Lisa Hilton - Lucky All Along

Styles: Piano Jazz

Lisa Hilton - My Favorite Things

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:06
Size: 115,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Let's Go!
(3:16)  2. My Favorite Things
(4:01)  3. Take Five
(4:10)  4. Midnight Sky
(3:59)  5. Alice in Wonderland
(4:45)  6. Desafinado
(3:47)  7. Baja Nights
(3:16)  8. Alfie
(3:27)  9. Clearly
(2:58) 10. Seduction (remix)
(3:28) 11. So This Is Love
(2:45) 12. They Can't Take That Away from Me
(3:12) 13. Thinking of You
(3:34) 14. Changes

Southern California pianist, Lisa Hilton, is justifiably proud of her new CD My Favorite Things: Everyone’s Jazz Favorites. The pianist involved herself in all aspects of its creation. Hilton’s seventh album in nine years is not only self-produced but the pianist composed eight original pieces and penned the arrangements of the remaining jazz standards. Her tasty reading of George and Ira Gershwin’s "They Can’t Take That Away From Me" is reminiscent of jazz pianists of the late 1930s and particularly of Teddy Wilson. Hilton handles the 1937 classic in a solo performance. The award-winning pianist is joined by some fine studio musicians on My Favorite Things. Reedman, Eric Marienthal, handles the flute and saxophone duties sympathetically.

Marienthal is fresh from appearances with The Rippingtons and Chick Corea. Drummer, Tal Bergman, worked in all genres including sessions with Billy Idol, Chris Botti and Joe Zawinul. Bassist, Reggie McBride, is probably one of the finest electric players on the scene. Over the years, the Detroit born bassist, provided the heartbeat for many greats including Aretha Franklin, Elton John, James Brown, Al Jarreau, Ry Cooder and Van Morrison. Many will recall his exciting recordings with Rare Earth in the 70s. Lisa Hilton dishes out some classy interpretations of several standards and Paul Desmond’s "Take Five" really stands out. This writer was most impressed with Hilton’s original tunes. "Baja Nights" is an exciting percussive melody with nice passages by the pianist accented by Bergman’s tasteful drumming. Our particular favorites are the bluesy "Seduction" and the closing tune titled "Changes." The latter song is a charmer in every sense of the word. The somewhat simple melody just demands a replay. ~ Richard Bourcier  http://www.jazzreview.com/cd-reviews/smooth-jazz-cd-reviews/my-favorite-things-by-lisa-hilton.html

Personnel: Lisa Hilton (piano); Reggie McBride (bass instrument);  Eric Marienthal (flute, saxophone);  Tal Bergman (drums).

My Favorite Things

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Lisa Hilton - Twilight & Blues

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:33
Size: 115,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:57)  1. Pandemonium
(6:31)  2. Woodstock
(4:44)  3. What's Going On (Extended Take)
(6:11)  4. City Streets
(3:03)  5. Turbulent Blue
(5:20)  6. Twilight
(5:31)  7. Kozmic Blues
(4:58)  8. Blue for You
(6:36)  9. Moon River
(3:38) 10. What's Going On

Acclaimed Jazz pianist/composer Lisa Hilton's 11th release features in her band top jazz musicians, all current DownBeat Magazine Critic's Choice winners: Lewis Nash (drums), Larry Grenadier (bass), Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), and J.D. Allen (tenor sax). Recorded at the famed Avatar Studio in NYC by 18-time Grammy Award-winning engineer/ producer, Al Schmitt. Hilton's own piano shimmers throughout on five originals and five iconic covers by artists such as Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin, Marvin Gaye and Henry Mancini. Hilton continues to receive outstanding reviews, strong radio play, and has developed a broad fan base for her melodic instrumental Jazz approach.

"The whole disc has an ambience that draws you in while swinging with emotion. Thoughtful and well crafted from start to finish, this is a must have for jazz fans." ~ George Harris, All About Jazz

"Hilton uses blue notes to create an intimate world of beauty that is true to the artist she is. Hilton's originality of vision is her strength, and her light touch is a lovely as she is and as addictive as the waves breaking near her Malibu home." ~ Brad Walseth, JazzChicago.net

"Exciting for the listener...hot stuff." ~ Chris Spector, Midwest Record  

http://www.amazon.com/twilight-blues-Lisa-Hilton/dp/B002AR24AA

Twilight Blues

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Lisa Hilton - Seduction

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:23
Size: 106,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. Evening Song
(5:04)  2. Seduction
(3:11)  3. Close to My Heart
(4:29)  4. 29 Palms
(4:38)  5. Missing You
(3:33)  6. Angry Again
(1:46)  7. The Way You Look Tonight
(3:19)  8. Waterfall
(3:44)  9. Desire
(3:01) 10. Getaway
(4:07) 11. Leslie's Song
(4:21) 12. Spanish Dance
(1:27) 13. Remember

"The piano is my friend, my teacher and a passion which soothes my soul and seduces my senses. In composing, I mix my favorite blues, pop and classical styles for a contemporary solo piano sound which speaks to me of today's life. Listen for the whisper of an evening breeze, the splash of a mountain stream, and the rush of Friday's traffic. Listen for anger, acceptance, love, lust, pleasure, pain, and prayer. Now let the music move through you, and listen to the life we share". A passionate pianist and a prolific composer, Lisa Hilton grew up in a very musical family. Her piano has been compared favorably to fellow pianists Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and George Shearing but her style is all her own. Hilton's beautiful melodies, catchy beats and emotionally played music appeals to listeners of all ages and is played on radio across the US as well as internationally. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/lisahilton6

Seduction

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Lisa Hilton - Getaway

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
Time: 61:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 140,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:53) 1. Getaway
(3:58) 2. Just for Fun
(3:56) 3. Stormy Monday Blues
(4:11) 4. Stepping into Paradise
(7:58) 5. Evening Song
(6:04) 6. City Streets
(3:55) 7. Lost & Found
(5:13) 8. Emergency
(4:42) 9. Turning Tables
(2:55) 10. Unforgotten
(1:51) 11. Stop & Go
(5:59) 12. Slow Down
(5:30) 13. Huckleberry Moon

Pianist Lisa Hilton has made an art out of balancing the simple and complex. Her work speaks with extreme clarity and serves as a benchmark for a less-is-more style of piano playing that appeals to a wide swath of listeners, but it isn't plain-Jane jazz. Hilton has a way of taking a basic idea and stretching its conceptual fabric to the breaking point. Singsong ideals are twisted, contorted and distorted, and rhythmic ideas are pulled out of focus, blurring the firm-time realities that actually exist underneath it all. This form of musical cunning helped to make Underground (Ruby Slippers Productions, 2011) and American Impressions (Ruby Slippers Productions, 2012) so intriguing, and it serves Getaway just as well. Getaway is both a return to standard form and a departure from the norm for Hilton. 

