Blog

lisa hilton in a black dress with the title music is ephemeral

Almost the End of Summer…

September 7, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Just a matter of days before this Endless Summer ends. How did that happen? How could we somehow, make it through this unusual summer, still find a way to enjoy ourselves, and it’s ending already? No doubt we will have new challenges moving forward, but I think we will all continue to figure things out as we go along – just like we’ve been doing now for six months.

I like to fill every summer with nature and music – two of my favorite things. Besides beach trips and bike rides, we recorded new music, so I’ve been wearing my producer’s hat a lot. The producers role is to set up the recording session: scheduling, budgeting, taking care of the players for example, but afterwards I work on track selection and oversee editing, mixing and then mastering of the music on its way to the final album.

We record three takes of each track or song, and there are ten songs on the album, (which is about one hour long). If you listen to each take a couple times, you can see how those hours add up, and you really can’t listen too much at one time. I do love what I call “First Listen” – hearing the full grown composition in its near final form. That’s a time to be astonished at my bandmates Luques Curtis and Rudy Royston, and revel in the cool things we recorded, but it’s also, honestly, a time to cringe at silly mistakes too.

I’m always listening for the BEST take – but what is that? What intro is the most compelling? What solo is the most creative? Track selection is like trying to decide which cloud you prefer in the sky – music is ephemeral – ever changing – so it’s tricky deciding what will connect the most with listeners. Those decisions are now done, and so I have time to listen for pleasure for the first time. I will divulge here that our new music is uplifting and puts me in a good mood – something I think we all appreciate this year, right? I really wasn’t sure what I’d get composing during March – July, so I’m very thankful it’s upbeat!

I’ll take a mini road trip to wind up the summer, but I’ll have new tunes along the way – just like every summer, and I’m going to do whatever I can to enjoy nature as much as possible.

Take care and enjoy the end of summer,
Lisa

lisa hilton playing piano at the village studios

IN THE STUDIO

August 19, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Luques Curtis, Recording, Rudy Royston, Social Distancing, Studio

Yep, we did it! We recorded a new jazz album, and it was the culmination of six creative months composing during an unprecedented time in America’s history. Whew!

This year recording new music, like everything else, was different of course. Every studio date seems like a miracle to have the band/engineers/studio/piano all available on the same day. The logistics – more like a complex dance – to find a studio that was open and had good safety procedures in place, were more involved than in the past, but thankfully everything finally came together. I decided on recording at The Village Studios in West Los Angeles this year because they are a top studio, (with an illustrious history), and also have approval from the City of Los Angeles to remain open despite any lock down in California. In addition, they were very kind to me during my evacuation from the Woolsey fire almost two years ago, and I like to work with kind people.

Despite all the preliminary work, scheduling, and pandemic precautions, once we enter the studio, everything changes for musicians. We are able to focus 100% on our art, our instruments, the moment, and sound itself. You do hear stories about musicians having difficult times in recording sessions, and there is stress to get things “right”, but I love the act of creating music in the moment with the highest quality sound. Awesome bandmates Rudy Royston and Luques Curtis, top engineer Chandler Harrod, (with Karl Wingate assisting), perfect studio acoustics, and of course, the big nine foot Steinway D that was loaned to me for recording. (This year I was told the piano was a favorite of film composer John Williams – well, it was fabulous!)

So, how did we do? Hmmm… I have a rule that I don’t “judge” until I’m all done. In the studio your senses and emotions are heightened: I think the worst thing you can do is judge under those kinds of conditions, because the tendency is to think it’s the best thing, or the worst thing you’ve ever heard! So in the studio we play at the top of our abilities with freedom from over-analyzing. Those are the euphoric moments for me – when the music comes alive after months of thought, trials, and efforts magically blossoming in real time into a creation we will share with the world. To say that it is an incredibly cool experience is a huge understatement – those are the moments the composer lives for – it feels like the birth of music itself.

Enjoy these last couple weeks of summer,
Lisa

chandler harrod lisa hilton and al schmitt at capitol studios hollywood

COMPOSING

August 10, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Al Schmitt, Composing Season, Sheet Music, summer

My recording engineer Chandler Harrod is on my left, and my mix engineer, Al Schmitt (who has 23 Grammys) is on my right. This photo was taken at Capitol Studios/Hollywood, last year.

