Blog

What Do You Love?

March 4, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Notice that I didn’t ask you who you love, but what? If you were re-writing the lyrics to the beloved Rogers & Hammerstein classic, what would your favorite things be? The piano, composing, lattes, flowers and nature are right up there for me over “whiskers on kittens”, though maybe not quite as cute, right?

Like anyone though, I commit the time to what I love to do, or I’ll spend all my time on technology like everyone else. One comment I hear so often is that people wish that they had “stuck with their instrument” — that they “still wished they could play,” and they feel regret for not continuing with an early passion or interest. But if you love music, there are always ways to sprinkle it in your life — add some music lessons in the summer maybe, or see live music more often — both ideas are pretty easy to do. It really doesn’t have to be an all or nothing approach — if you enjoy something, just try and find ways to include it more often.

Taking time for what we love, as well as hanging with who we love is what life is all about isn’t it? (And way better than a pair of “warm woolen mittens” most days of the year!)

Back to the piano for me now!

Lisa

All the things I love: My practice space, lattes, a photo of Miles Davis that inspires me, fresh flowers, composing, my piano, books on music, my Limoges collection and sunny days in nature.

Behind the Scenes at Carnegie Hall

February 11, 2020 by Lisa Hilton

Carnegie Hall

lisa hilton plays piano with rudy royston, jd allen, and luques curtis

Photo by Ryan Nava.

Are you curious what it’s like to perform at Carnegie Hall?

One thing for sure is that it was a LOT easier the sixth time than it was the first time, especially with an enthusiastic audience, so this year was my favorite year so far. The fact that my friends JD, Luques, and Rudy all there this year just warmed my heart – we really have been playing together a while and it’s just getting better for us.

OK, back to the question, what is it like to play there? Every room has a unique energy, as well as advantages and disadvantages – but these days I only perform in rooms that I like. Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall has perfect acoustics and an amazing 9′ Steinway D, that’s way up there in the advantages category for a pianist of course, since I only get to play a piano like that maybe 2-3 times a year at best. Just imagine my favorite thing to do – playing the piano – on one of the finest instruments in the entire country. It’s like a Ferrari to me – a high performance vehicle – that’s what it’s like! You can see the piano practically overwhelms the stage – it’s huge – that big “engine” has longer strings with the ability for a greater range of sound as well as dynamics. So I get to enjoy the thrill of the sonic beauty, the easy “touch” which allows quickness and clarity, but I also try and “milk” the room and piano with contrast in volume – playing very very softly as well as really pretty loud, all magnified naturally by the design of the room, so no microphones are needed. That’s definitely cool. I also that that it’s a “treat” for most of us to go to Carnegie Hall so there are positive expectations with the audience. The room and stage are very pretty and live up to those expectations – lots of chandeliers all around – and I like being a part of a special experience. As an artist, I like playing up to those advantages – so yes, the room is inspiring.

OK, what’s it like to play Carnegie Hall?

It’s absolutely soooo much fun! We had an awesome time! I think we’ll be back Jan 10, 2021!

– Lisa

Photos by Ryan Nava.

Chalkboard Destiny Q&A with Lisa Hilton

October 28, 2019 by Lisa Hilton

Category 1

lisa hilton looking over her shoulder playing a piano

Photo by Aaron Regan.

Q: Another new release – how many is that now?

Lisa Hilton: Well let’s see, twenty- two releases in the US & two in Asia, so twenty- four total. There’s a couple of compilations that my work has also appeared on.!

Q: You must be very disciplined, to put out new recordings every year, right?

LH: I don’t look at it that way at all! I have a deep love for composing and then I appreciate growing the music through the recording and touring aspects. Sure, it take years to develop your skill set, but now I get to devote time doing what I love and touching people’s lives musically around the world every year. That’s fun, not work for me.

Q: Tell us about the concept for Chalkboard Destiny.

LH: The last two to three years have seemed unusually full of tumult on our planet: from politics to climate catastrophes. I’m not even sure when this kind of flux last happened. But it’s starting to sink in that this is our new normal, so I started looking at the advantages of living in a time of accelerated change. It’s a time to rewrite history, to bust myths, to create our own fantasies perhaps and to forge a new destiny or future. That’s pretty cool. I think artistically it’s a fertile time I choose to explore – I think you can hear that blend of jazz traditions performed within a new context on the album – I think you can hear a little bit of (jazz pianists/composers), a little bit of Count Basie, a little Horace Silver…

Q: and some Coltrane too…

LH: Yeah, JD reminds me of Coltrane. I’ve worked with him since 2009, and I’ve toured and recorded with JD, Rudy and Luques a few times too, so we feel like family – I think you can hear that. I love Luques’s cool bass lines, & Rudy’s detail work as well as JD’s colossal sound. I’m a big fan of my bandmates!

