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Cultivating Creativity

November 13, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Composing Season, Creativity, Quarantine

Because I’m not touring in 2021, (yes, Carnegie Hall cancelled our January show), I decided to start composing again. You might be thinking that I have an album coming out in 3 weeks so why would I be composing for the next one??

When I began working in music, the idea that I would compose without a reason seemed unusual. Now though, creativity is not an unknown mystical concept: now I understand I don’t need a reason to create: it is something I cultivate and nurture, as well as enjoy, and it’s an everyday part of my life. Here are things that enhance output – what I call…Creativity Fuel:

Clean up your life: Take a look at your life and ask yourself what you want to be doing and how you actually spend your time. In a magical kind of way, I find that if I put my creative pursuits first, I seem to be able to get a lot done afterwards effortlessly.
Beautify your workspace: I really don’t know why this one works, but it does. I know I can create anywhere, and I certainly know of musicians that write on tour buses or airplanes, but somehow if you create a place you enjoy being in, your projects flourish.
Be open: There are no boundaries or parameters to creativity, and it is absolutely available to everyone, but be sure you act on this concept: that you don’t impose restrictions or standards that inhibit what yearns to come out. Being open means that you won’t always hit your mark, but you also won’t miss something that might hit it.
Clarify your reason/s: Do you want to be creative to: have fun, fight boredom, to feel good, for your career, for holiday gifts, for your kids… A strong “why” really helps push you in the right direction, and will propel you on your “doubter days.”
Commit: One of my personal sayings is “Commitment is King” – nothing else has a higher level of productivity than simply committing to doing something whether it’s for 15 minutes or 5 hours a day. Commitment is an all-encompassing state – you cannot kind of commit or sort of commit – you either are committed or you are not.
Use what you have: I’d prefer a healthier world like everyone, but I also know that creativity has no bounds. Any event can be fuel for ideas. Use whatever situation you have to your advantage – difficult times included.
Stay put: This is a saying I picked up from a surfer: you can travel the world in search of the perfect wave, or you can stay right where you are and insure you get fun surf in your own backyard. There is real power in staying where you are- especially this year.
Nurture your body: Did you know the great pianist Yuja Wang can do handstands? Whatever it is you want to create, your physical body will do a better job if you’re in better shape, right? (I know you know this one!)
Hang with your heroes: We can’t always meet our heroes, but we can always read, follow, or watch our heroes. Even better though: play great compositions – not just listen to them, look for live interviews or podcast where you can hear an artist’s actual words – not the words of a critic or journalist. You can paint others paintings or read others plays or poetry out loud. The idea is to learn directly from the artist. Books, articles, teachings that are commentary are not as illuminating as what comes from the artist themselves.
Notate it! The eternal human fantasy is that we will not forget that great idea, but just in case, be sure to find a way to notate that idea: Post Its, Voice Notes, recording, music notation, or doodling. Unless you’re Paul McCartney waking up with “Yesterday” direct from your dream, you need a way to remind yourself later on in your busy day.
Enjoy what you enjoy. This might be the simplest idea, but if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing it’s hard to stick with it. Can you hack a better approach to make it more fun? My friend is a fantastic painter but is very hard on herself while she paints, so she will listen to Audibles or watch a rom-com on her computer while she paints, arousing her pleasure senses and gently drowning out critical doubts of her painting skills in the process. Find a way to enjoy the parts you enjoy and in the process you will be nurturing and cultivating your creativity – with a smile on your face too!

– Lisa

More Than Another Day: Q&A 💐

October 29, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Composing Season, More Than Another Day, Tour

Q&A with Lisa Hilton on her new release, More Than Another Day – OUT DECEMBER 4TH

Lisa Hilton/piano, Luques Curtis/bass, Rudy Royston/drums

Q: I’m sure it was disappointing to cancel shows from your tour last spring. What was it like for you to instead be composing during a pandemic?

Lisa Hilton: Well, I was curious about that too – I’ve never/we’ve never, been through an experience like this, so I really wasn’t sure what I would, or could create during a world crises. But in 2019 I had read the extensive biography on pianist/composer, Fryderyk Chopin by Alan Walker. Chopin continued to compose during the gruesome 1932 cholera outbreak in Paris, France, so knowing that inspired me to continue composing. I think this year has made me realize that creativity is how I process life experiences, so volatile times can be productive – I know that sounds weird – but turmoil can stimulate creativity for artists. When you read the biographies of jazz musicians, it does seem that difficult experiences might have fostered creativity in others – names like Monk, Cannonball and Jaco come to mind.

Q: Interesting idea. So the lock down didn’t affect your productivity other than touring?

A: I think being at the piano was a great way for the music to pour out actually. Growing up, my family lived a relatively quiet and academic oriented life, so as a kid I used to fill long hours in a myriad of creative ways. I think that quiet can be a plus for creativity for many artists.

