Hi there!

I realize it's been a while since I've dropped a note, but when I'm in the studio it just feels best to keep everything down low until it's all DONE, (my favorite word!). "American Impressions" is my fourteenth release in the US and my favorite so far. It's my second with this band - the great J.D. Allen on tenor sax, who I consider to be a leading tenor of all times, the incredibly agile/smart/gifted and very popular Larry Grenadier on bass (he tours with Brad Mehldau, his band Fly Trio and Pat Metheny) and the exceptionally creative Nasheet Waits on drums, (he also has played with Jason Moran, John Escreet, Fred Hirsch). We recorded January 7&8 and the CD was completely manufactured in two months. That is fast! It just happened pretty easily, and it went quickly, so that is a good sign - I can't say it was effortless, but it went down really well. It has now been sent off to radio and so you can begin hearing it around any day now. We really hope you enjoy it. You can pick it up at all the usual spots of course: Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, iTunes.com and LisaHiltonMusic.com of course. Here's the video for a solo piano tune - let me know what you think, ok? http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QIYWyMqgFJg

I premiere the new music next Tuesday at The Junior Blind of America in Torrance near Los Angeles. I always like to stop there first before I start my tour - I love those kids! Other tour dates:
3/29 The Joynt/Chicago
4/12 Catalina Jazz Club/Hollywood
5/18 Biscuits & Blues/SF
9/12 Scullers/Boston * (this is rescheduled from 9/13)
11/1 Cafe 939/Boston
11/2 Cornell University/upstate NY

I hope you can come by and see a live performance and say "hi". We'll probably have more dates later too.

Hope you are doing well, and take care,
Lisa

Happy New Year and thank you!

Zone Music Reporter has announced that "Underground" was the #18 CD for 2012. Wow! That is wonderful! Thank you! I really appreciate through the years, ALL those years, the support and loyalty from the many stations that make up Zone Music Reporter. It's a cool music mix, and I'm happy and always proud to be a part of all those playlists. I think every year for many many years, my CD's have made the top for the year listings, and I love that - thank you!

Well, I'm finishing up new music as we speak! I recorded January 7 & 8, and I will finish next weekend if all goes well. I think "Underground" was a great CD, and I'm proud of it. That said, I think ZMR stations will like this upcoming CD even better - LOTS of new music and sounds - all acoustic of course. I can hardly wait to share it! Look for it in March or April.

Take care and enjoy your weekend,

Lisa Hilton

Happy New Year and Hello 2012!

Early winter is the most beautiful time on the West Coast - you can observe that the water really sparkles like diamonds at this time, allowing you to see and feel the vastness of the Universe before the rain and fog roll in. I had a really wonderful Holiday season: besides great weather, baking Christmas cookies, seeing family and friends, I finished up new music compositions for 2012. It was a lot of work, but everything that I love. 2011 was an extremely challenging year for me, as it was for many others as well. But somehow, in the last few weeks I realized that those extreme difficulties birthed, somehow, a happier and more resilient soul. I DON'T want to go through 2011 again, and I am genuinely looking forward to 2012. But I do appreciate and acknowledge the growth that occurred in 2011.

Later this week I will be in NYC for the APAP convention and working in NYC as well. Lots of jazz in the city this next week, so that will be a LOT of fun. I look forward to seeing my amazing bandmates: Larry Grenadier, Nasheet Waits and J.D. Allen again. Oh, and celebrating my Bday on Jan 5th too of course!

Wishing the very best to you in 2012,

Lisa

Hi There!

I'm finishing up my tour right as summer is ending. I'll be in Seattle at Jazz Alley, (www.jazzalley.com), on August 30 at 8:30 - that's 8/30 at 8:30 - easy to remember! It's part of a larger showcasing so there will be lots of music to hear that night. I will play a short solo set. Then coming up September 14th I'll be at Cafe 939 in Boston at 8pm (www.cafe939.com), then that's it for now - I'll be composing. I'm ending up the summer with a short trip this weekend and then family in for Labor Day. Yep, the BBQ will be fired up, and hopefully the good weather will hold.

I have a "new" website - we're not quite done, but please check it out, and a new video up on YouTube: "Jack & Jill". Please check them out with the links below, and let me know what you think, ok?

I'm very thankful that UNDERGROUND has been doing so well at radio, and continues to do well on charts even now. I am interested in timeless music, and it is a great feeling knowing that we are creating music that the world loves. Thank you to everyone at radio for playing us, those who have come out to the performances and bought the CD too. This all means a lot to us! Please tell your friends too.

Take care and enjoy the last few days of summer!

On tour for summer!

Hi there,

I hope you are enjoying summer so far. Warm or hot weather seems to be everywhere. Everyone looks tan without even going to the beach it seems. Hot, hot, hot it was last month in NYC when we played Zinc Bar (above with J.D. allen on tenor, Ameen Saleem on bass and Jaimeo Brown on drums). Great crowd, great vibe there and we definitely were hot with those temperatures. I've had the last month off, but we are at Regatta Bar: http://www.RegattaBar.com in Harvard Square/Boston August 4th/ Thursday at 7:30pm. Just one show, so please try and make it by. If you haven't heard J.D. yet, you'll be in for a treat - everyone compares his rich tone to Coltrane's. Ameen regularly tours with Roy Hargrove, so you might be familiar with his cool style. Jaimeo is a great guy and often tours with pianist Geri Allen. I'm in the mood to play and I love Boston, so I'll be in high spirits! It will be the actual premier of the tune I wrote last summer, "Boston + Blues" in Boston too, so that feels kind of special in a way. I'm also playing solo at Jazz Alley on 8/30 at 8:30, http://wwwJazzGallery.com and then solo back in Boston for a fundraiser for Perkins School for the Blind September 14th at Cafe 939http://www.Cafe939.com. Hopefully you can try and come by one of these shows. Jazz always puts you in a good mood and summer is a great time to indulge in that!

