piano jazz Archives - Lisa Hilton Music

It’s been really nice….

April 4, 2018 by Lisa Hilton

composer, jazz, jazz and piano, lisa hilton

Hi there!

Hope you had a nice holiday weekend – I feasted and, I suppose, “Fested” a bit with family and friends but still got a big hike in the Santa Monica Mountains near my home. Our Spring weather in Cali has been a bit erratic, but we are getting some nice days after all the rain we had. Hope your spring is coming too!

Thank you to the artists at Junior Blind of America/WayFinder Family Services for the nice oversized card! How kind – it was fun to be back on their Los Angeles Campus after a terrific show at San Francisco Jazz – I love that venue! Thank you to all my Malibu friends, family and followers who showed up at Pepperdine University for my performance too – it was so nice to see you there! You can read about it here. “At the hands of pianist and composer Lisa Hilton, the piano is anything but black & white….”

I’m heading out quite soon to donate my time to Berklee College of Music in Boston then I head to Chicago to play at Buddy Guys Legends Club a week from today – 4/10 @ 5pm. PLEEZE come – it’s really fun – and great food too – I always have the grilled chicken salad. That is my last solo piano show of the season, but you also get to hear the jazz vocalist Nikki George who will open the show at about 5pm. (Come early for best seats!) Then off to DC for my last show with my trio with Rudy Royston and Luques Curtis on 4/12 at the Smithsonian and it’s….. FREE! Yep! THE SMITHSONIAN/ Nan McEvoy Auditorium Washington DC 6PM FREE! Who can resist a FREE show during cherry blossom season? If you can’t come to one of these shows, please forward this info to your Chicago friends and family and anyone in the DC area or who might be in town for the cherry blossom festival. btw, if there’s a radio station or other media in the Chicago or DC areas that is interested, I’d love to do a quick interview for the upcoming shows, so please let me know if you’re interested – I just did one today actually.

For those of you who like to plan ahead… Carnegie 2019 has a date: 1/10/ 2019/ Thursday at WEILL HALL AT CARNEGIE HALL/ 8PM/ NYC . I have already heard that people want to attend that one, so mark your calendars so you can plan your weekend tickets for shows ahead of time. Just in case you need them, here are easy links for ESCAPISM:

iTunes and Amazon

I want to also thank everyone around the world for your support of ESCAPISM from A-Z: All Jazz Radio to ZMR! Hundreds and hundreds of radio stations, internet radio, syndicated radio, streaming, and playlists have supported my 20th release – so it’s a real “overnight success!” ESCAPISM has spent almost 3 months right around the Top 10 on two different radio charts. And great reviews from everywhere: Russia, Spain, Argentina, Australia, Africa… and all over the United States and Canada. Thank you all! We are all really thankful for your continued support – we very appreciate it very much.

I’m looking forward to whatever will come next in my upcoming creative season…. stay tuned and take care,

Lisa

Lisa Hilton
Award winning jazz composer/pianist
LisaHiltonMusic.com
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ESCAPISM WILL BE OUT DECEMBER 1ST!

November 1, 2017 by Lisa Hilton

Carnegie Hall, Escapism, Gregg August, Horace Silver, J.D. Allen, Jazz, Lisa Hilton, piano, piano jazz, Rudy Royston, Terell Stafford

Enjoy a Night of ESCAPISM!

November 1, 2017 by Lisa Hilton

Carnegie Hall, Escapism, J.D. Allen, Jazz, Luques Curtis, piano, piano jazz, Rudy Royston

Luques Curtis

Wonderful Reviews for “Day & Night” CD!