As we enter August, we can all sense the end of summer coming: the days getting shorter, the scramble to enjoy a few more BBQs, and for me, the period of my heightened creativity will change. Every spring I begin composing, and by August the little song “embryos” have grown up into full- fledged compositions ready to be hatched and recorded with my band to take flight into the real world. How will they fare? Only days remain to polish and practice these new pieces, (often with my trusty Dr. Beat metronome at my side), so we will know soon, won’t we?

My thoughts are filled not only with the music, but in seeing my bandmates again and my engineer friends, too. (I’m working on my sixteenth album with engineer Al Schmitt!) I love recording in a studio, and I feel lucky we can be together and still work safely.

Every year when I begin composing it is a mystery what I will create. I understand that many artists write to a theme or concept, (Esperanza Spaulding comes to mind here). In her book Big Magic, writer Elizabeth Gilbert mentions she waits for inspiration to come to her, while still other artists work at their craft on a daily or hourly basis. I affectionately call my composing time a “season” – this year 5 months – where I let the music flow freely, then nurture the strongest ideas into compositions.

The emergence of a new piece is a rather euphoric experience – much like a new romance – but after that, it’s a lot of work trying new things over and over to get the correct balance. Most of my 9 new compositions are about 4 pages – each page taking several hours to notate. With over a dozen rewrites for each song, the math adds up to well over 1,000 hours. That’s a lot of piano time isn’t it?

The point could be made that as a jazz artist I can freely improvise without any tune or composition. This of course is true, and how all the songs begin, but the composition is where improvisors “hang our hat” as my mom would say – we normally improvise from a form or song and a well – balanced and interesting tune is a lot of fun to improvise with AND to play.

Enjoy your summer and please wish us luck as we record our next album!

– Lisa

S U M M E R ☀️ F U N

July 21, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Jazz, Social Distancing, summer

Hmmm… so what is summer fun this year? We need to reflect on how we have fun, and where we will have it this year, so it takes a moment to decide, right? But fun is often FREE, EASY (and SAFE too). My favs are biking, hiking (early before the crowds), tennis (singles), beach walks at low tide (so there’s more room), and of course, playing the piano!

In fact, summer is the perfect time to get back to practicing if it’s been on your mind, or to get started. I think summer is the best time to begin – so parents/grandparents – if you have a family member who is interested in music, the longer days and relaxed schedule of summer reduce the expectations and stress that can happen for newbies. These days it’s even easier to order an instrument and sign up for classes online, so excuses begone!

We are safer at home – true – but please don’t limit yourself to that: take your wooden flute hiking up a mountain to play on top, or your guitar for around the campfire. I even have a small “travel keyboard” that I use in the car to play scales on road trips, (or when whoever is driving gets stuck in traffic). Time with an instrument is a lot more interesting than social media or most TV shows these days, so give it a try. Most of the time I don’t say I’m “practicing”– I most often refer to what I do at my beloved piano as “P L A Y I N G” because it’s so F U N.

Ok, so if you’re still looking for other entertaining ideas, please try the new SUNSHINE JAZZ playlist on SoundCloud, Pandora, YouTube or Spotify under Lisa Hilton to put you in a summery mood. And to top it all off, I have all CDs at a special SUMMER FUN price of $5 from now through the end of July at LisaHiltonMusic.com. (Simply use the code SUMMERFUN at check out).

Enjoy your summer safely!

Lisa

INDEPENDENCE

July 1, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Holidays, Miles Davis, summer

Independence is an interesting concept right about now, don’t you think? Most of us are yearning for more than a day too – we like our freedoms and chafe at any idea of losing the liberty to go to a beach or a bar, to open our business for patrons or to visit our parents. This year Independence Day will be smaller and quieter. Fair enough. I might not make the fancy berry cheesecake for friends but a BBQ is still within reason, and I’ll go to the beach before they close for the weekend. Good enough!