She's working with musicians who've appeared by her side before, but she's left the quartet comfort zone and ventured into trio territory, where transparency and trickery both seem to thrive. Hilton's most frequent on-record collaborator bassist Larry Grenadier and the man who helped her shake things up and put a darker spin on things drummer Nasheet Waits join up again. They both assist Hilton in painting a bluesy picture, where shadows and light share space and the brooding and bright coexist in equal measures. The album takes flight with a dark, cycling pattern that underlines a song that's both diaphanous and direct ("Getaway"). Things progress with jaunty notions, as playful melodic snippets come and go ("Just For Fun"). Both of these formulas, with certain twists, serve Hilton well in other places, but they don't define the album. The music falls into a state of cinematic reverie at other times ("Evening Song"), but excitement and the unexpected are always lurking around the corner ("City Streets" and "Lost & Found"). 

The majority of the program is given up to Hilton originals, but two covers "Stormy Monday Blues" and Adele's "Turning Tables" give the trio an opportunity to try their hand at music of the past and present. The rarely-encountered marriage between stasis and surprise is central to the success of Getaway. Hilton's left hand often acts as a constant, serving as a steady presence and eye in the storm, and Grenadier often grounds the group, allowing Hilton and Waits to color around his bass. Waits remains the wonderful wildcard, as on Hilton's two previous albums, but he tempers his explosive side. Both Grenadier and Waits are far more technically adept than Hilton and 99% of the playing population but they don't flaunt their musical muscle in this setting. 

They both play in service of the music and all three musicians prove complementary to one another. Getaway, more than any other release thus far, provides a clear picture of Lisa Hilton as artist, conceptualist builder, and sculptor of sounds. It also confirms what was already known: Hilton is a conjurer of musical spells, moods and magic who defies easy categorization.~Dan Bilawsky

(http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=44247#.UhaxtX-Ac1I).

Personnel: Lisa Hilton: piano; Larry Grenadier: bass; Nasheet Waits: drums.

Getaway

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Lisa Hilton - Coincidental Moment

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
Time: 55:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 128,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:14) 1. Anxiety Society
(5:19) 2. Jagged Lil' Blues
(5:22) 3. Happily Go Luckily
(5:47) 4. Blue Tropics
(4:50) 5. Blue in Green
(5:57) 6. Enigmatic Adventure
(4:59) 7. Multiple Perspectives
(3:11) 8. West Coast
(5:09) 9. Coincidental Moment
(5:31) 10. Everyday Anthem
(4:34) 11. Uncommon Poetry

As good as Coincidental Moment is, there is an uncharacteristic sense of sameness infused in many of these bossa blues.

As she notes in the liners, lauded and long-trusted pianist Lisa Hilton intended the music to illuminate the cool energies and history of jazz while relating to these hair-shirt times in which we find ourselves privileged to listen to her music . But perhaps it crossed some invisible line where what has been accepted as gospel from Hilton her buoyancy and vivacious musical spirit are kind of pushed to the background.

Yet it is only human for these coincidental times to pare away at all our truths and Hilton, gifted as she is, still is one of us. So Coincidental Moment, as good as it is, does not partake in such celebrations of endurance and dance as her many previous triumphs, notably 2020's Chalkboard Destiny, 2019's Oasis, 2016's Nocturnal, and 2011's assertive Underground, (all on Hilton's own Ruby Slippers label), but inhabits a darker rumbling left of middle C.

Hilton's innate sense of blues and structure is undeniable and most certainly welcome in a world of dissonance and fracture, but it sounds just the same. From the jumpy eye-opener "Anxiety Society" to the jaunty "Jagged Lil' Blues" to the cool '60s spy movie themed "Happily Go Lucky" Hilton holds close her piano's darker tones. Even with her beautiful, never predictable pentatonic runs, "Blue Tropics" gets its momentum from a darker rhythm. A somber, yet beautiful take on "Blue In Green" adds to the encroaching shade. Like speed scrolling, "Multiple Perspectives" leaves one somewhat unsettled.

Lana Del Ray's "West Coast," a melancholy mix of psychedelica and the blues, fits well into the frame of Coincidental Moment, as Hilton, trumpeter Igmar Thomas, and long time compatriots, drummer Rudy Royston and bassist Luques Curtis make the tune one of their very own. Oddly enough, the title track, one of those Hilton ballads one looks forward to hearing with a fervent eagerness, dispels the fog, as does "Everyday Anthem." The closing "Uncommon Poetry" balances the light and dark in a way only these four can. Coincidental Moment is very good. Just in a different way from what is usual from Hilton.
By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/coincidental-moment-lisa-hilton-ruby-slippers-productions

Coincidental Moment

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Lisa Hilton - Paradise Cove

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:15
Size: 113,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:13) 1. Birks’ Works
(3:54) 2. Fast Time Blues
(4:58) 3. Blues Vagabond
(6:29) 4. Another Simple Sunday With You
(5:55) 5. Cha Cha Cha A´ La Carte
(3:56) 6. Mercurial Moments
(3:45) 7. Night Cap & A Little Chaos
(4:26) 8. Storybook Sequel
(3:14) 9. Mediterranean Dreams
(3:25) 10. What The World Needs Now Is Love
(4:56) 11. Paradise Cove

At a time in our collective consciousness when it appears nothing is functioning as it once did, or is as reliable as it once was, or gives us purpose and solace as we once knew, along comes the soft sustaining magic of Lisa Hilton's gorgeous new recording, Paradise Cove, and for all of its enchanting forty-five minutes all is right with the world again.

Hilton may not have the wild chops of many of her peers or the instigative approach to the parade of shadows that hound us, but her music offers release into something greater, something less arch and/or demanding. Hilton's sincere compositions are candles in the dark, the sunrise of a better day. They are a true romance of the earth, the sky, and the resolute spirit.

