Home » Jazz Musicians » Peter Zak

Peter Zak

There are few jazz pianists performing today who excel in the art of the straight-ahead piano-bass-drums trio as brilliantly as does Peter Zak. The empathy that he, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Willie Jones III achieve on all 10 tracks of The Disciple—the Los Angeles-born, New York- based pianist’s tenth album in 10 years for SteepleChase Productions and eighth such trio recording for the esteemed Danish label—is nothing short of breathtaking.

“The fact that the piano is the lead instrument in terms of playing the melody appeals to me,” Zak says of the trio format. “There’s that, and the hookup between the ride cymbal and the bass doesn’t get any better than that. The reason I play jazz is basically for that feel.” Critics are sure to rave about The Disciple, much as they have for his earlier trio recordings.

“Peter Zak has developed into a pianist who knows what to leave out when playing, giving his music a buoyancy often lacking in trio CDs,” Ken Dryden wrote in NYC Jazz Record of Zak’s previous release, 2013’s The Eternal Triangle with bassist Washington and drummer Billy Drummond. “[T]his,” Dryden added, “is an interactive trio of equals, not just a leader and sidemen.” “The three musicians are as tight as a regularly working trio, even though they don’t play together too often,” Lee Hildebrand said of the same album in Oakland’s East Bay Express.

And, in his review for the Newark Star-Ledger of 2008’s Blues on the Corner: The Music of McCoy Tyner with bassist Paul Gill and drummer Quincy Davis, Zan Stewart opined, “The inventive, poised pianist and composer Peter Zak— he of bebop-and-beyond heart—creates beguiling passages of flowing melody driven by an assured swing.”

Zak is a stylistic disciple of some of the greatest jazz pianists of the bop and post-bop eras. He salutes six of them on The Disciple with personalized interpretations of compositions by Chick Corea, Elmo Hope, Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, Hampton Hawes, and Thelonious Monk, along with three of his own and one by the Russian classical composer and pianist Alexander Scriabin.

He hadn’t initially planned a CD of tunes made up entirely of tunes by piano players. It just turned out that way, as did the fact the set opens and closes with waltzes: Chick Corea’s “The Loop” and his own “The Disciple.” His decisions must have been subconscious, as he has long shown himself to be master of programming music who often selects great yet little-known songs for his recordings and live performances.

Read more

Tags

1
Live Review

Peter Zak Quartet at Smalls Jazz Club

Read "Peter Zak Quartet at Smalls Jazz Club" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


Peter Zak Quartet Smalls Jazz Club jny:New York, NY December 18, 2020 One of a handful of rotating camera angles from Smalls Jazz Club offered a view of Peter Zak's hands on the keyboard of a Yamaha grand. This vantage point spoke volumes about the opening set of Zak's quartet. Despite a fair amount of evidence to the contrary, jazz piano doesn't have to be loud and frenetic to make an impact. Zak's ...

5
Album Review

The Peter Leitch New Jazz Orchestra: New Life

Read "New Life" reviewed by Jack Bowers


After what Canadian-born guitarist Peter Leitch has been through in the last eight years, it's little wonder he named the ensemble he now leads the New Life Jazz Orchestra. Diagnosed in 2012 with stage 4 lung cancer, Leitch faced the choice of throwing in the proverbial towel or undergoing career-ending cancer treatment. He chose the latter, reluctantly setting aside his instrument of choice and continuing his musical career as a composer, arranger and conductor of an orchestra whose library consists ...

11
Album Review

Andy Fusco: Remembrance

Read "Remembrance" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


Since 2016 SteepleChase Records has released five discs by alto saxophonist Andy Fusco. This impressive, often stunning body of work goes a long way in raising the profile of a man who had seldom been given the opportunity to record under his own name. While Fusco leads the sessions, he's the antithesis of a star or domineering force. Aside from his prowess on the horn, he possesses an unusual talent for putting together bands of uniquely talented individuals and choosing ...

