of culture and sound — Africa. The album is an acknowledgment of how the many genres which draw upon the African musical heritage have enriched my own cultural experience and helped shape my voice so that I can speak to what is relevant to me today.”

The Laszlo Gardony Trio will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Performance Hall at the Franco center. Tickets are $16, $14 for students and seniors. Call 689-2000 or visit www.francocenter.org.

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