Nothing on Paradise Cove (Hilton's twenty-sixth recording) is rushed or meant to lull you into a false expectancy. With the addition of simpatico trumpeter Igmar Thomas, Hilton introduces a new emotional voice, in turn adding even more depth and resiliency to her tightly-constructed (though the tightness is never felt) musings. Her long-running rapport with bassist Luques Curtis pulses at the heart of Paradise Cove, whose two well chosen covers, the Pink Panther noir-ish blues of Dizzy Gillespie's eternal "Birk's Works" and Burt Bacharach and Hal David's wistful and wishful 1965 pop gem, "What the World Needs Now is Love," serve to amplify and complement Hilton's own endearing work.

It is also enduring work, as the lucid and uncomplicated motifs of "Another Simple Sunday With You" and the majestic uplift of "Storybook Sequel" (a tune that should become a chestnut) instantly reveal. Reminiscent of many reflective moments intuited by such influences as Dave Brubeck, Brad Mehldau, and Bill Evans, these two tracks alone make the album a sure fire favorite. The bright, whispery restraint exhibited on both tracks by drummer Obed Calvaire and Thomas clear, yearning lines are standout performances.

An unabashed fan of the cha cha and other Latin infused rhythms, Hilton and her L.I.L.O. quartet, (Lisa, Igmar, Luques, Obed) sidestep and swing on "Mercurial Moments" and "Cha Cha Cha À La Carte." They cut loose on the many tempo-ed, retro-vibey "Fast Time Blues" and juke joint leaning "Blues Vagabond." Closing on the lush, hopeful cadences of its namesake track, Paradise Cove proves itself a team effort all around. For Hilton, who either willfully or unjustly flies under the broader jazz radar, it is another quietly brave achievement. By Mike Jurkovic
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/paradise-cove-lisa-hilton-ruby-slippers-productions

Personnel: Lisa Hilton: piano; Luques Curtis: bass, acoustic; Igmar Thomas: trumpet; Obed Calvaire: drums.

Paradise Cove

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Lisa Hilton - Life Is Beautiful

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:27
Size: 122,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:50) 1. Ernie's Blues
(4:01) 2. Retro Road Trip
(4:05) 3. Nightingales & Fairy Tales
(4:34) 4. Too Hot
(4:50) 5. Unforgotten Moments, Half Forgotten Dreams
(5:51) 6. Stepping into Paradise
(4:07) 7. Santa Monica Samba
(6:16) 8. Seduction
(5:10) 9. Temporary Lullaby
(5:54) 10. More Than Another Day
(4:44) 11. So This Is Love

There's an affirmation of goodness to the music of pianist Lisa Hilton, a quiet something of a positive nature that is known intrinsically true. But the world and its crowded barges of babbling talking heads are frantically convincing us all otherwise. So listen in to Life Is Beautiful before it's all too late.

Without flash, pyrotechnic soloing, or virtuoso histrionics, Life is Beautiful casts an aura that envelops and holds. Intimately reworking tunes she has recorded throughout her twenty-five disc history, ("Seduction" reaches back to her 1997 debut) the music drops from the ether with the husky fullness of bassist Luques Curtis, and the restive blues of Ernie Wilkins' "Ernie's Blues" sweeps the dust away. Rudy Royston's drums are, as ever, perfect. It is a synthesis, an intent, too will better things into being. It works.

Not in any way to distract from the golden hues of the four tracks that precede it, but the finespun grace of "Unforgotten Moments, Half Forgotten Dream" (its big sky and pacific sun) sets off a suite-like approach for the rest of the album that absolutely enthralls. The vaporous way it rolls into the Latin light of "Stepping Into Paradise," then into the quiet gravity of "Santa Monica Samba, re-framed from 2021's Transparent Sky (Ruby Slippers Productions), before slide saddling solo with the redemptive "Seduction," "Temporary Lullaby" and "More Than Another Day" only doubles down on the trio's deep resolve.

As she often and gracefully does, Hilton quietly delves into the emotional health of every listener with the sincerest desire to soothe the frenzy within. Life Is Beautiful does just that. And maybe it will or won't land on most or many 'best-of' lists, but it is a thing of beauty. A category all its own.~Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/life-is-beautiful-lisa-hilton-ruby-slippers-productions

Personnel: Lisa Hilton: piano; Luques Curtis: bass, acoustic; Rudy Royston: drums.

Life Is Beautiful

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Lisa Hilton - Transparent Sky

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:54
Size: 89,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:51) 1. Santa Monica Samba
(3:31) 2. Random Journey
(3:48) 3. Nightingales & Fairy Tales
(3:44) 4. Living in Limbo
(3:04) 5. God Bless the Child
(3:17) 6. Chromatic Chronicles
(5:21) 7. Fall Upon a Miracle
(3:10) 8. Infinite Tango
(4:02) 9. Extraordinary Everyday Things
(5:01) 10. Transparent Sky

As America and other countries re-emerge from the limitations of 2020, Lisa Hilton and her trio with Rudy Royston and Luques Curtis, enthusiastically embrace the moment with a vibrant new jazz offering titled Transparent Sky, that will inspire, uplift and motivate us all. Rich with glorious harmonies and unique compositions, Hilton's swinging band radiates a sun bleached aura to listeners. Throughout the album Hilton, Royston and Curtis develop a surprisingly wide range of rhythmic ideas from a variety of genres, masterfully blending classic traditions with new approaches and upbeat style. The recording jumps in with the Latin tinged "Santa Monica Samba," quickly following with the equally energetic "Random Journey" on this collection of nine originals, plus one cover. "What developed this year was a LOT of movement and richer chords and harmonies - which makes sense when you consider how static last year was. As musicians we need to challenge and also entertain ourselves, so I think that's why I subconsciously wrote in so many rhythm changes and multiple harmonic directions," says Hilton. "Living In Limbo," "Chromatic Chronicles," "Fall Upon a Miracle" and "Infinite Tango," highlight the multiple creative rhythms of Hilton's compositions and showcase ample opportunities for Curtis's agile bass, and the delightful details of Royston's drums.

