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duke-ellington

January 22, 2016 by Lisa Hilton
Blog, Lisa Hilton
Antonio Sanchez, Carnegie Hall, composer, Duke Ellington, jazz, jazz and piano, JD Allen, lisa hilton, New Release, NOCTURNAL, piano, piano jazz, reviews, Terell Stafford

NOCTURNAL COVER 806314102023Happy January 22nd – our Official Release Day!

We are very excited today!  For us the release of NOCTURNAL represents months of creative passion, HOURS of rapt attention to detail, and two days of recording bliss.  Truly the best band ever: Antonio Sanchez on drums (well known for his Birdman score), once again the deep Detroit tenor sax sound of JD Allen and the Julliard trained Gregg August on bass, and the addition of the virtuosic Terell Stafford on trumpet, as well as my piano too. After seventeen albums of compositions, I decided on my eighteenth to dig for more emotional depth and length on some tunes too, and I ended up enjoying the composing time more than ever.  We’re proud of how it came out and we hope the world enjoys it.  We’ve gotten a few early reviews:
-“SIMPLY PHENOMENAL.” KVNF Radio
–“Traditional modern jazz is represented by a contemporary style, and newly recorded by the long-awaited quintet of Lisa Hilton. Antonio Sanchez on drums, in front of JD Allen tenor, along with the wonderful trumpet of Terrell Stafford, and Gregg August on bass – mainly original songs with a fresh melodic beauty – her piano it’s great”.  HMV.com
– “A collection of hard-hitting originals… her strongest outing yet.” George Harris/JazzWeekly
– “No one plays, writes or puts together a band better than this great, talented lady! NOCTURNAL is another in a growing list of deep excellent works from Hilton.” Russ Davis/Voice of America
– “Lisa Hilton has done a remarkable job.”  The New York Jazz City Record
-“Highly anticipated….” New York Cool
– “What a wonderful album.” Exploring Jazz/WUNH
–“Speaks subtly of Satie and sublimely of Ellington…. Hilton has put together the right band and chosen the right repertoire to demonstrate her treasure trove of musical influences….”  About.com
-“Remarkable emotional depth and clarity from all band members…” World Jazz News
-“Hilton’s compositions and melodies bear repeat listening sessions.  I found myself returning to this CD several times…” Audiophile Audition
– “Composer/pianist/bandleader Lisa Hilton composes distinctive originals that are influenced by a wide swath of music.” Dan Ouellette/Zeal!nyc
Here are a couple spots where you can check out the album: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nocturnal-Lisa-Hilton/dp/B017Y6AQRE   iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/nocturnal/id1058965612  or www.lisahiltonmusic.com or you can listen to a few tracks here: https://soundcloud.com/lisahiltonmusic

We had a wonderful time last week debuting the new music at Carnegie Hall – see photo/video here:https://www.facebook.com/LisaHiltonMusic .  We’ll be at Pepperdine, in Malibu, CA, March 4th/Friday, Junior Blind of America March 10th, Classic Pianos/Portland March 12th and SF Jazz March 24th.  We will add some more dates too.  See more info here: http://lisahiltonmusic.com/tour-3/

Enjoy your weekend, and please let us know what you think of the new music if you get a chance.

Lisa

Q&A with Lisa Hilton on NOCTURNAL out January 22

November 6, 2015 by Lisa Hilton
Antonio Sanchez, Audio, Blog, Carnegie Hall, Gregg August, J.D. Allen, Jazz, Lisa Hilton, piano jazz, Press, Terell Stafford, twenty first century jazz
#AntonioSanchez, #Birdman, #CarnegieHall, #Classical, #cooljazz, #DaveBrubeck, #GeorgeGershwin, #GreggAugust, #JDAllen, #JohnColtrane, #LisaHilton, #MidnightSonata, #pianojazz, #TerellStafford, #transgenre, Duke Ellington, jazz, piano

Nocturnal bandLisa Hilton with Antonio Sanchez, J.D. Allen, Terell Stafford & Gregg August (photo: George Brooks)

Q: What is “trans-genre” music? You mention that some of the music on NOCTURNAL is trans-genre.

