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Take Five With Lisa Hilton
Courtesy Lisa Hilton
Meet Lisa Hilton:
Lisa Hilton is considered one of the most distinctive composers and pianists in jazz today. Trained as a classical pianist but with a degree in art, she has created her evocative, individualistic and impressionistic "sound paintings" for over a decade as a leader. In the book, The New Face of Jazz, Hilton was "compared to some of the best pianists in history," her imagistic compositions drawing deeply on classical traditions, twentieth century modernists, and the avant-garde as much as they look back to American jazz and blues artists like
Thelonious Monk
piano1917 - 1982
Muddy Waters
guitar1915 - 1983
Count Basie
piano1904 - 1984
Steve Reich
composer / conductorb.1936
Over the course of her creative career, the "Lioness of Jazz" has played with many of this era's jazz luminaries, notably
Christian McBride
bassb.1972
Steve Wilson
saxophoneb.1961
Larry Grenadier
bass, acousticb.1966
Nasheet Waits
drumsb.1971
JD Allen
saxophone, tenorb.1972
Jeremy Pelt
trumpetb.1976
Lewis Nash
drumsb.1958
Bobby Militello
saxophone, altob.1950
Dave Brubeck
piano1920 - 2012
Instruments:
Piano/composer.Teachers and/or influences?
I'm influenced by everything I hear or see as a composer, and I do try and play a variety of things. I love Monk, Basie and
Duke Ellington
piano1899 - 1974
George Gershwin
composer / conductor1898 - 1937
Jelly Roll Morton
piano1890 - 1941
Fats Waller
piano1904 - 1943
I knew I wanted to be a musician when...
Well, I follow art and music both and I have done both. Now I think that those interests are working together for me: my art is my music.Your sound and approach to music:
I think that as a composer in the 21st century it is important to find the approach that sounds like life today—not like music of the last century. We can appreciate and reference the past, while moving forward.Your teaching approach:
I don't really believe that the arts can, or should be, taught. It is a path of discovery that only the individual should walk. Teachers can inspire, and suggest directions, but only the artist is in charge of where and how they will go and get there. Music and art are expressions of love and communication, so they are—and should be—unique to each individual. Being graded or judged for those expressions endanger the pureness of that communication.Your dream band:
I think I have a dream band with Larry Grenadier and Nasheet Waits.Road story: Your best or worst experience:
Well, as a pianist you are normally at the mercy of whatever piano is available, and if it's been tuned or not. At one club, I was told the technician had been tuning the piano—just for me—for four hours when I got there (and took another hour after that), when it normally takes about an hour or so to get an instrument tuned! On the other hand, Steinway NY gives me the most sublime instruments in the entire U.S.Favorite venue:
I don't know if there ever is a favorite, because everything else is a factor—the instrument, the audience, the engineer or sound. Every venue is an improvisation.Your favorite recording in your discography and why?
I love our new Getaway (2013), with Larry Grenadier and Nasheet Waits. I think it is exceptionally well recorded and with these masters you want to hear it all! This is our third recording together and there is a lot of freedom exhibited here. I think you can hear excitement, but also a level of trust with each other. I think that Larry and Nasheet were laughing and happy after every take, too It was challenging, but fun.The first Jazz album I bought was:
Probably Getz/Gilberto, like most people.What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?
When I listen to Gershwin, his music describes the bustling New York City of the 1920s in "Rhapsody In Blue," but I have only seen that NY in movies. Our music should sound like the times that we live in, and as a composer it is important to leave work for future generations to understand and explore this time period, as well as to connect with others today. I think music is our original Social Network, and it spans the centuries.Did you know...
I had a big challenge with performance anxiety for a very long time. Glad to move on from that one!CDs you are listening to now:
Timothy Andres, Shy & Mighty;
Brad Mehldau
pianob.1970
Vijay Iyer
pianob.1971
Diana Krall
piano and vocalsb.1964
Desert Island picks:
I think this question is getting dated; my iPod or Pandora should do it.How would you describe the state of jazz today?
We are living in an incredibly exciting time for the arts in general. Before you will actually see change in the marketplace, we, as musicians and artists, feel the dramatic urge to create work with new directions and energy. If you look back 100 years ago, Monet was painting water lilies, Debussy was composing, and jazz was getting rolling. This is a very fertile time for the arts.What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?
If art and music are only reserved for the most wealthy individuals, it places strong limits and parameters on growth in those areas. Presenters must create events that appeal to consumers at all levels. Anything that is overly curated will also have difficulty flourishing.What is in the near future?
Getaway just was released, so there are lots of details to finish, and then tour. Over the summer I like to just explore all types of music, though.What's your greatest fear when you perform?
What you hear is always the result of several effects: the artist; the instrument; the audience; and the engineer, (or sound system). As a musician you can only control the music that you bring with you; everything else is dependent on everything else. A bad piano or bad mics—no green room or bathroom —nothing you can do about that stuff. You always work with what you have.What is your favorite song to whistle or sing in the shower?
There's a lot of music in my life, so I normally am not singing and whistling.If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:
An artist—that is what my degree is in.Tags
Lisa Hilton
Take Five With...
United States
New York
New York City
Thelonious Monk
Muddy Waters
Count Basie
Steve Reich
Christian McBride
Steve Wilson
Larry Grenadier
Nasheet Waits
JD Allen
Jeremy Pelt
Lewis Nash
Bobby Militello
Dave Brubeck
duke ellington
George Gershwin
Jelly Roll Morton
Fats Waller
brad mehldau
Vijay Iyer
Diana Krall
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