July 1, 2017 by Lisa Hilton

Day & Night, Jazz Times, JazzWeek, piano, piano jazz

composer, jazz, jazz and piano, jazz appreciation month, JazzWeek, piano

REVIEWS FOR DAY & NIGHT

“Closer scrutiny reveals nuanced choices and numerous unforeseen turns. Hilton, brings an emotionalism to the simplest of ideas; layers of depth appear when you least expect them.” Jeff Tamarkin/Jazz times

“Fantastic new CD from Lisa Hilton. We love her version of Begin The Beguine.” Toppy Jazz the #1 Jazz Station in Europe

“Solo piano jazz…Lisa Hilton owns this art brilliantly: soft touch, subtle but very significant swing, a deep connection with the jazz tradition – especially the blues, and of course the beauty of the execution.” Jazz Quad/Russia

“Hilton returns with another CD of solo piano, beautifully played and expressive.” KZSU Radio Stanford University (#1 at the station)

“DAY & NIGHT allows Lisa Hilton to keep the spotlight for herself, and she does not disappoint. She has both the chops and soul to keep you constantly listening.” Straight No Chaser podcast with Jeffrey Siegel

“Rich with elegance and energy, with refined technique, performances & interesting improvisation.”AnimaJxpazz/Italy

“Hilton’s playing is quite lovely.” WTJU Radio

“Beautiful – I’m speechless 5 out of 5 rating.” SURF RADIO/Hossegor, France

“One of my favorite jazz pianists .” FM URIQUIZA/Argentina

“Lovely Album! Some of the nicest music I’ve heard this year.” WUNH Radio

“Hilton’s DAY& NIGHT is her best yet!” 2MAXFM/AUSTRALIA

“Straight and well produced solo piano – well done!” WRTC/Bob Parzych

“I have liked this artist for many years.” CKIA/Quebec City/Canada

“Hilton’s music is sweet and full of life.” REFRESHING JAZZ/Hilo, Hawaii

“This is an impressive album… Hilton paints her masterpieces with deeply felt inspiration. The intensity of Hilton’s playing is unfettered, through wave after wave of inspired improvisation, where the feverish worship at the altar of originality is one extraordinary composition after another. The composers’ universe is at its most expansive in the profoundly beautiful and brooding masterpiece, “Dark Sky Day” which seems to meld surrealism and impressionism in the grand manner”. JazzdaGama/Canada

“I was immediately drawn into her music…it takes my breath away.” WGCH

“Virtuosity aside, Hilton has imbued this succession of songs with so much nuance – so much extension of incredibly phrased riffs – that take the song places that are so unexpected that one is left simply awestruck by beauty”. Hugh Carson/KVNF Radio

“Outstanding. The recording and production of the album is impeccable.” No Solo Jazz/Madrid

“Beautiful sound.” BondiFM NSW/Australia

“Keyboard lust.” MGZC Radio/NC

“Expressive, eloquent compositions and playing.” Will Call/Grey Lock Glass Podcast Network

“Fully in command of her instrument, Hilton’s touch varies from deep, plush velvet to electrifying extended trills, glissandos and runs up and down the piano keyboard.” MainlyPiano.com

For Day & Night “Hilton delves into her own songbook to create more deep brush strokes to her works of art. A strong addition to an already impressive portfolio.” George Harris/JazzWeekly

“Hilton is in player in full command of the nuances of her instrument. Her approach is a welcome expanse of dynamics and tonal variety, enabling her to conjure aural pictures in a richly impressionistic style. Memorably resonant original songs…. and gentle pianistic fireworks.” Hothouse Jazz Guide

“Letting it fly with just jazz piano ace Lisa Hilton front & center, you really get a chance to appreciate what a killer pianist she is. Tasty stuff that’s a great centerpiece to her canon.” Midwest Record

“Pure passion in motion…” Jazz Quarterly: Taste Maker Honors

“Day & Night just might be the tonic this nation needs…everyday treasures that strengthen the bonds of humankind are intrinsic to the music of Lisa Hilton.” AXS/Carol Banks Weber

“Hilton explores music as art and paints texture and color through jazz approaches. Her originals convey many of Cole Porter’s compositional integrity.” Sounds of Timeless Jazz/Paula Edelstein

“Soothing yet complex solo piano music. Hilton likes to spread the wealth of her influences from the simplistic one-note three-times-fast like Count Basie or the meanderings of the complex jazzer Horace Silver.” Classical Lite

“It takes a very talented and confident artist to record a complete album as a soloist. In the spotlight Hilton’s fingers race around the keys, demanding the best from all the notes.” Musical Memoirs Jazz Blog/Dee Dee McNeil