Q: It does sound like you guys work really well together, really complimenting each other’s style.

LH: We really enjoyed recording it. You know, we never rehearse, I just introduce the composition and then we play, so everything you hear is unfolding in the moment and it creates a tension you can hear. My favorite track was Sympathy for Blues – that piece just explodes in the middle section! Luques said he liked the Rush Hour Rhapsody best with its old school vibe, and Rudy said he wished he had written Temporary Lullaby himself, which is kind of him. JD said he especially liked Waltz From Nowhere and the ‘Spanish tinge’ of Myths & Fantasy which is interesting. He sounds very classical on those tracks.

Q: Is there a story behind the Joni Mitchell track, Blue Boy?

LH: Joni Mitchell is an incredible composer and Blue Boy is a very strong composition. I seem to be drawn more to composers who are women and I think it’s important to support women in my industry too – most jazz standards are all written by men, so we need to work towards greater parity. I think Joni was referring to her lover Leonard Cohen in her lyrics and the inevitable demise of that relationship. In the studio the band was a bit reluctant to record it – I don’t think they really knew the piece. So I told them what I heard in my head, and played it though once for them. Then we did two breathtakingly beautiful takes together. Thankfully afterwards everyone was like, “Great idea – I loved that, so I’m glad we did record it!

Q: I noticed you worked again with top tier engineers Al Schmitt, Fernando Lodeiro, Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen.

LH: I first worked with (twenty three Grammy® Award winning engineer) Al Schmitt in 2003 I think – I admire him as an artist in his field and a very inspiring person too. In 2009 on Twilight & Blues Fernando Lodeiro worked on that project with us and I really liked him, and now he’s a Grammy® Award winning engineer too! Gavin Lurssen I have worked with since 1997 and his business partner Reuben Cohen for several years – they have their share of Grammy’s® as well. I really care about the sound, and I’m lucky to have these steadfast relationships with the best engineers in the world.

W: When do you start your touring?

LH: Janary 9th at Carnegie Hall – I think it’s my sixth year in a row that week at Carnegie. What I think is cool is that I bring the music of a woman composer when I tour – most performing arts centers only perform work by male composers, so I am helping to change that. We’ll also do a show for Perkins School for the Blind in Boston – I like to be supportive of students who are visually impaired every year.

Coming Soon!

October 28, 2019 by Lisa Hilton

Chalkboard Destiny

lisa hilton and her band standing on a roof in nyc

Rudy Royston, JD Allen, Lisa Hilton & Luques Curtis – Photo by Ryan Nava

“WOW! A quantum leap compositionally, as well as the overall aura. Hilton has an absolutely unique and beautiful sound – BRAVO!”

– Hugh Carson, KVNF Radio

“My favorite album we’ve worked on, there’s a lot of great music!”

– Al Schmitt, 23 time Grammy Award Winning Engineer

“We live in an exciting time of constant change…” is the introductory quote from composer and acclaimed pianist Lisa Hilton in the liner notes for her new release Chalkboard Destiny, recorded with jazz luminaries JD Allen on tenor sax, Rudy Royston on drums and Luques Curtis on bass. It’s an appropriate prelude for an album that unfolds with the track “Rush Hour Rhapsody” – quickly exposing the listener to the shimmering energy of Hilton’s band.

Hilton conveys that the concept behind Chalkboard Destiny is the idea that our future, our destiny, can be continually reshaped, implying that we are not beholden by history or traditional myths, allowing us a freedom in creation. The title track, “Chalkboard Destiny,” easily exhibits this concept with Royston’s rim shots crackling for attention. There’s also a hard-to-pin-down energy flowing between Allen’s explosive virtuoso displays, the dynamic details of Royston’s accents and the booming lines of Curtis’s bass alongside Hilton’s fluid piano. Allen’s solo in the middle of “Sympathy for Blues” is astounding, and along with Curtis’s agile bass, Royston’s touch and the laid back retro charm of Hilton’s piano.