Hilton has a way with ballads, and "Nightingales & Fairy Tales" is no exception. With it's slight nod to Bill Evans in the sixties, this has the making of a jazz classic for a twenty first century audience. In the same vein, a cover of "God Bless The Child," co-written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr, is a charmer, and like all the tracks here, is skillfully and originally presented without being forced. "For a long time I've been trying to record cover songs by women who were composers, because there is very little attention paid to them in jazz. I think it's important to give women recognition for their range of talents, and by promoting them, maybe we will see less discrimination in music", Hilton muses. Slowing towards the album's end, "Extraordinary Everyday Things" is a calm and expressive soundscape, but with a surprise twist, Hilton finishes up with the title track, "Transparent Sky" as a sonorous piano solo. "The melody is beautiful and has a bit of swing, but the harmonic ideas are quite chromatic and dissonant with overlapping/lingering sonorities between bar lines. " She says. "This piece needs to be played sensitively or it will sound harsh, but that is like our lives today - we are living in sensitive times and need to be aware of how we connect and communicate. The solo piano clearly delivers those delicate harmonies along with the emotions. It's about accepting our world as it is, whatever may be happening at that moment. Tomorrow will bring what it will, but there is still beauty to be found if we look for it, amid the dissonance of our times." Hilton explains. https://millsrecordcompany.com/UPC/806314102627

Transparent Sky

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Lisa Hilton - More Than Another Day

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:15
Size: 104,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:37) 1. More Than Another Day
(4:19) 2. Retro Road Trip
(3:31) 3. Secret Beach
(4:49) 4. I’ve Got You Under My Skin
(6:15) 5. Blues & Beauty
(4:33) 6. No Sleep Until
… (4:06) 7. Dear Life of Mine
(3:56) 8. Karma Chaos
(4:18) 9. Today I Looked at Love
(4:46) 10. So This Is Love

More Than Another Day is the latest jazz release by composer/pianist/producer Lisa Kristine Hilton, this time showcasing a trio with Luques Curtis and Rudy Royston. Hilton, Curtis, Royston and bandmate JD Allen were halfway through their 2020 tour when the U.S. corona virus lockdown began. Fearful for a family member who was stuck and sick in Italy, and worried about the health and safety of the world, Hilton turned as always, to her creative side. “I grew up in a small quiet town where it seemed nothing ever happened. I always turned my abundant energy into creativity is lockdown just reminded me of those early days. To me, quiet propels my creative side.” https://lisahiltonmusic.com/more-than-another-day/

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

More Than Another Day

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Lisa Hilton - Oasis

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:00
Size: 110,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. Twists of Fate
(4:54)  2. Adventure Lands
(4:59)  3. Oasis
(4:06)  4. Watercolor World
(2:48)  5. Fascinating Rhythm
(4:08)  6. Vapors & Shadows
(3:11)  7. Just for Fun
(4:43)  8. Sunshine States
(4:21)  9. Lazy Daisy
(4:31) 10. Sunday Morning
(6:38) 11. Warm Summer Night

“‘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

“Because of her serene manner, glorious stylings and superb leadership skills, 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 and classical icons. Lisa Hilton is RARE.” ~  Hybrid Jazz

“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 https://lisahiltonmusic.com/oasis/

Personnel:  Lisa Hilton - piano, Lucques Curtis - bass, Mark Whitfield Jr. - drums

Oasis

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Lisa Hilton - The New York Sessions

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:33
Size: 104,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. Both Sides Now
(3:19)  2. Over And Over Again
(3:24)  3. Just Want To Be With You
(3:46)  4. A Bit Of Soul
(5:33)  5. Emily
(4:03)  6. Seduction
(4:10)  7. The Last Time
(3:30)  8. Where Are You Now
(3:33)  9. Listen To Your Heart
(3:17) 10. Epistrophy
(3:23) 11. Mystery
(4:20) 12. Both Sides Now Alt Tk

The New York Sessions is the ninth release by pianist Lisa Hilton, whose last name lovingly adorns the bath towels in the suitcases of itinerant musicians around the world. A self-produced and largely self-motivated musician from the rougher section of Malibu, Hilton's avowed influences and illustrious associations promise great things but the world is a harsh place, and sometimes promises are broken. Hilton is surrounded by a mighty supporting cast, but even a cursory listen reveals that their skills are conspicuously surplus to requirements. How any pianist could assemble a rhythm section that boasts Christian McBride and Lewis Nash, without even the slightest forward momentum, is completely beyond the grasp of this jaded but earnest critic. The musicians are not at fault, since Hilton's compositions and musicianship are uniformly uninspiring, repetitive, and just plain inept. Two takes of "Both Sides Now" showcase Hilton's thrilling execution of major scale runs in the key of C. The aptly titled "Over and Over Again" proves to be a futile, redundant and pedestrian effort all key elements of her compositional and improvisational abilities. "Just Want to Be With You" once again features Hilton's uncanny mastery of the major scale, as the listener is blissfully swept above the clouds and then unceremoniously dropped into a dumpster, despondent and disappointed. From the pantheon of great American music, Hilton has chosen Ray Charles' "A Bit of Soul," (a very little bit of soul, indeed), and manages to transform a pot full of hot gumbo into cold porridge in the span of three minutes and forty-six seconds. "Emily" isn't as bad, despite a few clams and harmonic bypasses, but the real horror here is Monk's "Epistrophy," which finds the pianist in a battle with Monk's trademark, harmonically rich arpeggios. Here's a hint; the arpeggios win the battle, but the hapless listener ultimately loses the war. Now and then, independently produced recordings reveal great work deserving wider recognition, and this disc is certainly not among them. Conventional musical discourse is impossible to apply to works by musicians with ample means and poor skills. Lisa Hilton's acknowledged influences should include the patron saints of self-publishing; Johann Gutenberg, Thomas Paine and, of course, William Randolph Hearst. Their historic efforts have given Hilton the mechanism, the freedom, and the wherewithal to forge a career in the 21st century. Self-identified jazz musicians such as Hilton, whose delusions of street credibility, questionable claims of technical skill, and erroneous assertions of artistic merit somehow consistently lack supporting evidence in their work. So here goes: The New York Sessions is great fodder for the aspiring dilettante, a must for background music at the next gala luncheon, and an ideal coaster for your next cocktail party. Sadly, the only swing to be found on this disc is in the motion of the pendulum, as it ambivalently traverses the arc between philanthropy and misanthropy. In the immortal words of Humphrey Bogart, at the very least, "We'll always have Paris."~ Ken Kase https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-new-york-sessions-lisa-hilton-self-produced-review-by-ken-kase.php

Personnel: Lisa Hilton: piano; Christian McBride: bass; Lewis Nash: drums; Jeremy Pelt: trumpet and flugelhorn; Steve Wilson: sax.