#1 Stanford University KZSU Radio Jazz Chart

SoloPiano.com 2016 Jazz Album of the Year Runner Up

ZMR.com 2017 #6 Radio Chart

WICR #20 Radio Jazz Chart

TOP 22 JAZZWEEK CHART

THANK YOU RADIO EVERYWHERE FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

February 21, 2017 by Lisa Hilton

Blog, Day & Night, Jazz, JazzWeek, Lisa Hilton, piano, piano jazz

jazz, lisa hilton, piano jazz

I just wanted to SHOUT a very grateful THANK YOU RADIO for your incredible support for DAY & NIGHT. I was composing for this last spring right after I broke my shoulder (all recovered now), and so there is an extra sense of thankfulness that this album is connecting so well with listeners in this tumultuous year we’re having so far. I do think it’s very healing music. Let me know if I’ve missed anyone, ok? Thank you for your support….WAIF, WAWL, WBAA, WCLK, WCNI, WDBX, WDCB, WDNA, WDVR, WEAA, WERU, WESS, WFCF, WFIT, WFSU, WGBH, WGCH, WGMC, WHISPERINGS, WHPC, WITD, WJFF, WJMX, WJSK, WKNH, WLRN, WMHB, WMNR/WRXC/WGRS, WHYR, WMSE, WMUA, WMUH, WNMC, WOMR, WPRB, WQLN, WREK, WRIR, WRPI, WRTC, WRTI, WTJU, WTUL, WUKR, WUMR, WUOT, WVKR, WVUD, WWNO, WWOZ, WWSU, WWUH, WXNZ, WXPN, WYBF, WYSO, ZMR, KACU, KANU/KANH/KANV, KAO, KBAC, KBEM, KBRW, KCBX, KCCK, KCME, KCMJ, KCSB, KDNK, KEDM, KEOL, KEWU, KFOK, KHEN, KHSU, KIOS, KIPO, KKCR, KKRW/KWMR/KCSM, KMNO, KMST, KMUN, KMUW, KMXT/KUHB, KNOM, KNTU, KOPN, KPRP, KRBX, KRCB, KRCL, KSCW, KRTU, KRR, KSCW, KSER, KTEP, KTOO, KUAC, KUAZ, KUSD, KUTX/KVJZ, KUAC, KUVO, KVMR/WPRB, KVNF/KUMT, KXCI/KVOP, KYGT, KZMU, KZSU, KZUM, KZYX/KZYA, 2CCR/AUSTRALIA, 2MAXFM/AUSTRALIA, 2MBS FINE/AUSTRALIA, 2N79 BONDI/AUSTRALIA, ABC JAZZ CLASSIC FM/AUSTRALIA ABU DHABI CLASSIC FM/UAE, AMBIENT STUDIOS/UK, ANIMA JAZZ/ITALY, ANUHEA REFRESHING JAZZ, CALM RADIO/CANADA, Cdn COMMUNITY STATIONS/CANADA, CELESTIAL REASONINGS, CFRO/CANADA, CFUV/CANADA, CFUZ/CANADA, CHUO, CANADA, CILU/CANADA, CJUM/CANADA, CKIA/CANADA, CKUW/CANADA, CORDOBA FM/ ARGENTINA, EASTSIDE RADIO/AUSTRALIA, FREE FM/GREECE, GOT RADIO/CANADA, GUIDO’S LOUNGE/HOLLAND, JAZZ FROM GALLERY 41, JAZZ HEART SEOUL/S. KOREA, JAZZ ON THE ROCKS/CANADA, JAZZ 24/7 FROM WGBH, LES CHRONIQUE DE HIKO/FRANCE, LIPERTONIA PODCAST/SPAIN, MAX FM/AUSTRALIA, MGZC, MPR, MUSICAS IMAGINADAS, MUSIC BOX 4 FRIENDS/BELGIUM, NEW JAZZ RADIO BERLIN/GERMANY, OFFENER KANAL LUBCK/GERMANY, OURPLACE RADIO, OUTASIGHT RADIO, PEACEFUL RADIO, PHASE RADIO/AUSTRALIA, PLAYNETWORK, RADIO ARA/LUXEMBERG, RADIO ARC-EN-CIEL/FRANCE, RADIO CLUJ/ROMANIA, RADIO DESPI/SPAIN, RADIO DREYECKLAND/GERMANY, RADIO KRIMI/FRANCE, RADIOIO, RADIO GALILEE/CANADA, RADIO HOLESTBRO/DENMARK, RADIO SCINTILLA/ITALY, RADIO TUNES/SKY FM, RADIO WESTERWOLDE/HOLLANDRADIO Z/GERMANY, RADIO VIDEO JAZZ/IRELAND, RUA FM/PORTUGAL, SIN RADIO/GREECE, SLOR/HOLLAND, STYLE QUARTERLY RADIO, SUN MUSIC, SURF RADIO/FRANCE, THE MUSIC KORNER, TOPPY JAZZ/HOLLAND – THE #1 JAZZ RADIO STATION IN EUROPE, URGENT FM/BELQIUM, URQUIZA FM/ARGENTINA.