Hilton shows her harmonic and emotional depth with her tender ballad, “Temporary Lullaby,” as well as the moving “Waltz From Nowhere.” The Joni Mitchell classic “Blue Boy” showcases the compatibility of this group – Allen’s dusky tenor a contrast to his band mates. Tracks “Tropic of Tango,” “Myths & Fantasy,” and “Adventures & Alibis” all explore Latin rhythms and engaging harmonic ideas as well. “Café au Mojo” is a bright piece where traditional ideas abound. It’s noteworthy that GRAMMY® Award-winning engineers – Al Schmitt, Gavin Lurssen, Reuben Cohen, Fernando Lodeiro contributed to the sound.

About Lisa Hilton: Hilton’s style influences extend beyond jazz legends Thelonious Monk, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington, to include bluesman Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, to classical giants like Chopin. Hilton’s releases consistently sustain her profile as a consistent composer, pianist, producer and bandleader. She also performs at venues across the US from the Weill Recital Hall within the legendary Carnegie Hall to Chicago’s historic Green Mill and is known her expressive technique at the piano as well as for her warmth and storytelling on stage.

Originally from a small town on California’s central coast, Hilton studied classical and twentieth century piano formally from the age of eight, where she was inspired by her great uncle, Willem Bloemendall, (1910-1937), a young Dutch piano virtuoso. In college though, due to the lack of creativity in the music program, she switched majors and received a degree in art instead. Ever since becoming a professional musician, this background in the fine arts has well informed Hilton’s composition process. Committed to helping students who are often overlooked, for years Hilton has regularly spent time to help blind students at the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who are Blind, Jr. Blind of America, Camp Bloomfield for the Blind, and The Berklee College in Boston and their adaptive music lab for visually impaired. “I enjoy extending help to those with physical disabilities – music should be for everyone,” Hilton says.

lisa hilton chalkboard destiny album cover

“Chalkboard Destiny” Ruby Slippers Productions 1024 · Release Date: December 6, 2019

LisaHiltonMusic.com Facebook Instagram Twitter

1/9/20 CARNEGIE HALL / WEILL HALL / NYC / 8PM

2/21 / SF JAZZ/ San Francisco, CA / 8PM

2/22 / KUUMBWA JAZZ CENTER/ Santa Cruz, CA / 7:30 pm

2/23 / PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY / Malibu, CA / 8PM

4/14 / PERKINS SCHOOL / Boston, MA

4/15/ THE RED ROOM AT CAFÉ 939 / Boston, MA 8PM

4/16 / BUDDY GUY’S LEGENDS / 6 PM Chicago

Take me on your vacay….

August 11, 2019 by Lisa Hilton

Category 1

That’s right… Lisa Hilton OASIS CD might be on your flight!

I hope your summer is going well! If you plan a vacation, I just want to point out that you can travel with our music too! Why not relax with a little jazz and OASIS when you’re flying? And while your at it, here’s the video again – feel free to post on your social networks just to create a summer vibe! ! OASIS OFFICIAL VIDEO it’s beautiful isn’t it? (No that’s not me swimming!)

I’ve had several people ask me WHEN ARE YOUR NEXT TOUR DATES? These are the upcoming dates but they are not posted yet – we will take photos s o o n and use them for posting the events when the new music is done in about a month, but…. here they are:
JANUARY 9/THURSDAY 8PM: CARNEGIE HALL/NYC with JD Allen/sax, Rudy Royston/drums and Luques Curtis/bass https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2020/01/09/Lisa-Hilton-Piano-0800PM

FEBRUARY 21/FRIDAY 8PM SF JAZZ/SAN FRANCISCO, CA with Rudy Royston/drums and Luques Curtis/bass

FEBRUARY 22/Saturday 8PM KUUMBWA JAZZ/SANTA CRUZ, CA with Rudy Royston/drums and Luques Curtis/bass

FEBRUARY 23/SUNDAY 8PM PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY Malibu, CA with Rudy Royston/drums and Luques Curtis/bass

APRIL 14/ 10:45 AM PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND/BOSTON, MA

APRIL 15/WEDNESDAY BOSTON, MA TBD

APRIL 16/THURSDAY BUDDY GUY’S LEGENDS/CHICAGO, IL 6pm

Speaking of new music… I’m headed to the studio very soon with 9 brand new original compositions + 1 cover song. It’s been an incredibly creative spring – 9 new tunes is a lot, and I’m excited to be back in NYC with my musical “family” recording great new music to share with you soon. My last couple weeks of August I’ll be finishing up the music and still finding time for get togethers with family, friends and loved ones. Only a few more days of summer left so I want to make the best of this time!