LH: While I was composing music for NOCTURNAL, there was a media uproar regarding a white woman pretending to be black and a male athlete who transgendered to female. I also saw a comedian in Los Angeles, make us laugh when he noted that soon we’d all be the color of ‘khaki’. These instances show that our world is not as segmented – not as black and white- anymore, and I think music should reflect that. This whole idea that jazz or any genre of music should adhere to strict guidelines is antiquated. We eat food from all different cultures and we should be able to be cross-cultural in our music too, right? Some of the music I composed on NOCTURNAL takes classical ideas, concepts or forms and are then completed with our jazz concepts of improvisation, free jazz, blues, shifting modal key centers, or poly – rhythms.

Q: Why classical – hasn’t that been done?

LH: Throughout history, many jazz composers that I admire have also worked in classical forms: Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, and George Gershwin to name a few icons. I also liked the idea of working on longer, more emotionally driven works – like John Coltrane did on ‘A Love Supreme’. Composers need variety: I’ve got over 200 tracks on iTunes now – I really enjoyed investigating what I liked best about classical vs. jazz.

Q: Any straight ahead jazz on NOCTURNAL?

LH: Of course – I love that too! The title track ‘Nocturnal,’ ‘Whirlwind’, and a cover of (Ann Ronell’s) ‘Willow Weep for Me’ are very traditional, while ‘Seduction’, ‘Desire’, and ‘Symphony of Blues’ are really bluesy. ‘A Spark in the Night’ has a Latin flavor, (that was the band’s favorite track, btw), while ‘Twilight’ and ‘Midnight Stars’ are examples of impressionism. The Pixie’s ‘Where Is My Mind’ is conceptual I’d say, and ‘An August Remembered’ has a tinge of gospel.

Q: Tell us about the band – you added some new players didn’t you?

LH: I explore different ideas in each album – last year’s HORIZONS was inspired by nature, KALEIDOSCOPE dealt with poly-genre ideas. For NOCTURNAL, I was looking for greater emotional depth, with more complex playing on some tunes. I felt I needed really great players, and I was lucky to get them! I have worked with J.D. Allen on tenor sax for several years – I consider his deep Detroit sound to be the ‘Tenor of our Times’. J.D. introduced me to bassist Gregg August, and I’ve toured a little with him and now we’re recording together too. Gregg has an extensive Latin background, is in the Brooklyn Philharmonic, has a masters degree from Julliard, composes, AND is a great jazz bassist – I knew he could handle anything. I hadn’t met Terell Stafford before, but my trumpeter from last year was touring so I reached out to him and he was perfect – what a beautiful tone, and spirit he has. I had met Antonio Sanchez in the past but, as you know, he tours a lot, and we had never played together. Fortunately I still had his email, and he said yes right away. Everyone is aware of what an amazing drummer he is, and how great his score for ‘Birdman’ was, but playing with him really put me on my toes – he creates so much movement in his playing. Everyone was amazing to work with – the skill level was really up there. Terell said after it was an ‘honor to work with such great musicians’ and I felt the same way.

Q: Did you do anything different on the sound?

LH: I love great sound, so I work with the same engineers every year. They are the ‘Unsung Heroes’ in music: James Farber for recording, multi-Grammy winner Al Schmitt, ‘The God of Sound’ (with Steve Genewick) mixes the albums and multi-Grammy winner Gavin Lurssen mastered my first album and we’re still working together! They are my friends and I look forward to seeing them every year.

Q: What do you like to do best – compose, perform, or produce albums?

LH: I like all those hats, and they really all add up to being a better musician – a more whole person. Even the business side helps you understand music. Most musicians you see perform are primarily performers or players that might compose a little. For me I really HAVE to compose – that is my art form.

Q: Speaking of art, you were a college drop – out in music, but got a degree in art instead. How did that effect your career?

LH: I think it had a bigger emotional impact on me – I loved the piano but the institutional education in SF was stifling creatively, so it felt like walking away from my ‘true love.’ Studying art, art history, and being creative based on visual, rather than aural decisions, has turned out to be really helpful. Music is an art form – it’s not physics. I think a lot about the challenges different artists had when I compose too. I think it has helped me immensely to have a background in art.