The New York Sessions

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Lisa Hilton - Jazz After Hours

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:33
Size: 83,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:33)  1. Malibu
(4:24)  2. Dance with Me
(3:27)  3. Waltz for Debby
(3:32)  4. Nocturne
(3:44)  5. All Blues
(3:12)  6. Just Do It
(3:53)  7. Secret Love
(2:57)  8. All That
(2:28)  9. Azure
(2:21) 10. When We Met
(2:57) 11. Listen to Your Heart

“Hilton leaves a signature so distinct and genuine that audiences call out for more consistently. One would say her Bill Evans style talent is powerful, however, I feel she is building a note by note, composition by composition, a true niche in jazz today, unlike any other. Ms. Hilton has staying power”. ~ Karl Stober/JazzTrenzz

“Remisiscent of some of Dave Brubeck’s work” ~ RJ Lannan/The Sounding Board

“A vibrant composer and exceptional pianist with the passion and panache few artists capture” ~ Karl Stober/JazzTrenzz

“‘Jazz After Hours’ is a great album for relaxing and reenergizing, a backdrop for an intimate dinner, or even good party music” ~ Kathy Parsons/Solo Piano Publications
“When Lisa tickles the keys in her unique, playful style, you know she’s having fun” 

~ Andy Parrish, General Manager/WVSU 

“Lisa has outdone herself with this album… exquisitely setting all the right moods with the help of some very talented musicians. I absolutely LOVE this album” ~ Eric Cohen, Music Director/WAER

“Very rarely does an artist come along with the versatility of moving between such diverse styles as to nail Gershwin’s My Love is Here to Stay’ then Jobim’s Girl From Ipanema, while saving just enough for my favorite, ‘Just For Fun” ~ Al Santos/WJZW https://lisahiltonmusic.com/jazz-after-hours-album/

Personnel:  Lisa Hilton/piano, Eric Marienthal/sax, Reggie McBride/bass, Tal Bergman/drums

Jazz After Hours

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Lisa Hilton - Cocktails at Eight

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:33
Size: 88,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:31)  1. Love Will
(3:10)  2. Take Five
(2:11)  3. Shooting Star
(3:25)  4. Seduction
(2:36)  5. I'll Always Be Your Friend
(2:27)  6. Echoes of Harlem
(3:12)  7. Can You See?
(2:24)  8. Kilimanjaro
(2:23)  9. August 1999
(2:44) 10. Candlelight
(1:54) 11. Moon River
(1:15) 12. No Guarantees
(2:57) 13. Waterfall
(1:58) 14. Butterflies
(3:20) 15. I'm on My Own (Remix)

The music on Cocktails at Eight, mostly piano solos by Lisa Hilton although there are also three trio numbers and one with strings and woodwinds, is meant to be relaxing and soothing background music. Hilton has fine musicianship, but she generally sticks to laid-back tempos, unadventurous improvisations, and so-so melodies. Some of the performances border on new age, and the jazz soloing sticks fairly close to the themes. Perhaps one should not look for something in this album that is not here, and just accept it on its own terms, as background for romantic evenings. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/cocktails-at-eight-mw0000600259

Cocktails at Eight

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Lisa Hilton - Nuance

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:58
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:24)  1. Twilight
(3:38)  2. Just for Fun
(3:38)  3. Stars
(3:20)  4. Off Minor
(6:25)  5. So This Is Love
(3:34)  6. Wake Me Up When September Ends
(5:05)  7. Malibu
(3:15)  8. Blue Reflections
(5:28)  9. Meltdown
(3:28) 10. The Thrill Is Gone
(3:39) 11. Early Morning Impressions
(7:59) 12. Warm Summer Night

"One of the few pianists with her own identifiable sound. Pensive and impressionistic; this is a recording that focuses and captures the exquisite subtleties of life." ~ George Harris/All About Jazz

"Hilton strips herself bare and the result is a series of warmly -recorded solo piano pieces performed with exuberance and confidence." ~ Brad Walseth/JazzChicago.net

The rumble of an early morning voice, a summer breeze, the warmth of a hand on your back, or as Ira Gershwin put it, “the way you wear your hat”  it is the nuances that can touch us as deeply as dramatic events. It’s not only what we say, but how we say it, that makes all the difference. For pianist extraordinaire Lisa Hilton, it’s not only what she plays  but how she plays it.  “Muddy Waters, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Igor Stravinsky, Claude Debussy and others have all composed music that expresses nature or emotions  common experiences that we all share,” says Hilton, “I believe that music can express more eloquently than words allow.” Nuance, is a varied collection of 12 tracks of new and previously released material, originals and covers, all newly recorded/arranged specifically for solo piano. “There have been some great songs that I have done with the band, that I have wanted to do as solo arrangements too,” Hilton continues, “It was good to revisit some of my favorite tunes again.” Expanded versions of the upbeat “Twilight,” the angular “Just for Fun” and “Melt Down,” the latter which was featured with the band on NPR’s Morning Edition; the ever-popular romantic ballad, “So This Is Love,” and the former #1 World Wide Jazz track, “Malibu,” intermingle seamlessly with the moody “Early Morning Impressions,” bluesy “Blue Reflections” and the lovely “Stars.” Covers of Thelonious Monk’s “Off Minor,” Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” and the iconic blues tune, “The Thrill Is Gone,” round-out the collection. Although she’s been favorably compared to Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Horace Silver, Dave Brubeck and Brad Mehldau, Hilton’s own sound shimmers naturally throughout. “My desire is always to communicate and touch others, in a relaxed and authentic style. Technique is about ease of expression, not for saying, ‘hey look at me’,” says Hilton, “I hope listeners hear their lives reflected in these tracks.” While Hilton had been thinking about doing an album of this nature for many years, it finally came about as a response to requests from Lisa’s many fans. “Nuance is really a gift to them,” explains the critically- acclaimed composer, pianist, educator and bandleader. “I love our band” (which currently includes members Lewis Nash on drums, Larry Grenadier on bass, Jeremy Pelt on trumpet and J.D. Allen on sax), “We have a lot of fun together and the musicianship is very high. But I had promised to do a solo piano album for years now and really enjoyed returning to that format”. Hilton’s first recording, the solo “Seduction,” was recorded in late 1997 at a time when solo piano had very little chance of finding an audience. Terrestrial radio loomed large at that time, when Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey ruled. “I sold like 2 copies I think and my distributor, The Orchard, had its own problems as well then. I was devastated, but forged ahead.” Hilton continued recording solo but in 2000, she just gave up and started working with a trio, and later her band. “I moved into a new home in 2001 and I remember just dumping the large _” analog piano masters in the dumpster feeling that I had to give up on solo piano.”

