NATURALLY

LISA HILTON / PIANO 

J.D. ALLEN / SAX,  IGMAR THOMAS / TRUMPET,  RUDY ROYSTON / DRUMS,  LUQUES CURTIS / BASS

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Album notes:

The award-winning composer and critically acclaimed pianist once again teams with her renown quintet on eleven hopeful, impressionistic and mesmerizing tracks. Naturally marks Hilton’s thirtieth album and is destined to become another classic in cool jazz… naturally. Featuring Lisa Hilton/piano, JD Allen/tenor sax, Igmar Thomas/trumpet, Rudy Royston/drums and Luques Curtis/bass. 

“Creating music that is natural, authentic, and expressive has always been important to me,” Hilton muses, “Now with the advent of A.I. I think this becomes a mandate for artists – it’s imperative to continue creating new work in natural and organic ways despite the ease of digital short cuts. These days multitudes of people feel trapped by cycles of anxiety and stress while feeling pummeled by traumatic news from around the world.  Musically we aim to create hope and a ray of sunshine while honestly expressing everyday challenges too. I think listening to musicians with unique skills, playing real instruments can connect with the our global culture in ways that computers or algorithms can never quite match.” Legendary drummer Art Blakely (1919-1990) reflected on the belief in the therapeutic, cleansing, and uplifting power of music when he said, “Jazz washes away the dust of everyday life.  “That quote is an apt description for our album Naturally. As musicians, we never yearn for perfection - we want to touch others through honesty, natural beauty and the passion we have for creating and playing music.”

Throughout her career, Hilton has won several awards for her compositions and includes nine originals as well as covers on Naturally. Stand out tracks include the Latin flavored and stunningly impressionistic Carefree Chronicles and Transcendental Tango, along with some traditional jazz tunes such as Nocturnal and Stop & Go Chaotic Show which all highlight the exceptional musical prowess and creative energy of this quintet. Sax man JD Allen and trumpeter Igmar Thomas blend effortlessly with complementary skills and virtuosity, while drummer Rudy Royston and bassist Luques Curtis create a propulsive forward movement with their inventive contributions. Hilton, as always, seduces with melodic simplicity compositional surprises, displaying her fluid soloing on trio tracks such as the ballad I Want To Spend More Than A Moment With You, and paints rich landscapes filled with hope on Scene From A California Dream, Waterlily World and Thinking Of Somewhere Else. Once Upon a Blues Day clearly highlights the distinctive composers voice that Hilton has – combining American blues skillfully with painterly dabs of pop and Beethoven. The beautiful and contemplative tune, Peace 

Piece by pianist/composer Bill Evans is presented here as Hilton’s solo piano interpretation in a way that connects with the original improvisatory composition, while highlighting the brilliance of this 1959 composition. The other cover song included is My Favorite Things by Oscar Hammerstine and Richard Rogers. Although a more restrained version than John Coltrane’s recorded versions of this jazz classic, Hilton and her quintet present a thoughtful arrangement here with interesting harmonic ideas and allowing the melodicism of Allen’s deep tenor tones and the clarity of Thomas’s trumpet to be showcased alongside the emotional range of Hilton.

From her Malibu perch, Hilton’s passion for composing and piano performance always permeate her annual contributions to the heritage of cool jazz. Previously home to jazz giants Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Stan Getz, Joe Zawinul as well as Jeremy Pelt this coastal community provides endless inspiration for Hilton while surrounding her as it did for many other jazz heroes, with the natural small town beauty that quite likely, will Naturally will inspire listeners too.

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