Q: You perform at venues like Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, but you also have dates at schools for blind students, music stores or clubs – that’s quite a range there.

LH: I think music should be accessible anywhere: not just for those who can pay for pricey tickets. Every performance is a unique – I like to be open to almost anything – in New Zealand I played in a city park outside once. I love it all!  I’m excited about debuting the new music for the first time January 17th at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall though – it will be the first performance of “Midnight Sonata” and other compositions:   http://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2016/1/17/0200/PM/Lisa-Hilton-and-Friends/

Q: Do you have friends or family that are blind – is that why you go to schools for the blind?

LH: No one in my circle is blind, but I’ve met all kinds of great people who are blind in recent years: lawyers, musicians, and many inspiring individuals. I like to give what I would have liked to have received – growing up in my small town I would have loved to have met a professional musician, but never had that opportunity, so I hope other students enjoy when I visit and perform. I am also aware of a bias today – all musicians play for people who are young or old, black or white, yet few make the effort to reach out to those with disabilities. I think music should be for everyone.  Lisa Hilton performs at Perkins School for the Blind:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F14YsHvKIK4

Q: Lastly, who are your favorite pianists – who do you listen to?

LH: I try and listen to a wide variety of music: Brad Mehldau or Thelonious Monk for jazz. For classical I listen to Lang Lang and Yuja Wang. For Latin I like Chucho Valdez.

EXCITING NEW MUSIC FOR APRIL 2015

March 25, 2015 by Lisa Hilton
Blog, Lisa Hilton, piano jazz
Black Keys, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Gregg August, Henry Mancini, JD Allen, lisa hilton, Rudy Royston, Sean Jones

HILTON_HORIZONS_HIGHHORIZONS
Lisa Hilton and her Band Explore Nature Through Sound, Melody and Improvisation

“Every day I see so much beauty and truth in nature…” acclaimed composer/pianist Lisa Hilton writes about her latest release, Horizons. “By exploring these ideas musically, we hope to have created a sense of expansiveness, depth, beauty and hope.”  Horizons, out April 7 in a twelve track CD or ten track vinyl release, features exceptional performances from the deep tenor sax of  J.D. Allen, the clarion trumpet of Sean Jones, the fluency of Julliard trained Gregg August on bass and the ever inventive  Rudy Royston on drums along with Hilton’s evocative piano. Hilton and her band bring a playlist of jazz styles inspired by Count Basie, Horace Silver or Duke Ellington, but also including covers of the Mancini classic, “Moon River” and the Black Keys, “Gold on the Ceiling” as well as nine of Hilton’s compositions. Horizons is out April 7, 2015 in a twelve track CD or ten track vinyl version on Amazon, CDBaby as well as downloads at  iTunes.

“An intimate soundscape inspired by the forces of nature …an all star band.”  Critical Jazz “Alternately lush and hard-driving post-bop on a winning new release.” Time Out New York
“The music is artfully constructed but delivers an affecting punch.” The New York Jazz City Record
 “Absolutely incredible music and an album well worth your attention.” Hugh Carson KVNF Radio

Watch Official Video: The Sky and the Ocean:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WlTblOPs1c

COME EXPERIENCE THE MUSIC LIVE:

APR 16 Thursday at Junior Blind of America/Los Angeles  4pm (solo piano)
MAY 14 Thursday at SF Jazz/Joe Henderson Lab  8:00pm *
MAY 15 Friday at The Smith Center, Las Vegas/NV  7:00pm *
MAY 16/Saturday at The Smith Center, Las Vegas/NV  7:00 pm *
MAY 17/Sunday at Vibrato Grill Jazz/ L.A. 7:00 & 8:30 pm *
* With Lisa Hilton/piano, Ben Street/bass & Rudy Royston/drums.
JAN 17, 2015/Sunday at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall/NYC 2:00 pm
Cover photo by Steven Lippman    See all tour dates: Tour

For more information: www.LisaHiltonMusic.com

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