ARTISTS
Lisa Hilton
An enticing oasis pulsing with West Coast cool energy is what the acclaimed pianist and award-winning composer Lisa Hilton has created with her new release, OASIS. Along with her trio mates,
bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Mark Whitfield Jr., they have delivered on that promise with a new album that is at times tender, yet emotionally intelligent, and well-conceived. On OASIS, Hilton notes that the album title refers to a place of refuge, relief and a realization during the composing process that while she herself needed an antidote during these tumultuous times, others were seeking their own safe haven, or "oasis," as well.
The opening track, "Twists of Fate," surprises the senses with its cool laid back vibe laced with an energy related to the electricity of Thelonious Monk and Count Basie’s best excursions in bop, with Hilton leaving plenty of aural room while Curtis and Whitfield lay down some incredibly arresting rhythms. The trio then segues into the Horace Silver influenced, "Adventure Lands."
Compositions like the title track, "Oasis," "Watercolor World" and "Sunday Morning" showcase the trio’s collective ability to coalesce around an ethereal or, conversely, an ecstatic mood; at times with washes of free jazz and cascading notes fluttering. The classic George Gershwin tune, "Fascinating Rhythm," now travels in some new directions with the supple grooves of Curtis and Whitfield as well as yielding the melody under Hilton’s supple touch. This is a good companion to Hilton’s "Vapors & Shadows" as well as the lively "Just for Fun."
"Lazy Daisy" is a slow blues for a sunny afternoon, though here with an impish twist mixing bluesy tones against simpler melodic ideas. Latin rhythms weave in and out of Hilton’s compositions, and here are showcased on the fast paced "Sunshine States." The final track "Warm Summer Night" ends the album in a solo piano version awash in Americana.
Hilton continues to produce an album a year with what has been described by Midwest Record Recap as a “throbbing undercurrent of West Coast Cool.” The pianist's 21st release, OASIS, is meant to lift spirits as a positive and energizing force in our lives -- something the pianist and her trio have accomplished using traditional ideas in new and invigorating ways.
- AVAILABLE NOW: Lisa Hilton | “OASIS” | Ruby Slippers Productions- Available Now on Ruby Slippers Productions: Lisa Hilton Forges Safe Haven During Tumultuous Times with New Release OASIS “Hilton’s melodies frequently blend the two-handed punch of Horace Silver with the moodiness of McCoy Tyner…” – Stereogum “Hilton’s music is picturesque and impressionistic… the pianist has excellent technique.” – DownBeat An enticing oasis pulsing with West Coast cool energy is…
- Lisa Hilton | “OASIS” | Available December 7 via Ruby Slippers Productions- Lisa Hilton Forges Safe Haven During Tumultuous Times with New Release OASIS Album Available December 7 via Ruby Slippers Productions “Hilton’s melodies frequently blend the two-handed punch of Horace Silver with the moodiness of McCoy Tyner…” – Stereogum “Hilton’s music is picturesque and impressionistic…the pianist has excellent technique.” – Downbeat An enticing oasis pulsing with West…
- AVAILABLE NOW: Lisa Hilton -“Escapism”- Ruby Slippers Productions- Out Today on Ruby Slippers Productions Lisa Hilton Sets Forth On A Journey Promoting Peace, Tranquility and Positive Energy with Escapism Lisa Hilton often settles in at her piano and riffs on everyone from Miles Davis and Horace Silver to The Black Keys and Green Day, until she can find peace within the notes, letting them fill the…
- Lisa Hilton – “Escapism” – Available December 1 on Ruby Slippers Productions- Lisa Hilton Sets Forth On A Journey Promoting Peace, Tranquility and Positive Energy with Escapism – Available December 1 on Ruby Slippers Productions Lisa Hilton often settles in at her piano and riffs on everyone from Miles Davis and Horace Silver to The Black Keys and Green Day, until she can find peace within the notes,…
One of the Best Releases of 2018 All About Jazz
TOP 5 JAZZ ARTISTS OF 2018 FemMusic.com
ARTIST OF THE MONTH / DECEMBER 2018 Sounds of Timeless Jazz
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“Like whispers of a better place just around the corner if you’re prepared to take the ride, the tunes of West Coast mainstay and prolific pianist/composer Lisa Hilton’s exciting, well paced OASIS work their way into your listening space and take up residence…. Hilton’s active left hand teams brilliantly with the resilient give and take and formidable chops of bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Mark Whitley Jr.” - All About Jazz
“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.” - All About Jazz
“Some of the same insouciant spirit as much of Paul Desmond.” - Arts Journal
"'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
“Lisa Hilton shows her impressive composing skills as well as ability to create a sonic mood. She’s able to mix classical impressionistic moods a la Debussy, but with a swinging pulse.” Jazz Weekly
“Pulsing with a West Coast cool energy.” - Jazziz Magazine
“Hilton takes it old school with a cool school set…the vibe is low key and the notes get your head bobbing. Mighty chops and good taste…another winner from a winner herself.” Midwest Record
“Hilton shows off her left-handed dexterity, while her right hand improvises brightly. Mark Whitfield Jr., keeps the trap drums strong beneath her up-tempo prowess. Luques Curtis, on bass, locks into the production to bring solid support.” - Musical Memoirs
“Throughout the musicianship is excellent. The songs are melodious, memorable and swinging…add this to your must-hear list.” - New York City Jazz Record
“Beautiful sounds & clever but informative repartee – Hilton continued to draw undivided attention to her introspective playing style as well as the layers and layers of piano virtuosity.” - Sounds of Timeless Jazz
“The new trio brilliantly showcase their collective abilities. OASIS has many merits: Lisa Hilton provides her stunning virtuosity beautifully and exquisitely” Sounds of Timeless Jazz
“Lisa Hilton is one of the most famous composers and pianists in modern jazz.” - Video Heart/Vietnam