“A fantastic new CD of Lisa Hilton Night & Day. We love her version of Begin The Beguine.” Toppy Jazz the #1Jazz Station in Europe

“Ms. Hilton returns with another CD of solo piano, beautifully played and expressive, with touches of classical mixed in”. KZSU Stanford University

“Beautiful – I’m speechless 5 out of 5 rating.” SURF RADIO/Hossegor, France

“One of my favorite jazz pianists – I like her style- sophisticated.”

FM URIQUIZA/Argentina

“Lovely Album! Some of the nicest music I’ve heard this year.” WUNH Radio

“Hilton’s best yet… wonderful work!” 2MAXFM/AUSTRALIA

“Straight and well produced solo piano. Always well done!” WRTC

“I have liked this artist for many years.” CKIA/Quebec City/Canada

“Hilton’s music is sweet and full of life.” ANUHEA REFRESHING JAZZ

“I was immediately drawn into her music…it takes my breath away. I love her music”. Center Stage with Pamela Kuhn/WGCH

“Virtuosity aside, Hilton has imbued this succession of songs with so much nuance – so much extension of incredibly phrased riffs that take the song places that are so unexpected that one is left awestruck by beauty.” KVNF

“Beautiful sound.” BondiFM 88.0 NSW/Australia

“Keyboard lust.” MGZC Radio/NC

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

December 31, 2016 by Lisa Hilton

Blog, Carnegie Hall, Day & Night, Jazz, Lisa Hilton, piano, piano jazz

Carnegie Hall, jazz, lisa hilton, piano

Happy New Year!

I hope you had some good times over this holiday season. It’s been busy but fun for me in SoCal. It’s unusual and very exciting to have a new CD and a show coming up at Carnegie Hall January 10th, 2017 as well! https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2017/1/10/0800/PM/Lisa-Hilton-Piano/

DAY & NIGHT now heads to radio with an add date of 1/2/2017.

Although the album has only been out a few days, I’ve gotten a few nice reviews already:

“What is evident is the aura that underlies and overlays the album – it is attention-getting and subtly strong and drawing you in. I felt enveloped in what I realized was a perfectly seamed performance. Virtuosity aside, Hilton has imbued this succession of songs with so much nuance – so much extension of incredibly phrased riffs – that take the song places that are so unexpected that one is left simply awestruck by beauty”. Hugh Carson/KVNF Radio

“Day & Night just might be the tonic this nation needs…everyday treasures that strengthen the bonds of humankind are intrinsic to the music of Lisa Hilton.” AXS/Carol Banks Weber http://www.axs.com/lisa-hilton-s-upcoming-day-night-nurtures-power-of-love-110294 There are more shows coming in February too.