Q: Did you have a theme or concept you were composing towards based on what was happening in the U. S. and around the world?

A: I understand that many musicians prefer to work from a concept or assignment approach, but for me, music surfaces from my subconscious, not from my conscious mind, as a response to what is happening collectively. I let the music emerge: I don’t know what I will create and I don’t try and force a direction or try and control it. Later, I can tell what the concept is though.

Q: Which is…

A: I think we should acknowledge this unique time, but also boldly walk towards our future, taking along our past experiences and history, but let’s also look for what is coming around the corner – what’s next after this day, this year? And whatever happens, don’t forget to notice the beauty or goodness in life and not just remember the harshness of this time.

Q: Was that the idea you were showing on the cover with the vintage luggage and the roses – bringing the past with you along with the “beautiful” roses?

A: Yes!

Q: Tell us more about composing from your subconscious mind please.

A: When I sit at the piano the music starts to take form – almost as if it’s inside of me just waiting for the opportunity to be heard. When I compose I do not know what key or time signature I am in, or even what note I am playing. I just allow the tune to evolve and then quickly try and translate it into music notation on the computer after I have a direction I like. I don’t ever compose to say someone else’s book or poetry or a historical incident, or give myself assignments to write in certain keys, for example. I just allow the music to emerge unobstructed, and then later on, of course I will analyze and work with it. Initially though, I’m more of a passenger or observer letting the music unfold where it may. Sometimes it’s a melody, or maybe a cool riff, other times it’s a well-formed tune.

Q: Does that happen quickly? How long does it take to finish a song?

A: Initially it is pretty quick, but finishing can take months! I’m always looking for so many things: balance, expression, communication and good compositional form. But I also want music that’s fun to play, and that my bandmates and I can enjoy improvising on. The bedrock of a jazz musician is exploration – we constantly want to explore what can be done with music harmonically, rhythmically, and with improvisation, while connecting with our shared world.

Q: Do you have a favorite tune on this album?

A: That’s a hard question! The band liked Blues & Beauty a lot – I love Retro Road Trip best.

Playing Vegetables 🥦🥕

October 20, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Back To Basics, Piano Fundamentals, Technique

Right now I have more time on my hands: I don’t have a studio date, or a big tour upcoming due to venues still being closed, and our new album, More Than Another Day is now done and up on Amazon and my website too. (Read more about the album here). There’s a lull here before the holidays, and the deadlines are mostly at my back. This is the time of year I take my cue from Kobe Bryant, (RIP), who made a remark that stuck with me – he said: “I always return to The Fundamentals every year” when his off season began.

So when the excitement of the recording session and new music calms down, and the creative projects: photos, packaging and video are under control, I go back to the piano and work on my core skills again. I normally start with sight reading classical music – the entire collection of Fryderyck Chopin and now Bach’s The Goldberg Variations. I normally add Coltrane and Bird, some Jelly Roll and Joplin and always some Bill Evans. After spending a few weeks with these brilliant minds, it makes me curious how genius is created: not only were they great composers but ridiculously amazing performers creating an abundance of work often during a short lifetime. Of course, as I plod along through the more difficult sections of their music it highlights their advanced abilities which is always a very humbling experience, but it still feels good to challenge my mind and add to my technique.

Playing classical music is a skill builder and adds to my knowledge base, while jazz always has interesting chords to explore as well as improvisation ideas. I also try and save time for my ‘vegetables’ as my friend calls them: scales, arpeggios, chord extensions, and modes that are not as fun for me as say Monk or Miles. Composing for me is my ‘dessert’ the part I love. Scales? Arpeggios? Who needs them if you’re improvising, right? Let me tell you – those fluid Coltrane lines were well rehearsed: Coltrane reportedly even practiced in the restrooms of clubs on gig night in order to have a broader range to improvise from. Sonny Rollins, the “Saxophone Colossus,” spent two years of daily rain or shine practice sessions under the Williamsburg Bridge. You have to build skills to develop stamina and create the freedom to improvise well in the moment. Back to Basics, The Fundamentals, Skill Building, or playing Vegetables – that’s what I’m doing now. Increasing skills always feels good as well as being good for you, and this year it feeds my spirit too. And hey, I like vegetables too!

Enjoy the fall season wherever you are!

– Lisa

Grammy Season Begins…

October 4, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Chalkboard Destiny, Grammys, J.D. Allen, Studio

I’m sending you a sunny California hello today. The smoke in SoCal has receded – thankfully – and we have B L U E skies again. Although it’s hot, there is a touch of fall with the shorter days now.

Fall is the time when everyone in the music biz gets excited about the Grammy Awards. The preliminary voting for nominees started Sept 30, so it’s exciting to find out who is on this early ballot. What most people don’t realize is that getting nominated is actually harder than winning! In most categories a musician or engineer has about 2% to 10% chance of being nominated.