Independence, and the feeling of freedom, always comes to me through creative pursuits. Whether it’s cooking, sewing, gardening, composing and playing the piano or listening to music, that is precious time away from earthly issues. Art, in all its forms, is a gift to our spirit – a lift from the ordinariness of life. So sing a song, write a poem, paint a picture, listen to Miles Davis, dance at dusk, or simply play your instrument and enjoy the freedom and fun this holiday weekend – and always.

Lisa

Summer 🌞 Reading & Viewing

June 23, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, reading, summer

I love to read, and always indulge this pleasure in the summer. These days I only read biographies – mainly on musicians – because their lives can be more fascinating than any fiction! I think it’s really cool to interact with what you are reading in more than one way: when I read the excellent 700 page biography last spring on Frederyck Chopin by Alan Walker, I also played on the piano his entire collection of compositions – 900 notated sheets of music understanding more about his life and creativity as I did.

If you read “The Making of ‘Kind of Blue’” by Eric Nisenson or really any book about Miles, you can listen to the Miles Davis best-selling jazz album of course, but then watch the excellent The Birth of Cool documentary to understand the era, the man and his music even more. Other great book/movie combinations are the biography of Cole Porter by Charles Schwartz and the movie De Lovely; The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius by Bill Milkowski and the recent movie Jaco: The Film are perfect. The biography of pianist Bud Powell by his friend Francis Paudras called Dance of the Infidels inspired the movie ‘Round Midnight. Going back a few years, one of my favorite books, The Pianist by Wladyslaw Szpilman was made into a multi award winning movie by the same name. When you read about these great artists and then see their performances and photos or to see them portrayed by actors well, (like in the Miles Davis movie), it adds depth and interest.

Of course any of the recent documentaries on living musicians and producers make fun combinations too – I loved the book on Clive Davis as well as the documentary that showed live footage from the Monterey Jazz Festival along with the amazing performance by Janis Joplin – you might have seen that too? The Quincy Jones book Q was riveting as I’m sure the movie on the life of my friend will be too. I saw the terrific documentary produced by another friend, Stephen Badger, Muscle Shoals after finishing the book My Cross to Bear on Gregg Allman’s life. That movie has a LOT of American music history beautifully shot along the Tennessee River and includes interviews with the many musicians including the Rolling Stones and The Allman Brothers.

Reading about jazz or other music in America is about our collective history and sometimes reading about the experiences of other musicians can help me in unexpected ways – Chopin lived through the cholera epidemic in Paris while suffering from tuberculosis for example. If he can survive a plague and continue to compose masterfully, I think the rest of us can keep at it don’t you?

What are my favorite books to recommend? (Yes there’s more!) I made a list on my website, because I love these books so much (recommended books link here) as well as my favorite pianists on that page too. Enjoy your Summer!

Enjoy!

Lisa

A standing ovation with Luques Curtis, JD Allen, and Rudy Royston.

D I V E R S I T Y

June 22, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Carnegie Hall, Diversity, J.D. Allen, Lisa Hilton, Luques Curtis, Rudy Royston

The history of jazz, born in America’s south, is also the history of race in our country, and the talented and determined individuals that contributed to our culture. Trumpeter Miles Davis and pianist Thelonious Monk were both attacked by police on different occasions, but unfortunately, I’m sure there were others too.

Pianist, composer, and band leader, Duke Ellington, was famous for having his own train to take his band on tour, but it was a necessity so that they had a place to eat and to stay since many hotels/restaurants were for white people only.

Yet Miles, Monk and Ellington still continue to be some of the greatest and most revered artists in the history of our country – Duke Ellington was even commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II to compose specifically for her, a lovely piece he entitled The Queen’s Suite.

Our jazz legends have enriched our culture and continue to inspire today. We are all familiar with their names: Miles, Monk and Ellington we easily recognize, but so are “Count” Basie, Nat “King” Cole, Louis “Pops” Armstrong, John Coltrane, Art Tatum, Charlie “Bird” Parker and Billie “Lady Day” Holiday: all household names today after fifty years or more. Their talents, as well as many others, have contributed not only to jazz worldwide, but to the culture and history of America.

These composers, performers and musicians create pride in our country’s cultural contributions in music, and are proof that Black lives have contributed and mattered throughout the history of America. Who are tomorrow’s legends? Hah, that’s a tricky one, right?