2
Album Review

Steve Fidyk: Battle Lines

Read "Battle Lines" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


Battle Lines, the inaugural release of Steve Fidyk's Blue Canteen Music label, bears the stamp of a rhythm section capable of adroitly assuming multiple identities. During large portions of three amiable, bop-oriented tracks, “Bebop Operations," “#Social Loafing" and “Sir John," Fidyk's drums, bassist Michael Karn and pianist Peter Zak move the music along without any fuss or extraneous effort. Sometimes it's easy to take them for granted, particularly if your attention is focused on Xavier Perez's tenor sax or Joe ...

5
Album Review

Peter Zak: The Disciple

Read "The Disciple" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Peter Zak has put out one strong trio affair after another, yet his work is often overlooked. Maybe it's due to the fact that he hasn't settled on one lineup for an extended period of time, preferring to try out different combinations for his trio recordings; or maybe it's because he doesn't stray far from the straight-ahead path; or maybe it's simply dumb (bad) luck. Regardless of the root cause of said overlooking, it's a real shame that Zak doesn't ...

4
Album Review

Peter Zak: The Disciple

Read "The Disciple" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Pianist Peter Zak had a transcontinental shift from Los Angeles to Columbus and Kent Ohio and, finally, to New Your City, where he has remained since 1989. He has released critically well-received CDs for the Danish SteepleChase label: The Eternal Triangle (2012), Nordic Noon (2011) and Down East (2011). He returns with the present trio recording, The Disciple. The jazz market is a small land finicky one. It is really no longer possible to simply put together ...

192
Album Review

Peter Zak: Down East

Read "Down East" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Block chords, swinging touch, trio setting, full-throated playing: this must be Red Garland. No, its New York City pianist and composer Peter Zak and his loquacious piano style, tasteful and full-bodied. Down East is Zak's sixth release for the Danish Steeplechase label. Zak's piano approach is easily stated, even and uniformly dense. His Ornette Coleman ("Invisible") reveals a connection with Thelonious Monk ("Gallop's Gallop") and a spiritual kinship with Clifford Brown ("Tiny Capers"). “Tiny Capers" was featured ...

Read more articles
1

Recording

"The Disciple," 10th CD By Pianist Peter Zak For The Steeplechase Label, To Be Released Oct. 21

"The Disciple," 10th CD By Pianist Peter Zak For The Steeplechase Label, To Be Released Oct. 21

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

For his tenth CD in as many years, all for the Danish SteepleChase label, pianist Peter Zak continues his brilliant series of jazz trio explorations, this time in the company of bassist Peter Washington and drummer Willie Jones III. The new disc, The Disciple, will be released October 21. “The fact that the piano is the lead instrument in terms of playing the melody appeals to me,” Zak says of the trio format. “There’s that, and the hookup between the ...

1

Event

Pianist Peter Zak To Perform Solo Concert At Piedmont Piano Company, Oakland, Jan. 4

Pianist Peter Zak To Perform Solo Concert At Piedmont Piano Company, Oakland, Jan. 4

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

New York-based jazz pianist Peter Zak returns to his East Bay roots with a solo concert at Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland, on Saturday, January 4. Coming on the heels of the release of his newest CD release, a trio session for SteepleChase Records titled The Eternal Triangle, the show marks his first headlining appearance in the region in a year and a half, and his second Bay Area solo performance to date. His previous solo recital took place at ...

122

Performance / Tour

Peter Zak Trio to Perform at the Iridium Jazz Club/NYC

Peter Zak Trio to Perform at the Iridium Jazz Club/NYC

Source: Two for the Show Media

Pianist/Composer Peter Zak will be performing with his Trio at The Iridium Jazz Club in NYC on February 18, 2009 in celebration of his new CD “Seed of Sin”- Set Times are: 8:30 PM and 10:30 PM. Peter Zak Trio: Peter Zak – Piano Paul Gill – Bass Quincy Davis – Drums “One of the most polished, intelligent, swinging piano trios in New York or anywhere else." --Thomas Conrad, Jazz Times “...Vibrant and singular... ...