“Hilton is in player in full command of the nuances of her instrument. Her approach is a welcome expanse of dynamics and tonal variety, enabling her to conjure aural pictures in a richly impressionistic style. Memorably resonant original songs….and gentle pianistic fireworks.” George Kanzler/Hothouse Jazz Guide January – page 10. http://hothousejazz.com/index.php

“Lovely Album!” WUNH Radio

In case you missed them here are the videos that just came out for the album too:

DAY & NIGHT video: https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=unx2_pJ6AsY

Caffeinated Culture video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTAels_d1A0

Take care and HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Lisa

You Are Invited To The Debut of Music From Day & Night

December 28, 2016 by Lisa Hilton

Blog, Carnegie Hall, Day & Night, Jazz, Lisa Hilton, piano, piano jazz

Carnegie Hall, composer, jazz, jazz appreciation month, lisa hilton, piano

https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2017/1/10/0800/PM/Lisa-Hilton-Piano/EndFragment

lisa_hilton_music_jazz_piano_red_dress_lisa_hilton_american_jazz_composer_ron_hall

CraZy WeAtheR again!

April 8, 2016 by Lisa Hilton

Blog, Jazz, Lisa Hilton, piano jazz

jazz, lisa hilton, piano

Hi there,

Well I’d like to keep those “Happy Spring” wishes going, but the weather doesn’t seem to be co-operating does it? Drought-scape SoCal has rain today, the north- east had recent snow, Arkansas got flooded and it’s snowing in Chicago right now! No matter what the weather, if you’re looking for and easy relaxed night in NYC Sunday please come by my last show of the season at ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL/Stage 3 at 8:30 pm – there are even cheap tickets online: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1090601. I also have a stop in Boston for a Berklee College for a Board meeting then a small performance in support of The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired, so I’m hoping the weather will settle down!

THANK YOU everyone who not only came to the Pepperdine show and Portland shows, but we had a really fun show, (and full house) at SFJazz – quite a few family members at all those shows – I really appreciate that! Thanking everyone at radio too – spending most of Jan-March on the JazzWeek Radio chart and still on the ZMR radio chart too for our release NOCTURNAL. Your support is really appreciated!

Jazz Times produced 2 new videos you might be interested in. The first on my lifelong love of the piano, my introduction to jazz and a bit about my creative process as a musician: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nJknWIgz30 The second one is on my work with sight-impaired youth, the Newport Jazz Festival and the importance of the arts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S08Ldjd6BxY

Here’s a new article, (easily translated), from the beautiful Punte del Este/Uruguary…http://www.estilopunta.com/interview/el-mundo-seria-mas-feliz-si-todos-escucharamos-j and from the cool Canadian Riveting Riffs website is an interview: http://www.rivetingriffs.com/Lisa%20Hilton%20interview%202016.html

Don’t forget, NOCTURNAL is easily available on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/nocturnal/id1058965612 Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/Nocturnal-Lisa-Hilton/dp/B017Y6AQRE and of course, Lisa Hilton Music: www.LisaHiltonMusic.com You also can listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal or Pandora, or on YouTube or SoundCloud under LisaHiltonMusic. (PS there’s some new video up on YouTube too!)

Wishing ALL OF US good weather this weekend! Hope you can come by Rockwood Music Hall on NYC Sunday too.

Take care,
Lisa

lisa_hilton_music_piano_jazz_trio_performance_bandleader_lisa_k_hilton

Reviews for NOCTURNAL

April 6, 2016 by Lisa Hilton

Blog, Lisa Hilton, piano, piano jazz

jazz, jazz and piano, lisa hilton

NOCTURNAL REVIEWS:

Lisa Hilton/piano, Terell Stafford/trumpet, JD Allen/sax, Gregg August/bass, Antonio Sanchez/drums

“No one plays, writes of puts together a band better than Hilton. Another in a growing list of deep excellent works from Hilton.” Russ Davis/Voice of America/Jazz America with 134,000,000 listeners

Hilton has, “Melodic gifts and song-form clarity as both a composer and player. Beauty of all sorts is abundant here.” Jeff Simon/Buffalo News

“The album allows Hilton to demonstrate her mastery of the keyboard. While her compositions are frequently built around melodies of a Horace Silver-esque hookiness, there’s a lot of romanticism and classical technique in her solos. Her music offers a unique blend of concepts, of past and future, that’s quite beautiful.” Phil Freeman/Burning Ambulance