Since my first band, I have always reached out to today’s jazz luminaries to record and tour with, and I’ve been lucky they’ve joined me. I’ve always looked for great musicians from a variety of backgrounds because diversity of ideas naturally stimulates creativity. So today I’d like to share these modern day leaders – some of the most talented musicians and composers today – there are a lot of great memories we have shared over the years!

Thanks for letting me share some of my favorite musicians!

– Lisa

“Chalkboard Destiny” Reviews

June 12, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Blog, Chalkboard Destiny, Radio Jazz Charts, Reviews

#1 Amazon New Release – Cool Jazz
#2 ZMR International Radio/Streaming Chart
#11 Jazz Week Jazz Chart
#52 Spanish iTunes Chart
#73 iTunes Portugal Chart for ‘Café au Mojo’

“WOW! Hilton has an absolutely unique and beautiful sound and regardless of the tempo, she has an irresistible momentum and brilliant phrasing. Chalkboard Destiny is one of the top ten jazz albums I have ever heard…just the unvarnished truth.” KVNF Radio

“Hilton remains firmly rooted in modernist technique, mastering each tune with elegance and edginess….This is a strong quartet; each musician showcases his or her own creative energy and when they come together, nothing but virtuoso madness results….Hilton has a knack for writing original compositions that expand the traditional pianist spectrum.” Jazz Times

“Chalkboard Destiny and the quartet Hilton calls her own—drummer Rudy Royston, bassist Luques Curtis and JD Allen on tenor sax—create a vibe which is really hard to turn away from. Just press play anywhere on the disc and you won’t be disappointed in any way. Just the opposite, to be exact. For there is a richness to the sound of four people playing music meant to capture your attention, as Hilton’s intrigue makes her compositions more malleable than ever, opening time and space for her and her cohorts to re-imagine and define. “Chalkboard Destiny,” “Temporary Lullaby,” and the elastic emotionality of Joni Mitchell‘s “Blue Boy” are the heart and soul of the disc, and what any listener of this grand language comes to the music for. The quiet depth achieved on “Temporary Lullaby” simply has to be heard, not spoken or written about. The quartet’s expansive rendering of the fifty-year-old “Blue Boy” only proves that we share the same heart here, then, now, and forever. Hilton packs a lot into small spaces…a recording that is simply one of the best of the year.” All About Jazz/ Mike Jurkovich

“My favorite album we’ve worked on – there’s a lot of great music!” Al Schmitt 23 time Grammy Award winning engineer/producer

“Hilton’s phrasing and upbeat tempo creates an energy and vibrancy that defies category.” AAJ

“It’s fantastic – I love every track! The presentation and musical style and production is wonderful and an absolute pleasure to listen to.” Pete Hammond/2MAXFM/ Australia

“Hilton music is full of West Coast cool energy and her recordings have subtle historical references from a wide variety of genres and eras, sounding distinctly twenty-first century and uniquely of her own style.” NeonJazz

“Lisa Hilton has good taste. She knows where she’s going and gets there… and her attack is confident… and her approach to the keyboard is extremely balanced.” NYC Jazz Record

“It’s like a magic carpet ride. Great variety, dynamic recorded range, and swings in many directions.” Captain Christopher/WHYR Radio

“Deeply rhythmic and bluesy…” Downbeat Magazine

“Excellence as always from Ms. Hilton.” KZFR/CA

“Jazz at it’s best.” World Jam Radio – London, UK

“This is the atmosphere we must have tonight…the place is filled with Hip to the ceiling. Nine sly, simmering originals by Hilton and a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Blue Boy.” Milo Miles/Miles To Go

“I was not familiar with Lisa Hilton’s music. I was expecting to hear a style similar to Diana Krall’s. Surprise! Hilton has her own unique style but just as captivating and expressive.” KDSU Radio

“A quartet with lyrical power and communicative dynamism. A dream rhythm section for this siren of white and black ivories…. note after note the seductive power of the album transports us…an album to recommend urgently.” Côte Sud 90.3 FM/Paris, France

“I’m so glad to meet this newest release.” JazzHeart Radio Seoul, South Korea

“Lisa Hilton is always a pleasure: her piano is magic!” Radio Arc-en-Ciel 103.4 FM /France