You can read about the Zinc Bar evening at on the FaceBook blog of radio personality, Mike Chimeri here: http://mikechimeriblog.com/2011/06/09/lisa-hilton-at-zinc-bar-recap/ along with photos too.

I am really thankful to so many radio stations that are playing "UNDERGROUND" - we have appeared on three charts, and in the top 10 on one chart for three months now. A sincere thank you to all the radio stations supporting our efforts and keeping us all happy by continuing to play jazz!

Enjoy the summer and hope to see you!

Lisa

Hi there,

I decided out of the blue the other day, that I was going to have a Super Duper Summer, and that I would wish the same for everyone else too. I know, it sounds silly, and uh, childish; in fact it's the kind of thing I would have said when I was a little girl. But this year, I'm choosing a summer that feels like what that phrase might represent: simple pleasures, time for what you love best, being playful without pressure, freedom to goof off with best buddies, and plain old fun. It just feels right this year - luxurious even, to relish the extraordinary pleasures of reading, writing, composing, playing, being outdoors and seeing family and friends. I know, words wise, that might sound dull, but I just got back from visiting my sister and I can attest to the joys of watching a corgi sniffle the grass, the thrill of iris in late bloom, and the magic and drama of a big summer storm. My mother, who was known for her peculiar phrases, ("I'm off like a dirty shirt!" "It will get worse, or it will get better!"), used to say: "Don't make a mountain out of a molehill!". Well this year I think it feels good to make a "mountain out of a molehill". To make a "big deal" out of the little stuff in life. I was at a party last Friday, and someone mentioned they were spending two months in Turkey this summer. Well, good for them. I feel richer, somehow, with just a few days last week in Idaho. It might sound remarkable to some, but the three and 1/2 hours talking in the car on the way to the mountains and another three and 1/2 hours talking on the way home with someone I've known my whole life seemed like time well spent. Along the way I realized too, how beautiful America is: you don't need to go to the Swiss Alps when you can go to, (I bet you couldn't guess...), Redfish Lake in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, do you?

I'm sure to many people, a musician appears to perform for the thrill of being on stage, or for the glory of showing off their skills. Well, to me, and it's about connecting with others - communicating and sharing this world that we all live in. Jazz is a world where all are welcome - a shared passion is the only "ticket" needed. And this summer, at a time when many of our "friends" now are often people we have never even met, I choose to spend my time connecting through my music with real live people, (August 4th in Boston at Regatta Bar), spending time in nature, reading good "old fashioned" books, and of course, composing. This summer, that's MY definition of Super Duper!

So however, or wherever, you spend your summer and your Fourth of July, I hope that it is filled with all the things you truly love, with "play time", with nature, with freedom to goof off a bit, with family, friends and fun.

Wishing you a really..... Super Duper Summer!

Lisa

Stevie Wonder

Hi there,

What can I say: Stevie Wonder is a legend, and his music has intermingled with our lives for so many years. It was, of course, really cool to see him live - on one tune he didn't even sing - the audience knew all the words! You can't stay in your seats when he's around, that's for sure. He really enjoys himself on stage, and that really translates to the audience. Only 600 people there - I was hoping to get to meet him, but he stayed in the green room the whole time until he came out and played until 1am.

I was hoping to get a picture at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival last week of Gregg Allman, but I was lucky to just get a seat, and it wasn't close to the stage. Probably about 2,500 in the tent seated and maybe that many hanging outside, but we all felt lucky. Allman looks GREAT - perfect even. He's still playing keyboards and guitar, but that voice of his sounds BETTER than ever. In fact, he doesn't even need to play an instrument - he's got fine players on stage with him, but n o b o d y sounds like him. I think there's so much.... what's the right word? Respect for everything that he has gone through, that he's continued on - the "Midnight Rider" and his music still speaks to all generations. If you have a chance to see him while he's on tour, it's really worth it. Nola was hot, hot, hot, but fun. I also was really impressed with Trombone Shorty - he plays the trombone more like a trumpeter, and that's a very difficult jazz instrument to play. I recommend seeing him too when he tours.

Speaking of tour.... I'm playing in Hollywood next week, May 25 at Catalina's Jazz Club - please try and come if you can and tell your friends. Catalina's is a great hang, and really THE jazz club in L.A. for a long time. Food's good, parking's good, and you never know who will drop in. We see actors, artists, political figures, musical legends even, and of course jazz lovers. Some people say it's a great date night too. Please say "hi" afterwards, ok?

Great radio news: our latest CD, "UNDERGROUND" is doing really well at radio - showing up so far on 3 radio charts. Yeah! Some stations have consistently included it in their Top 10, and I did an interview last week and the host said they get good audience response every time they play a track. Another station said that for now each host is "claiming" a different track as theirs so that there isn't too much overlap. They said eventually they'll play everything on the CD. Wonderful too to be played on the syndicated Voice of America and the great Jim Wilke's show, "Jazz After Hours". All good news for me, Nasheet, Larry and JD of course. There is so much work that goes into every track - and passion too. Thank you for the support!

Take care and have a great week!

Lisa