“Lisa Hilton is one of the finest musical impressionists…she explores a stunning amount of original material on NOCTURNAL.” Ken Franckling/Jazz Notes March 9, 2016

“A spirited ride through the urban nightlife with a montage of colors, sounds and images. Hilton plays the piano exquisitely, & seduces the listener with beauty & elegance.” Riveting Riffs/Canada

“Traditional modern jazz is represented by a contemporary style, and newly recorded by the long-awaited quintet of Lisa Hilton…mainly original songs with a fresh melodic beauty”. HMV.com

“NOCTURNAL is simply phenomenal. The composing and playing on this album is a tour de force. Hilton and her band have executed it flawlessly – truly an amazing group producing truly amazing music.. This is the best album I’ve heard in a decade, maybe in two decades. Deserving of record of the year on anyone’s list.” KVNF Radio Colorado

“One of the most promising jazz composers today…” Estilopunta/ Punta del Este/Uruguay

“A collection of hard-hitting originals… her strongest outing yet.” George Harris/JazzWeekly

“Lisa Hilton has done a remarkable job.” The New York Jazz City Record

“Lisa Hilton just gets better.” WTJU Radio Virginia

“Highly anticipated….” New York Cool

“What a wonderful album.” Exploring Jazz/WUNH New Hampshire

“There is a lot of dynamic piano playing coming from Lisa on her 18th album. Nocturnal is a musical expression of countless emotions…. Hilton’s band features Terell Stafford (t), Antonio Sanchez (d) and returning from Horizons, bassist Gregg August with J.D. Allen on tenor sax. This is a formidable team that doesn’t disappoint!” O’s Place Jazz

“A highly prolific post-bop pianist and her combo dexterously handle the music.” Milwaukee Journal

NOCTURNAL…”Speaks subtly of Satie and sublimely of Ellington…. Hilton has put together the right band and chosen the right repertoire.” About.com

“Always a fine experience to listen to a new cd of Lisa Hilton. Each song, even after many listening turns, stays fresh, and you will hear always something new that you haven’t noticed before. Not possible without her fellow musicians, like Gregg August on bass and Antonio Sanchez on drums, J.D. Allen, sax and Terell Stafoord, trumpet/flugelhorn. I like “Whirlwind”, and I believe it fits also for Lisa. A great album!” Jan Nederveen/Radio 794/Netherlands

“Remarkable emotional depth and clarity from all band members…” World Jazz News

“Hilton’s compositions and melodies bear repeat listening sessions.” Audiophile Audition

“Distinctive originals that are influenced by a wide swath of music.” Dan Ouellette/Zeal!nyc

“Beautiful project! Lisa Hilton delivers once again with another impressive delight!” Style Quarterly

“Wow! It’s just great – the best yet!” 2MAXFM Australia

“Hilton displays a personal touch and approach in both composition & delivery.” JazzWeekly

“Excellent skill in the use of the piano, well constructed compositions, unique musical atmospheres, brilliant improvisation and outstanding melodies: these would be the qualities of the Californian composer and pianist Lisa Hilton. The entire disk provides, as is common in the music of Hilton, countless moments of emotion with the roles of accompanying musicians many times reaching virtuosity. Once again, a success.” No Solo Jazz Barcelona, Spain

“Poetic original compositions.”AnimaJazz/Pisa, Italy

“What a beautiful set- my kind of jazz! A superb effort!” 2RRR FM Sydney, Australia

“Lisa Hilton collaborated with prestigious musicians, among them drummer Antonio Sanchez. Original songs and jazz classics, relaxed atmosphere and fiery rhythms; this and much more.” Soulful Corner/Italy

Nocturnal Music Video Released!

February 17, 2016 by Lisa Hilton

Antonio Sanchez, Blog, Jazz, piano jazz

I am happy to announce the completion of the music video for my song Nocturnal. Directed by James Grant, and shot by Cinematographer Blake Gaytan, the video delves into the spirit of the night and the many themes that the cover of darkness embodies. Take a look and enjoy!