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and if you’re flying, remember you can take me with ya!
Lisa Hilton
Award winning jazz composer/pianistLisaHiltonMusic.com
Ruby Slippers Productions
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The Official Start to Summer

May 27, 2019 by Lisa Hilton

Category 1

Hello there,
’Tis the official start of the summer season, but it takes a little imagination to believe that, right? Yesterday the sun was shining and the locals were out in my ‘hood as you can see in the photo. Is that a little smile on that beak? I think so. Like almost everywhere, our sunny days are limited so far this year. I hope this isn’t permanent, but for now, we all need to enjoy the good weather whenever it shows up.

It’s a nice time of year for me as I’m in my “composing season” – working on new compositions. There’s LOTS of new music – LOTS of it. Is there more creativity when times are difficult? Hmmm… there was that evacuation and the post fire presence is still around…. Who knows, but when creativity strikes there’s no need to question it – just enjoy it!

Besides composing I’m also booking my shows for 2020. So far: Carnegie Hall/ NYC /Jan 9, SF Jazz/San Francisco/ Feb 21, Kuumbwa/Santa Cruz, CA/Feb 22 and Pepperdine University/Feb 23/Malibu, CA and Buddy Guy’s/Chicago April 16 with more dates to come. I also participated in the United Way HomeWalk in dtla along with 15,000 others to raise money and awareness for our homeless issues. A very, very important cause.

Wishing you a good start to the summer season and wishing everyone everywhere some better weather!
Take care,Lisa

Spring Tour Recap

April 22, 2019 by Lisa Hilton

Category 1

#jazz, #LisaHilton, #livemusic

On stage at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago

I had a great time touring…

Hello everyone!
I had a great time touring and meeting people sharing the music from OASIS. Fortunately there was fairly good weather, although it did snow during my Ann Arbor show, but it was beautiful in Boston and really nice in Chicago. I always enjoy sharing the music and meeting piano enthusiasts everywhere I go. I finished the tour with a quick trip to SF to visit family and see a Brad Mehldau show at SFJazz too. So what’s up now? Well, a little spring cleaning – like everyone – and now I’m in my Composing Season – which is my favorite time. It’s such a treat to be back creating new ideas at my beloved piano! What will come out next?
I would like to take the time to thank EVERYONE EVERYWHERE who has played, streamed, voted for, wrote about, purchased, came to a live show or otherwise supported our album OASIS – we have really appreciated the love and it keeps going forward too – the music will be great for the warmer months too!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR ALBUM OASIS:

2SER 107.3/Australia, ACIK RADYO/Turkey, AMERICAN JAZZ/CA, ANIMA JAZZ/Italy, AUSSIE GROWN RADIO/Australia, BBC/GLOBAL RADIO/ENERGY FM/UK, BLISS BUBBLE RADIO/ CA, BLUES NET RADIO/PA, CALM RADIO/Canada, Celestial Reasonings/CA, CFRO/Canada, CIBL/Canada, CILU/Canada, CITR/Canada, CJUM/Canada, CKSJ/Canada, CKUW/Canada, GAIA PRIME RADIO/ MA, GMHT/Netherlands, GOOGLE PLAY, GOTRADIO/PIANO, GROOVERA NEW MODERN RADIO/CA, GYDNIA RADIO/Polland, HAYES FM/UK, HPPR-2KANZ, HI, IMC RADIO/MS, INSTRAMENTAL HITS RADIO/online, JAZZ AFTER HOURS/syndicated, KBMF/MT, KIOS/MA, KJZZ/AZ, KKRW/CA, JAZZ CENTRAL SINE FM/UK, JAZZ FROM GALLERY 41/Syndicated, JAZZ HEART RADIO/South Korea, KAWC/KAWP/AZ, HFM RADIO/UK, JAZZ FM/UK, JAZZ HAPPENING NOW/CA, JAZZ 24/7 from WBGH/MA, K107 FM Kirkcaldy Community Radio/Scotland, KAFM/JAZZ ALLEY/CO, JOURNEYSCAPES RADIO/FL, KANU/KANH/KANV/KS, KAOI/HI, KAOS/WA, KBEM/MN, KBRW/AK, KCCK/IA, KCMJ/CO, KCSB/CA, KCSM/CA, KDNK/CO, KEOL/OR, KEWU/WA, KKCR/HI, KKRN/CA, KMNO/HI, KMUN/OR, KMXT/KUHB/AK, KNTU/TX, KNOM/AK, KOPN/MO, KOSA/CA, KPBX/WA, KPFA/OR, KRCL/UT, KRSC/KY, KRTU/TX, KRVR/CA, KSDS/CA, KSER/WA, KTEP/online, KTOO/AK, KUAC/AK, KUBU/CA, KUTX/TX, KUVO/KVJZ/CO, KVNF/CO, KVPR/CA, KVSF/NM, KWMR/CA, KYGT/CO, LAB FM/UK, LAST FM/UK, LAUT FM/online, MAX FM/Australia, MOJA/NY, MPR/MT, MUSICAS IMAGINADAS/SPAIN, OCAN RADIO CHILLED/online, ONDA LATINA/Spain, OUTSIGHT RADIO HOURS/online, PANDORA, PEACEFUL RADIO/Netherlands, RADIO 6 INTERNATIONAL/ Scotland, RADIO 794/Netherlands, RADIO ARC EN CIEL/France, RADIOACTIVE FM/New Zealand, RADIO ART/Greece, RADIO DESPI/Spain, RADIO DOMELDO/Romanian, RADIO GALILEE/ Canada, RADIO ILIBERIS/Spain, RADIO KANSAS/KS, RADIO MUZKOM/Russia, RADIO REGENT JAZZ ZONE/Canada, RADIO RICK/Netherlands, RADIO PALAFRUGELL/SPAIN, RADIO PRAETORIA/France, RADIO SEAGULL/Norway, RADIO VIDEO/Ireland, RADIO VALENCIA/CA, RADIO X/Germany, SLOR/Netherlands, TAINT RADIO/NC, TAMESIDE RADIO/UK, THE CHIEFTONS RADIO/Spain, THE GLOBAL VOICE/WQNA/ Canada, THE LOUNGE/CA, THE NETWORK RADIO/Italy, TOPPY JAZZ/Germany, UBUNTU FM/Africa, URQUIZA FM/Argentina, VOICE OF AMERICA/Syndicated, WAJH/AL, WAWL/TN, WBGU/OH, WCLK/GA, WCNI/CT, WCNY/NY, WDCB/IL, WDCB/IL, WDNA/FL, WDVR/NJ, WERU/ME, WESS/PA, WFCF, WFIT/FL, WFIT/NY, WGMC/NY, WGVU/MI, WHFC/MD, WHPC/NY, WHRV/VA, WHYR/LA, WICN/MA, WICR/IN, WJFF/ PA, WJMX/MA, WJSU/MS, WKNH/NH, WLNZ/MI, WMHB/WXNZ/ME, WMKY/KY, WMNR/WRXC/WGRS/CT, WMSE/WI, WMUA/MA, WMUH/PA, WNCU/NC, WNMC/MI, WORLD OF JAZZ PODCAST/Internet, WOOC/NY, WPRB/MA, WRIR/VA, WRPI/NY, WRTI/PA, WTCC/MA, WTJU/VA, WTUL/LA, WUEV/IN, WUMR/WI, WUNH/NH, WUOT/TN, WUSF/WUSR/FL, WVKR/NY, WVUD/DE, WVYC/PA, WWOZ/LA, WWSP/WI, WWUF/CT, WXOU/WMCB/MA, WXNZ/ME, WYBF/PA, WEPHYR PLANET RADIO/GA, ZONE MUSIC REPORTER/LA

Enjoy the S P R I N G !

SPRING IS HERE!

March 27, 2019 by Lisa Hilton

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#jazz, #LisaHilton, blog, piano

Hi there!
I took a little Spring Break last week and went to Joshua Tree National Park in the Mohave Desert – my first time there. (You might remember that we shot the haunting video for “Mojave Moon” from our ESCAPISM album last year there, but it was done by my director James Grant at full moon so I did not go on that trip). It was absolutely A M A Z I N G! Yes, Yosemite and the Big Sur coastline are incredibly beautiful in a traditional way, but Joshua Tree looks like you are on a different planet – everything is unusual – the foliage, rocks, and of course the scale are all mind boggling. You can tell by my parka that it was cold there – it’s a high desert – but the south entrance to the park was lower altitude and strewn with wildflowers for a warm welcome. For anyone who’s a nature lover like I am, I definitely recommend a trip there.
Speaking of ESCAPISM, (a good topic after my spring break!) that album is up for Album of the Year and Best Piano Album with Instrumentation of the Year awards at Zone Music Reporter – thank you! Remember the songs Zero Gravity and 29 Palms? So nice to receive the nominations – we really appreciate the love!
OASIS continues to have wonderful support too, and we are so grateful for the wide embrace from radio and streaming shows as well as many positive reviews – like this new one: “Excellent trio mates…Hilton’s compositions remain the album’s primary strength.” Neil Tesser/WFMT/Jazziz OASIS has been:
#1 NEW RELEASES/COOL JAZZ Amazon