If you get nominated – this year they will be announced November 20 – then your odds get better and you have a 20% chance to win. So you can see how it’s exciting, but always a long shot for everyone and certainly an achievement for those that win.

This year our album is on the preliminary ballot in these categories:

Chalkboard Destiny: Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Chalkboard Destiny: Best Engineered Album/non classical – Engineers: Fernando Lodeiro/tracking,

Al Schmitt & Chandler Harrod/mix, Gavin Lurssen & Reuben Cohen/mastering

Best composition: Rush Hour Rhapsody (Lisa Hilton)

Best Jazz Solo: JD Allen – Sympathy for Blues

Of course, even with long odds it’s fun to fantasize about, right? My favorite part of the recording session was the truly volcanic jazz solo from JD Allen on Sympathy for Blues about 3 minutes in on that tune. I really love it and can listen to it over and over. JD is one of the top improvisors of our time – a great tenor sax player originally from Detroit, and we have worked/toured together about 10 years now, (he calls me “sis”). I really hope he gets this award because he deserves it!

Our engineers are all my favorites so I hope that they will be considered too – I have been working with most of them over 15 years. Very coincidentally the concept of our 2020 album, Chalkboard Destiny was that our lives can be changed in an instant; little did I realize how accurate that would become this year with our lives being radically altered by a corona virus just about a month after our release date! So it would be exceptionally cool to win an award under these circumstances I think. (One reviewer even said it was perfect music for “quarantine”).

These days when my work is up for an award or competition I think of it as important to women and girls everywhere. Votes for women as composers, producers, bandleaders are really votes for your daughter, your granddaughter, your niece or neighbor. Women in jazz continue to have many challenges, but we are determined to make it easier for the next generation.

Please wish us a bit of L U C K and wishing you sunny B L U E skies too!

– Lisa

Inside Capitol Studios

September 24, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Al Schmitt, Capitol Studios, Chandler Harrod, Producer, Recording

The first time I went to Capitol Studios I was so excited to work such an iconic building, and it’s still exciting twelve years later: it is absolutely impressive and fabulously cool. The architecture itself is an integral part of the Hollywood myth and seeing it’s record shaped design always lifts my spirit when I spot it from the freeway, (something I need after morning traffic!) The mid-century landmark was finished in 1956 and Wikipedia states: “The building’s design is based on the graduate school drawings of Lou Naidorf who, as the primary architect, designed the first circular office building when he was 24 years old.” Inside classic black and white photos line the halls showing Frank, Nat, Tony and others.

The building is immaculate, so walking into the studios it’s easy to imagine the many top recording artists working there throughout it’s long history. Every year is a different experience for me – one year trumpeter Chris Botti and singer/actor Eric Benet both popped in the studio at the same time. Another year a male voice commented “Who is that playing the piano?” I turned around and recognized the singer John Mayer, (he’s very tall). One year there was opera in Studio A and the Rockettes blasting Christmas carols out of Studio B, the hallways awash with wacky song mashups! This year, of course it’s different, because Capitol is still officially closed – the friendly hellos, waves and hugs are missed, but we were thankful to be back at work in the studio again.

I use three studios for my albums: one to record the music, (this year at The Village Studios), and I then use Capitol to mix the music. (To finish the album I use Lurssen Mastering). The mix engineers, Al Schmitt and Chandler Harrod, combine, or mix, the already recorded sound into the most pleasing audio. For example, as the producer I told them that I was concerned about the cymbals overpowering on some tracks, so Chandler toned them down. In other spots, Al adjusted the bass so we can hear Luques Curtis’s cool solo better, or the very last detail on Rudy Royston’s delicate drum end. This is done by adjusting the controls on the console, and of course decades of audio experience.

Mixing with Al is actually the easiest job I have as a producer – when someone has 23 Grammys I know I’m in the best of hands, right? For the last and final step, the mastering engineers will balance the overall audio of the entire album so that one track is not louder than another for example and puts the correct spacing between tracks.

Soon the new music will be ready to send out to with the world. I’m always very happy that the work is mostly done, and I can hardly wait for to share with everyone!

Enjoy your day,

Lisa

Almost the End of Summer…

September 7, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Music Production, Producer, summer

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

Older News »

Cultivating Creativity

More Than Another Day: Q&A 💐

Playing Vegetables 🥦🥕

Grammy Season Begins…

Inside Capitol Studios

Cultivating Creativity

More Than Another Day: Q&A 💐

Playing Vegetables 🥦🥕

Grammy Season Begins…

Inside Capitol Studios

Almost the End of Summer…

IN THE STUDIO

COMPOSING

S U M M E R ☀️ F U N

INDEPENDENCE