“Stellar line-up of musicians.” News Break

“Solid throughout.” Midwest Record

“Albums like “Chalkboard Destiny” scream for attention and praise. The group is strong, assured, creative and fresher than most of what is being passed around these days as modern jazz. Few artists have a personal and yet accessible sound these days. Hilton gets put in the top rung on this one.” George Harris/JazzWeekly

“Brilliant!” ArtSound FM/Australia

“This is straight-ahead, eminently listenable jazz, played with both energy and finesse, showcasing Hilton’s compositional strengths… It’s a beautiful listen.” Elmore Magazine

“A new jazz classic! Virtuoso playing with such smoothness and soul! Love it!” KFAI/MN

“A talented American female pianist, Lisa Hilton’s piano passionately sings phrases with the tension of Allen’s deep tone that emits a radiance that is intertwined!” Vento Azul/Japan

“An intimate and solid piano, with harmonies that seduce and captivate; Lisa Hilton has authentic and continuous musical creative passion.” Actual Jazz/Uruguay

“…Along with her all – star trio.. “Chalkboard Destiny” presents a defining bold sound….among the best of Lisa Hilton’s great music…. .Sounds of Timeless Jazz

“Known for her expressive technique at the piano..” Exclusive Magazine

“Great sound!” BBC Global Radio 1 & Energy FM/UK

“One of my jazz favorite pianists: I love all her albums. Highly recommended” FM Urquiza/ Argentina

“Another great album from Lisa.” Bob Osborne/ World of Jazz Podcast

“Hilton continues to impress with every new composition she records. Amazing!” Jazz Zone/Canada

“What our PACIFIC JAZZ station needed: great NEW music for the New Year.” Aloha Joe/PACJAZ

“A modern classic that’s reminiscent of some of the best of the Golden Age of Jazz”. Talking2Musicians | Music Interviews: Blues, Jazz & Beyond”

“beautiful” Lubeck FM/Germany

“Just the thing for our night time jazz slot.” Geoff FM/France

“A new jazz classic! Virtuoso playing with such smoothness & soul! Love it!” KFAI/MN

“Jazz at it’s best.” World Jam Radio/UK

“Very creative. Great ensemble playing. An excellent effort.” WECI Radio/IN

“Hilton has great fluidity in her style of playing. It’s a clear story she tells on those piano keys and most enjoyable.” CFBX Radio/Canada

“Top rate jazz artist”. KTRU Rice University Radio/TX

“Lisa Hilton is both a robust and inventive composer and player, and the quartet is a cohesive and dynamic unit. Great stuff happening here…” WOJB Radio/WI

“Lisa Hilton’s Chalkboard Destiny is a high-energy album. There are many excellent tracks for the listener to become immersed.” 2 BACR Radio/Australia

“Jazz at it best” World Jam Radio/UK

“SUPER!” Locos Por El Jazz Radio/Dominican Republic

“As expected, a fantastic new album from Lisa Hilton! /Radio Z/Germany

“Another great work from one of my favorite pianists.” JazzInMagazine/Pureto Rico

“Our Jazz radio network of stations absolutely love Lisa Hilton and her talent for creating beautiful music!” The Music Korner/PA

“COOL!” Radio MUZKOM/Russia

“Brilliant” Bondi FM/NSW, Australia

“Hilton has great fluidity in her style of playing. It’s a clear story she tells on those piano keys and most enjoyable.” CFBX 92.5 FM/ Jazz On The Rocks Radio Show /Canada

“Hilton has conjured up a modern classic that’s reminiscent of some of the best of the Golden Age of jazz.” Talking2Musicians | Music Interviews: Blues, Jazz & Beyond”

“Lisa Hilton is both a robust and inventive composer and player, and the quartet is a cohesive and dynamic unit. Great stuff happening here…” WOJB FM/WI

“Deep, smooth and lyrical.” The Magazine/Athens, Greece

“Whether up-tempo, bluesy, or romantic, Hilton’s utmost command of nuance and artistic virtuosity carries the day with ease.” Retailing Insights

Creativity…

May 19, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Blog

People are always curious where creativity comes from, but I see it as a form of play and exploration – we see that naturally in children, right? Their days are filled with continual exploration and trying new things because their world is all new to them. I see creativity in everything we do- from business, to science to making dinner: creativity is how we solve things – how we navigate our lives and solve the challenges that come up along the way. We’ve all had to be creative this year in so many ways – how to teach classes, see friends, work and have a mother’s day while social distancing – we’ve had to find new solutions for a new era.