One of the Best Releases of 2018 All About Jazz

#1 JAZZ CHART KZSU/Stanford University Radio

#2 ZMR RADIO CHART/JAN 2019/Zone Music Report

TOP 5 JAZZ ARTISTS OF 2018 FemMusic

#5 ALL GENRES/KZSU/Stanford University Radio

#6 JAZZWEEK RADIO CHART 2019 JazzWeek

ARTIST OF THE MONTH / DECEMBER 2018 Sounds of Timeless Jazz

Pretty please…. TELL YOUR FRIENDS, or come if you can to the last remaining shows this spring:

MARCH 30 / SATURDAY / KERRYTOWN CONCERT HOUSE / 8PM 415 N. 4^th Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 http://www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com/index.php/events/event/lisa-hilton/

APRIL 2 / TUES/BUDDY GUY’S LEGENDS / CHICAGO/IL / 5PM 700 S. Wabash Ave. | Chicago, IL 60605 https://chicagolighthouse.org/event/jazz-night/And for those pre- planners, next year CARNEGIE HALL/NYC will be January 9th/Thursday.
Take care, and enjoy the official start of spring.

Thank you for the praise…

February 22, 2019 by Lisa Hilton

Category 1

#jazz, #music, lisa hilton, Oasis

Reviews for OASIS: Lisa Hilton with Luques Curtis & Mark Whitfield Jr.

AMAZON.COM/#1 NEW RELEASES/COOL JAZZ

One of the Best Releases of 2018 All About Jazz

TOP 5 JAZZ ARTISTS OF 2018 FemMusic.com

ARTIST OF THE MONTH / DECEMBER 2018 Sounds of Timeless Jazz

“Like whispers of a better place just around the corner if you’re prepared to take the ride, the tunes of West Coast mainstay and prolific pianist/composer Lisa Hilton’s exciting, well paced OASIS work their way into your listening space and take up residence…. Hilton’s active left hand teams brilliantly with the resilient give and take and formidable chops of bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Mark Whitley Jr.” All About Jazz

“‘Oasis’ is freedom and lyrical art. It overflows with Hilton’s somersaulting narrative, lyricism in every note, turning and churning in on itself — expressed with thought, clarity, and the fusion of movement and texture. Hilton slips in a whirlwind of feeling in “Watercolor World,” as a painter would to her canvas — in splashes and spurts, behind your back. The composition unravels in ever-shifting threads, which she seems to brush and stroke back into a semblance of orderly life. Her aerial lifts bank up against contrasting, darker chords for that subtle textural context she’s known for.” Festival Peak

“Hilton’s artistry never waivers: her compositional skills and classically informed arrangements are uniformly smart and her playing has never been less than inspired… a master of melodicism & dynamics.” Jazz Times

“Throughout the musicianship is excellent. The songs are melodious, memorable and swinging…add this to your must-hear list.” NYC Jazz Record

“Reliably exceptional – that is how I would describe Lisa Hilton. … Her composing and performance could be described as existing between impressionism and expressionism, but the one thing all her performances have is a heartbeat. Swinging-ly grounded in the beat she establishes is where Hilton’s charm shines the brightest.” C. Michael Bailey/All About Jazz

“Lisa Hilton shows her impressive composing skills as well as ability to create a sonic mood. She’s able to mix classical impressionistic moods a la Debussy, but with a swinging pulse.” Jazz Weekly

“Pulsing with a West Coast cool energy.” Jazziz Magazine

“The new trio brilliantly showcase their collective abilities. OASIS has many merits: Lisa Hilton provides her stunning virtuosity beautifully and exquisitely” Sounds of Timeless Jazz

“Some of the same insouciant spirit as much of Paul Desmond.” Arts Journal

“Hilton takes it old school with a cool school set…the vibe is low key and the notes get your head bobbing. Mighty chops and good taste…another winner from a winner herself.” Midwest Record

“I liked the way Lisa Hilton plays jazz from the first album I heard and Oasis is no exception. She plays jazz…”delicious” – both hands of the pianist work like a clock.” Leonid Auskern/Jazz Quad/Russia

“Hilton shows off her left-handed dexterity, while her right hand improvises brightly. Mark Whitfield Jr., keeps the trap drums strong beneath her up-tempo prowess. Luques Curtis, on bass, locks into the production to bring solid support.” Musical Memoirs/Dee Dee McNeil