This wasn’t the first time Hilton had left behind the music that she was passionate about either. Growing up in a very musical household, (her great uncle, Willem Bloemendaal was a well regarded Dutch pianist), she voraciously studied music in the small southern California town where she went to school, studying classical, twentieth-century music, playing show tunes for school productions and writing blues and jazz riffs. College in San Francisco put her with a piano instructor known for his talent, and his exacting temperament. “I left the piano because I believe music is an art not a science, and after my experiences in college, I didn’t foresee a musical future anymore.” Hilton earned a degree in art instead, forgoing the piano until she returned to playing in 1996. “It was difficult to leave music, my first love, but it did enable me to study art,” responds Hilton. “Now my art is my music; now my passions are combined.” Since 1997 Hilton has recorded and produced an album every year of her own compositions and arrangements for solo piano, trio, and as a leader for her band. Hailed by JazzReview as a “lioness of jazz,” she works with some of the greatest musicians in music Christian McBride, Lewis Nash, Bobby Militello, Larry Grenadier, Jeremy Pelt, Reggie McBride, J.D. Allen and Tal Bergman just to name a few, and her current band is comprised of all Down Beat Magazine Critics’ Choice Award Winners. Hilton has produced six of her twelve releases with the legendary, twenty-time Grammy award winning engineer/producer, Al Schmitt, and as one of the few women producers working in jazz, she also runs her own publishing company to oversee 130+ recorded tracks.  “I agree with Quincy Jones, that music saved my life,” Hilton muses, “but I’d also have to say that iTunes did too!” Shortly after it’s inauguration in 2001, Hilton, like millions of others, began selling her music on iTunes and the internet and suddenly found a whole new market for solo piano. “Here I had dumped my masters in despair, and the following year the world changed for musicians. Fortunately my mastering house had kept their masters!” Today Hilton’s solo piano tracks continue to sell well with fans globally, elicit favorable nods from reviewers, and she has seen huge growth in the last several years. Hilton’s music is played on hundreds of radio stations in the U.S., Canada and around the world.  Based in Malibu, California, Hilton’s fluid, expressive playing style has a blues inflected and refreshing Pacific Coast vibe that has been influenced by other one-time Malibu residents: Miles Davis, Horace Silver and Stan Getz. She has received various awards and nominations for her compositions.

“When I hear Lisa Hilton play, it makes me smile. There is something about her music that is earthly, spontaneous and truly from the heart. I can honestly say her music touches my musical DNA.” ~ Bubba Jackson/KKJZ Radio

“One of the few pianists with her own identifiable sound – this is a recording that focuses and captures the exquisite subtleties of life. Her pieces like ‘Stars’ and ‘So This Is Love’ glisten with poise and grace. ‘Meltdown’ and her reading of Monk’s ‘Off Minor’ display her ability to mix solos that exude deeply personal reflection…a lovely album of originals and standards that sets a mood. Pensive and impressionistic.” ~ George Harris/All About Jazz

“An interesting musical journey for piano ace Hilton… have we got a ‘new’ artist for you. Check it out.”~ Chris Spector/The Midwest Record

“Nuance is a tenacious detoxification from the jazz mediocrity. Lisa Hilton has offered the shelves of jazz a carousel of diverse signature sounds.” ~ Karl Stober/ WaxTrenzz

“Although Lisa Hilton has been compared to some of the best pianists in history, such as Bill Evans and Brad Mehldau, her sound and style are of her own”. The New Face of Jazz: An Intimate Look At Today’s Living Legends and the Artists of Tomorrow by Cicily Janus/ Random House

“A deeply expressive style of coaxing sounds from keys and offering rich melodies and improvisations”.~ Philip Booth, DownBeat Magazine

“Her crystalline touch goes from the dark and foreboding deep to the celebrative high notes, delivering shadowy reflections along with vivacious joy”. ~ George Harris, JazzWeekly

“The legacy of pianist Lisa Hilton escalates her degree of prominence in the global jazz hemisphere”. ~ Karl Stober/ eJazz News

“An impressionist intent on creating and sustaining moods”. ~ George Kanzler/ All About Jazz/NY

“Hilton’s originality is her strength”. ~ Brad Walseth/JazzChicago.net

Nuance

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Lisa Hilton - Escapism

Size: 98,9 MB
Time: 38:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Hot Summer Samba (3:04)
02. Meltdown (3:22)
03. Another Everyday Adventure (3:28)
04. Too Hot (4:31)
05. On A Clear Day (4:01)
06. Mojave Moon (5:14)
07. Zero Gravity (4:22)
08. Escape Velocity Blues (2:54)
09. 29 Palms (4:40)
10. Utopia Cornucopia (3:16)

For Lisa Hilton's 20th release as a leader, she wanted to promote peace, tranquility and positive energy so that her listeners would be energized and uplifted. With Escapism, she succeeds via nine original compositions and the Lerner & Lane standard title On A Clear Daywhile accompanied by saxophonist JD Allen, trumpeter Terell Stafford, bassist Gregg August and drummer Rudy Royston. Lisa's breadth of creativity and range of ideas are astounding as she reveals the virtuosity of her pianism, musicality and artful sound. Among the more memorable compositions are Hot Summer Samba and Meltdown both of which feature fast paced melodic ideas that stretch and loosen any preconceived notions of what lays beneath the surface of these sizzlers. JD Allen's saxophonics and Terell Stafford's flugelhorn magic underline Lisa's signature chops on Zero Gravity while her version of the Lerner & Lane classic On A Clear Day is calming and inspiring as she celebrates the artistry of these composers through her versatile reading. Grounded in the jazz tradition, pianist Lisa Hilton has a lot to say. So listen. And then listen again. --Sounds of Timeless Jazz

Escapism blows open your mind and ears....this is a hot, happening date that charts a new course for pianist Hilton. Tasty jamming throughout. Well done. --Midwest Record

A piano that seduces & captivates; a true passion in motion from the exquisite pianist Lisa Hilton. --Actual Jazz/Uruguay.

