Podcast 566: A Conversation with Lisa Hilton

Near the top of the list entitled "Why haven't I talked to these musicians?" is the name of Lisa Hilton. A pianist and composer whose classical background has influenced her very modern approach to the keyboard, she has continued to produce a series of top-notch group CDs. With over twenty CDs released as a leader, she never fails gather some of the finest talent around to complete her musical vision. 2016 saw Lisa releasing two CDs – Nocturnal, a quintet album, and Day & Night, a solo recording. Nocturnal is a joy to hear, as she plays with and off a killer band – Gregg August on bass, Antonio Sanchez on drums, J.D. Allen on sax and Terell Stafford on trumpet.  The band breathes life into standards like "Willow Weep for Me', while Hilton originals like "Whirlywind" and "Seduction" (which also appears in a reimagined version on Day & Night) give the band a strong melodic base from which to stretch out. Ms. Hilton has been known to throw a curveball or two in her song selection, and here the surprise is the Pixies' "Where is My Mind?"  Day & Night allows Lisa to keep the spotlight for herself, and she does not disappoint. She has both the chops and soul to keep you constantly listening. The album has nine originals, along with a take on Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine" that erases any thoughts of how that song might be played from your memory. It's that good. I spoke with Lisa about the two albums, as well as her philanthropic projects of helping blind students at the Perkins School of the Blind, Camp Bloomfield for the blind in California, and at the adaptive music lab for visually impaired musicians at Boston's Berklee College of Music. Musical selections from Day & Night include "Begin the Beguine" and "Caffeinated Culture", and selections from Nocturnal include "Seduction" and "Where is My Mind?"