“Beautiful sounds & clever but informative repartee – Hilton continued to draw undivided attention to her introspective playing style as well as the layers and layers of piano virtuosity.” Performance review 1/5/2019/Sounds of Timeless Jazz

“Wonderful mood created, great taste, fabulous style.” JazzHQ

“A deep world that has been instantly woven within the piano performance”. Catfish Records/JapanOASIS RADIO/STREAMING REVIEWS

“What a refreshing and relaxing CD: I’m super impressed Hilton and company know how to keep on raising the bar.” MAX fm/Australia“This award winner has gained the respect of an array of living legends, and she has worked alongside MANY. It all translates into extraordinary music that is compared to jazz & classical icons. Lisa Hilton is RARE.” Hybrid Jazz

“Beautiful album.” DJ Jazzmadass Radio X 91.8 FM – Frankfurt, Germany

“Nice!” Groovera New Modern Radio – San Francisco

“Nice cool jazz vibe.” WVYC /PA

“Cool!” Radio MUZKOM – Moscow, Russia

“OASIS, is like a perfectly toasted slice of buttered bread & jam…still warm, crusty & mellow.” Capt Christopher, “The Clearing” WHYR/LA

“Excellent album, first class playing” Radio Six International/ Scotland

“Great jazz!” CKSJ FM – St John’s, NL

“A great mix of up tempo fun, wonderful, serious, and sensitive pieces. All great music.” WUNH/NH

“Always a fresh approach to her music!” WHFC /MD

“I dig Lisa Hilton and play her regularly on my show “Jazz Alley.” KAFM/CO

“I love the style and the records of this great Jazz Lady. This new album is one of the best jazz records . Congratulations!!!!” FM Urquiza – Argentina

“Lisa Hilton and her piano – it’s always a pleasure!” Radio Arc-en-Ciel/France

“I like the punchy attack on those chords.” CJUM-FM FM – Winnipeg, Canada

“Jazz piano that makes the background a foreground.” Outsight Radio Hours

“Good songs.” The Chieftains Radio/ Spain

“Cool and measured, a pleasure” CILU Canada / One Fine Morning Show

“Very nice!” Radioactive 88.6 FM – Wellington, New Zealand

“Amazing & masterpiece music. Fabulous collaboration!” WJMX /Boston, MA

“I like this & will promote this album on my station.” RadioRick/Netherlands

“Another excellent presentation from Lisa Hilton.” RadioVideo/Ireland

“Very enjoyable.” Radio Seagull 1602 AM – Harlingen, UK

“Engaging music!” 94.7 The Pulse – Victoria, Australia / Just Jazz

“Always great to get a new album from Lisa.” World of Jazz Podcast

“Classy stuff, and very much into this. Especially liking “Just For Fun”. Shades of Allen Toussaint going on. Wonderful.” 2SER – Sydney, Australia

“Nice listening.” Açık Radyo 94.9 – Instanbul, Turkey

“Love it. Looking forward to playing on The Jazz Lounge” /CO

“Ideal for my Sunday afternoon show” Hayes 91.8 FM – Hayes, UK

“Sparkling!” Gdynia Radio – Tricity Poland / Gdynia, Sopot and Gdańsk

“Great disc” Onda Latina 87.6 – Madrid, Spain

“Wonderful music!!!!” Jazz From Gallery 41 Syndicated

“West coast cool & energetic heat, an interesting mix.” Jazz Central, SINE/UK

“Always fine a new album by Lisa Hilton.” Popjablues/ Radio /Netherlands

“Cream of the crop for me.” Tameside Radio / UK

“11 dazzling contemporary jazz compositions. Hilton puts her musical prowess front & center.” Lab.fm/UK

“A brilliant female pianist – passionate phrase with a melodic voice and a glowing sense.” Rakuten/Japan

“A superb new album from Lisa Hilton!” Dr.Best: Radio Z / Germany

“What a fantastic body of work… Bravo!!!!… Secklow FM / UK

“Hilton’s playing is classic, fresh and timeless all at once…” WOJBWI

“Gorgeous sexy jazz! Beautiful and so soulful…” Dr. StrangeDub: KFAI/MN

“Stellar production!” 3MBR FM/Australia

“Super!” Offener Kanal Lubeck FM/ Germany

“Amazing!” Bondi FM – Bondi Beach/Australia

“Beautiful! Perfect for my Sunday morning show!” WNTI 91.9 FM/NJ

“Elegant and intelligent.” Jazz On The Rocks Radio Show/ CFBX/ Canada

“Another delightful recording from Lisa.” WNMU/Marquette, Michigan,

“Really fine & cool sounds.” Outta Mi Yard Radio – Rome Italy

“Excelente!” Locos Por El Jazz Radio Fantasia 89.5 FM/ Dominican Republic

“Evocative & poetic talent far from clichés or pianistic chatter. Luques Curtis & Mark Whitfield Jr. punctuate this ballad of adventures that emits an obvious artistic & musical truth. These artists lead us with Oasis to a haven of peace. The compositions change us & give us a moment of fullness and intelligence of the heart.” Recommended by Les Cats Rebel/ Paris, France