Escapism

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Lisa Hilton - Day & Night

Size: 152 MB
Time: 48:31
File: FLAC
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Caffeinated Coffee (3:31)
02. Day And Night (4:07)
03. Begin The Beguine (4:51)
04. Sunrise (3:26)
05. Stepping Into Paradise (7:05)
06. A Spark In The Night (7:09)
07. Seduction (6:19)
08. Dark Sky Day (2:03)
09. So This Is Love (6:38)
10. Sunset On The Beach (3:17)

“Day & Night echoes my commitment to discover and savor every day moments: to see the beauty in a day from the first glow of sunrise to the dimming sky at sunset, and to acknowledge and share these these rich times with others. When composing and creating this album, the great American composer Cole Porter was one inspiration. Although we are both from small towns, Porter was a true musical genius who, while attending Yale University, wrote three hundred compositions, was the President of the Glee Club, and class valedictorian before heading on to Harvard Law School. I have always appreciated Porter’s lush melodies and gentle Latin rhythms. The cool blues of composer/pianists Horace Silver and “Count” Bill Basie have also found their way into the soul of my music. I believe composers today can be inspired by our rich musical heritage in America, while creating music for our current century.”

Nineteen albums in, after working with the top-drawer jazz masters, like Antonio Sanchez, Christian McBride, Nasheet Waits, Sean Jones, Marcus Gilmore, Steve Wilson, Jeremy Pelt, Lewis Nash, Billy Hart, Larry Grenadier, Rudy Royston, and Bobby Militello, among others, LISA HILTON strips her music down to the essentials and returns to the solo format with DAY & NIGHT to be released on the Ruby Slippers Productions label (#1021) with a street date of December 16th 2016 and heading to radio on January 2nd . Hilton was last heard in a solo piano setting with her acclaimed 2010 release, NUANCE, which All About Jazz said was “a recording that focuses and captures the exquisite subtleties of life”.

For this album, Hilton looked to the great American composer Cole Porter—one of her favorite composers, for inspiration, (the CD title DAY & NIGHT is a nod to Porter’s classic, Night and Day). As Hilton noted, “I have always appreciated Cole Porter’s lush melodies and gentle Latin rhythms – and, interestingly, we’re both from small towns!” (Porter from Peru, Indiana and Hilton in San Luis Obispo, California). Hilton includes a searing and simple take on Porters classic, “Begin the Beguine”, which turns wondrously seductive under her touch. Her original tunes, “Stepping into Paradise”, “A Spark in the Night” and “So This is Love” do convey the some of Porter’s cosmopolitan essence, but also embedded in Hilton’s realization of her nine original compositions is the vibrating energy and bluesy soul of fellow composer/pianists “Count” Bill Basie, and Horace Silver. Hilton has wound an underlying concept through the music of DAY & NIGHT. Mirroring her solo format, the theme Hilton writes of in her liner notes is introspective: “Day & Night echoes my commitment to discover and savor every day moments: to see the beauty in a day from the first glow of sunrise to the dimming sky at sunset, and to acknowledge and share these these rich times others.” DAY & NIGHT begins with the upbeat samba charmer, “Caffeinated Culture” before the title track delivers its sophisticated drama. Hilton’s “Seduction” an earlier composition from her NOCTURNAL album—attests to Hilton’s fluid pianistic style, but with traces of the Basie and Silver influences holding sway. “Sunrise” and “Sunset on the Beach” both feature Hilton as a strong impressionist—one of the unique qualities of her compositions, while “Dark Sky Day” hints of Hilton’s classical training. Hilton has composed her pieces to treat the traditional in new ways, combining multiple rhythmic and genre ideas as if to try and shine a different light to the scene of a shared cup of coffee, a jostle of memories or the simmer of passions held dear to the heart.

Twenty - three time Grammy winning engineer, Al Schmitt lends his masterful talents to these ten tracks that were recorded at the legendary Capitol Studios in Hollywood – a treat for any audiophile. There is a remarkable intimacy and immediacy that brings you right inside the sound – Hilton has worked with Schmitt and Grammy award winning Gavin Lurssen, for over a decade.

Hilton is considered one of the most distinctive composers and pianists in jazz today, her compositions drawing on classical traditions, twentieth century modernists, and the avant-garde as much as they look back to icons of American jazz and blues. Hilton’s blues inflected trans-genre or poly-genre style influences extend beyond jazz legends Thelonious Monk, Count Basie, Horace Silver and Duke Ellington, to include bluesman Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, minimalists like Steve Reich, current rockers Black Keys or modernists Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Bartok. 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 program, she became a music school drop out, switching majors and receiving a degree in art instead. Ever since becoming a professional musician, this background in the fine arts has well informed Hilton’s composition process. “While Louis Armstrong was performing, Monet was painting water lilies and French composers like Debussy were using harmonic ‘impressionism’. As a composer today, I explore music as art, building the composition with musical elements then ‘painting’ texture and color through various jazz approaches,” Hilton explains. “I might apply Seurat’s pointillism ideas to improvisation, creating new ways of expressing our life today.”

Day & Night

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Lisa Hilton - Nocturnal

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:40
Size: 119,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:28)  1. Nocturnal
(4:51)  2. A Spark in the Night
(5:50)  3. Seduction
(3:57)  4. Whirlwind
(4:31)  5. Willow Weep for Me
(4:36)  6. Where Is My Mind
(5:39)  7. Midnight Sonata Symphony of Blues
(4:56)  8. Midnight Sonata Desire
(4:27)  9. Midnight Sonata Midnight Stars
(4:56) 10. Twilight
(4:23) 11. An August Remembered

Acclaimed composer/pianist/band leader Lisa Hilton has completed her eighteenth release, Nocturnal with her most impressive band to date Hilton again on keys, with Antonio Sanchez/drums, Terell Stafford/trumpet, Gregg August/bass and J.D. Allen on tenor sax. It will be released January 22nd, 2016. The eleven tracks show a remarkable emotional depth and clarity from all band members with plenty of virtuosic moments. “We were trying to explore the multiple layers of human emotions musically,” Hilton explains. For lovers of tradition, the title track Nocturnal, Whirlwind and the classic, Willow Weep for Me allow for Stafford’s fluid trumpet and flugelhorn and Allen’s deep Detroit tenor tone to shine. The Latin flavored, A Spark in the Night, showcases Sanchez and August and their extensive Latin backgrounds in a catchy and appealing way, while Twilight is impressionistic. A surprise choice is The Pixies’ Where is my Mind? so simply stated then turning in another direction by the finale. It’s on the bluesy Seduction and the tender An August Remembered that Hilton’s flowing lines and melodic ideas are highlighted. Also included is Hilton’s Midnight Sonata for piano, bass and drums: I. Symphony of Blues II.