So when people tell me they are ‘not creative,’ perhaps they are just not acknowledging their own everyday creativity. We all can nurture creative ideas if we allow time in our lives to explore and try new things. Artists have learned to set aside the time and conditions that work best for them and have nurtured their skill set so ideas come more easily. I often find nature prompts new ideas and solutions, so I always spend time outdoors. The inspiration for the video Waterfall, (below), came from hiking in the Colorado Rockies.

I love the time I set aside for being creative all-day-long, and affectionately call it my Composing Season. This time of year people are normally talking about where they will go for a vacay, but every year I go to my favorite spot – yep – my piano – in my little breakfast nook studio. A piano, a computer to notate, and long hours are just my idea for a sunny day! So this year we have Stay At Home orders – no problem – that’s perfect for creative time! When I work at the piano I always surround myself with music from my heroes – this year I’m looking at American jazz composers Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Horace Silver, and Cole Porter as well as the Brazilian pianist/composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. How would these greats solve a musical problem?

So I play, I explore, I get a bit lost, (metaphorically), I run through a bit of paper and quite a few hours, and I compose. Spring and summer days – with their warm weather and longer daylight hours are ripe for inspiration. Where will I end up? I never really know: being open to any and all ideas nudges even more directions, so I avoid placing too many demands or parameters. I start, and at some point I finish, but all that time in between is filled with pure exploration and just plain fun. How will this incredible and historic time we are living through be reflected in these new compositions? Hopefully the recording studios will be open this summer so we can record the new music to share with you later this year, but we’ll have to see what happens this summer, so stay tuned….

Hoping you are well and wishing you a really nice spring,

Lisa

Add Some Music To Your Life

May 4, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Playlists

Hello and Happy May!

We are all hoping May will be better, right? For most of us, there is hope that by the end of the month things should be improved and that’s definitely a happy thought!

I’m a big fan of radio, but I also think it’s good is to listen to music anywhere it works for you, and the last few weeks we’ve had to adjust how we do almost everything. With that in mind, and with the firm belief that we need music more than ever, I created four new playlists I want to share with you: Caffeinated Jazz, (already a hit with almost 15,000+ views in a week), Sunshine Jazz – for those whole like their jazz upbeat and sunny, and Sunset Jazz – for winding down the day, dinner parties or cozy time.

These three curated playlists highlight my favorite compositions for different moods. Curated playlists like these are similar to having a radio host choose the music so you are guided to the best tracks. I also created a playlist with some of my favorite Classic Jazz tracks of all times – oh that one was so much fun to put together! Absolutely the best are Bill Evan’s When I Fall In Love, and Chet Baker playing Almost Blue. These are incredible tracks and mesmerizing artists. I hope you’ll love them as much as I do.

These new playlists: Caffeinated Jazz, Sunshine Jazz, Sunset Jazz and Classic Jazz can be listened to on YouTube, Spotify and Soundcloud below. Enjoy!

– Lisa

Choose A Playlist

Some of My Favorite Albums Featured on My Classic Jazz Playlist

Older News »

Almost the End of Summer…

IN THE STUDIO

COMPOSING

S U M M E R ☀️ F U N

INDEPENDENCE

Almost the End of Summer…

IN THE STUDIO

COMPOSING

S U M M E R ☀️ F U N

INDEPENDENCE

Summer 🌞 Reading & Viewing

D I V E R S I T Y

“Chalkboard Destiny” Reviews

Creativity…

Add Some Music To Your Life

Choose A Playlist

classic JAZZ playlist

caffeinated JAZZ playlist

sunset JAZZ playlist

sunshine JAZZ playlist

Some of My Favorite Albums Featured on My Classic Jazz Playlist

classic
JAZZ playlist

caffeinated
JAZZ playlist

sunset
JAZZ playlist

sunshine
JAZZ playlist