“Beautiful tracks.” Boogie Bunker Radio/UK

“Lisa Hilton….hell yes!!!” KZFR FM/ Chico, CA,

“Really Cool music.” Armada Music – Amsterdam, Netherlands

“Always a musical treat” CIWS 102.7 FM /Canada

“One of Lisa Hilton’s finest recordings!” Fine Music 102.5 FM/NSW, Australia

“I like Lisa Hilton very much.” Alain Lalancette CKIA /Quebec City, Canada

“A very good mix of compositions and Fascinating Rhythm is always a great standard to include on any album.” Sea Haven FM – UK

C R A Z Y W E A T H E R

February 21, 2019 by Lisa Hilton

Blog, Lisa Hilton

#jazz, #LisaHiltonMusic, #music, Carnegie Hall, Creative, lisa hilton, zipper hall

Hi there!

I hope you are making it through our C R A Z Y W E A T H E R winter! We’ve had a lot of rain in SoCal, but everything is fine where I live and the plants and trees have never looked healthier. Years of drought and now above average rainfall makes for lush green foliage – something we haven’t seen for a while. There should be a lot of wildflowers very soon too.

I had a GREAT TIME performing at Zipper Hall in dtla (you can tell by the smile in the pic!) and had a little birthday celebration afterwards that was fun. Carnegie Hall was wonderful with my trio – I always enjoy playing there, and performing with Luques Curtis and Mark Whitfield Jr. was a highlight! Here are the UPCOMING PERFORMANCES…. please see if you can come:FEB 28 / THURSDAY / SF JAZZ/ JOE HENDERSON LAB /8PM https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/lisa-hilton-new-music-from-her-album-oasis/ A terrific club near great restaurants in Hayes Valley.

MARCH 30 / SATURDAY / KERRYTOWN CONCERT HOUSE / 8PM Ann Arbor, MI 48104 http://www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com/index.php/events/event/lisa-hilton/ My first time performing in Ann Arbor, Michigan

APRIL 2 / TUES/BUDDY GUY’S LEGENDS / CHICAGO/IL / 5:30 PM https://chicagolighthouse.org/event/jazz-night/ ALWAYS fun here – it’s an early show, so there’s time to go to another show afterwards – the club is right off Michigan Ave.

For those of you who like to plan ahead….January 9th/ 2020 at Carnegie Hall/NYC if you haven’t gone to a performance there yet, maybe next year?

Wonderful news: OASIS was #1 at Amazon for New Release for a while: Amazon.com – quite a nice surprise to see that. (If you’ve got a moment please leave a review at Amazon) OASIS is currently in the Top 14 at JazzWeek Radio Charts – down a bit from #6 recently. So we’ve been very happy with the response to the new music. And we’re always happy for praise: “Hilton’s artistry never waivers: her compositional skills and classically informed arrangements are uniformly smart and her playing has never been less than inspired… a master of melodicism and dynamics.” Jazz Times/ Jeff Tamarkin and “Reliably exceptional – that is how I would describe Lisa Hilton. … Her composing and performance could be described as existing between impressionism and expressionism, but the one thing all her performances have is a heartbeat. Swinging-ly grounded in the beat she establishes is where Hilton’s charm shines the brightest.”C. Michael Bailey/All About JazzSomething new

Lastly…I’m kind of excited about -if you have a moment here is the new project I’ve been working on – a website where I will begin music licensing for film/television/websites or other needs: Ruby Slippers Productions

Take care and hope to see you this spring at a concert!

Lisa

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INDEPENDENCE

Summer 🌞 Reading & Viewing

D I V E R S I T Y

“Chalkboard Destiny” Reviews

Creativity…

What Do You Love?

Behind the Scenes at Carnegie Hall

Chalkboard Destiny Q&A with Lisa Hilton

Coming Soon!

Take me on your vacay….

The Official Start to Summer

Spring Tour Recap

I had a great time touring…

SPRING IS HERE!

Thank you for the praise…

C R A Z Y W E A T H E R