Desire, and III. Midnight Stars. Midnight Sonata merges a classical form with the freedom of American jazz and blues in a trans-genre style. Hilton was inspired by iconic American composers such as George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and Dave Brubeck, who also composed in classical forms. The result is appealing to both jazz and classical fans. Midnight Sonata was also written to communicate an emotional depth not normally found in sonatas. While the sonata form is in tact, Hilton and her trio used improvisation, blues, modal washes, shifting key centers, free jazz, impressionism and extended technique in creating a refreshing yet familiar vibe.  http://photos.allaboutjazz.com/gallery_image.php?id=159370

Personnel:  Lisa Hilton (piano);  Antonio Sanchez (drums);  Terell Stafford (trumpet);  Gregg August (bass);  J.D. Allen (saxophone)

Nocturnal

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Lisa Hilton - Horizons

Size: 115,4 MB
Time: 49:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Vapors And Shadows (4:10)
02. Nocturnal (2:45)
03. Sunset And The Mocking Bird (4:10)
04. The Sky And The Ocean (5:24)
05. Gold On The Ceiling (3:35)
06. Surfer Blues (4:39)
07. Moon River (4:53)
08. Lazy Moon (4:30)
09. Perfect Day (4:26)
10. When It Rains (3:28)
11. Dolphins (3:08)
12. Currents (4:36)

H O R I Z O N S startles with sheer beauty of sound, melody and improvisation. Lisa Hilton’s ‘new’ classic jazz features her shimmering piano with exceptional performances by trumpet savant, Sean Jones, and the soulful tenor sax of J.D. Allen, with strong support from Rudy Royston on drums and Gregg August on bass. Top sound engineers Al Schmitt, Gavin Lurssen, and James Farber have done a exceptional job sure to please audiophiles - available for the first time in vinyl as a ten track record .

Hilton writes in her liner notes, “Every single day there is beauty in nature…” and it is that natural beauty that informs and inspires these twelve tracks. From the classic straight ahead “Nocturnal” and Count Basie inspired, “Surfer Blues” to the intrigue of “Vapors and Shadows” or the playfulness of “Dolphins” and “Perfect Day,” Hilton and her well – honed band bring a playlist of jazz styles. It is the thrill of the melody though that enlightens “The Sky and the Ocean” and the Southern charmer “Lazy Moon” as well as Hilton’s elegant arrangements of Duke Ellington’s gem, “Sunset and the Mockingbird” and the Mercer/Mancini classic, “Moon River.” These pieces shine with Jones’ clarion flugelhorn and Allens’ seductive tenor alongside Hilton’s silky tones. Royston and August contribute well throughout, especially on The Black Keys “Gold on the Ceiling” and the thoughtful, “Currents”. H O R I Z O N S also includes the impressionistic, “When It Rains” as a solo piano soundscape.

“What I see in nature informs and inspires my life,” Hilton muses. “When I look out to our horizon, I always see something positive and I allow the outdoors to become a metaphor for what we’re doing musically and compositionally. We try and communicate a sense of expansiveness, depth, hope and clarity while improvising on life.”

Considered one of the most distinctive composers and pianists in jazz today, Lisa Hilton’s compositions draw on classical traditions, twentieth century modernists, and the avant-garde as much as they look back to icons of American jazz and blues. Hilton’s style influences extend beyond jazz legends Thelonious Monk, Count Basie or Duke Ellington, to include bluesmen Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, minimalists like Steve Reich, modernists Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Bartok or current rockers The Black Keys.

Horizons

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Lisa Hilton - Kaleidoscope

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:04
Size: 115,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Simmer
(4:40)  2. Whispered Confessions
(5:00)  3. Labyrinth
(5:07)  4. When I Fall in Love
(3:41)  5. Bach, Basie, Bird Boogie Blues Bop
(3:51)  6. Kaleidoscope
(4:30)  7. Midnight Mania
(3:12)  8. Blue Horizon
(5:28)  9. Stepping Into Paradise
(3:51) 10. One and Only
(4:46) 11. Sunny Side Up

“Lisa Hilton’s signature style is impressively on display.”  George Harris/JazzWeekly

“Lisa Hilton is a jazz musician of incredible sensibility and nuance that, along with a beautifully evocative style of playing, places her at the very top. The track Midnight Mania is insanely great music, one of several by the way, where Hilton and JD are in perfect sync, with bassist Grenadier and drummer Marcus Gilmore pushing the beat in some truly fascinating ways.” ~ Hugh Carson/KVNF Radio

“We play a boat-load of Lisa Hilton’s music, & have quite a few fans on our staff.” ~ Mark DeBoskey/ KSDS Radio

 “LOVE IT! Nice arrangements/feel/music.  I really like the composed/impressionistic aspects, plus the lush recording.” ~ Todd Steed/WUOT Radio

 “Under the deft touch and considerable artistic vision of Lisa Hilton, modern and traditional jazz come together as one. The new sound for improvisational music is only enhanced with the prolific rhythm section of bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Marcus Gilmore when you toss in the King of improvisational minimalism in tenor player, J.D. Allen, then things just got serious. Nine of the eleven tunes on Kaleidoscope are originals further solidifying Hilton as a composer of note. In somewhat the same lyric vein as Allen there has been a zen-like less is more quality to Hilton’s work, yet with Allen the harmonics and the lyric flow are more open ended and there is a deceptively subtle sense of urgency smoldering just beneath the surface. Hilton moves effortlessly between classical and jazz with Bach/Basie/Bird Boogie Blues Bop while doing her own riff on Horace Silver and Herbie Hancock with the opening tune, Simmer. There is a shift, a lyrical and harmonic adjustment within the more traditional ranks of jazz and Lisa Hilton is now leading the charge. A formidable quartet with adventurous original compositions banged out by some of the finest musicians of our time. It doesn’t get much better than this”.  ~ Brent Black/Critical Jazz.com 2014     http://lisahiltonmusic.com/?p=1337

Personnel: Lisa Hilton (piano); J.D. Allen (tenor saxophone); Marcus Gilmore (drums).

Kaleidoscope

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