72

Performance / Tour

Peter Zak Upcoming Appearances

Peter Zak Upcoming Appearances

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Announcing upcoming appearances by Peter Zak: On May 11th at Rose Theater, Jazz At Lincoln Center, Peter will be performing with Ryan Kisor's Quintet. The concert, “The Many Moods Of Miles Davis", will be a double bill with Terence Blanchard's group. Peter appears on Ryan's latest CD, One Finger Snap. On May 16th at Small's Jazz Club, Peter will be appearing with his trio, playing music from his upcoming release on SteepleChase Records, My Conception. Small's is located at 183 ...

118

Performance / Tour

Peter Zak Trio: celebrating the release of his new SteepleChase CD Thursday, June 9th at Smoke

Peter Zak Trio: celebrating the release of his new SteepleChase CD Thursday, June 9th at Smoke

Source: All About Jazz

June 8, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Thursday June 9th Peter Zak Trio appearing at SMOKE JAZZ CLUB & LOUNGE 2751 Broadway (between 105th & 106th Streets), NYC 212-864-6662 or www.smokejazz.com Sets start at 9pm, 11pm and 12:30am No Cover! Celebrating the release of his new SteepleChase CD (In Stores Now!) Peter Zak Trio - SteepleChase 31578 Featuring Peter Zak-piano, Paul Gill-bass, Al Foster-drums “a great accompanist who plays great solos, too," Ryan ...

95

Performance / Tour

Peter Zak Trio Celebrating the release of his new SteepleChase CD Thursday June 9th at Smoke

Peter Zak Trio  Celebrating the release of his new SteepleChase CD Thursday June 9th at Smoke

Source: All About Jazz

June 1, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Thursday June 9th Peter Zak Trio appearing at SMOKE JAZZ CLUB & LOUNGE 2751 Broadway (between 105th & 106th Streets), NYC 212-864-6662 or www.smokejazz.com Sets start at 9pm, 11pm and 12:30am No Cover! Celebrating the release of his new SteepleChase CD (In Stores Now!) Peter Zak Trio - SteepleChase 31578 Featuring Peter Zak-piano, Paul Gill-bass, Al Foster-drums “a great accompanist who plays great solos, too," Ryan ...

94

Performance / Tour

Peter Zak Trio Celebrating the release of his new SteepleChase CD Thursday June 9th at Smoke

Peter Zak Trio  Celebrating the release of his new SteepleChase CD Thursday June 9th at Smoke

Source: All About Jazz

May 5, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Thursday June 9th Peter Zak Trio appearing at SMOKE JAZZ CLUB & LOUNGE 2751 Broadway (between 105th & 106th Streets), NYC 212-864-6662 or www.smokejazz.com Sets start at 9pm, 11pm and 12:30am No Cover! Celebrating the release of his new SteepleChase CD (In Stores Now!) Peter Zak Trio - SteepleChase 31578 Featuring Peter Zak-piano, Paul Gill-bass, Al Foster-drums “a great accompanist who plays great solos, too," Ryan ...

(Eternal Triangle) "The pianist's light touch and rhythmic poise make the set something of a standout" - Mike Hobart, Financial Times

(Eternal Triangle) "Peter Zak has developed into a pianist who knows what to leave out when playing, giving his music a buoyancy often lacking in piano trio CD's." - Ken Dryden

(Down East) "You can’t help but be drawn in by his deep swing, mastery of tempos, horn-like phrasing, orchestrative savoir faire, and ability to conjure melodic pathways through harmonic thickets.” - Ted Panken, DownBeat

(Down East) "Classy set by Peter Zak, accompanied by the stellar rhythm tandem...together they strike a swinging accord..." - Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes

Read more

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

New Life

Jazz House
2021

buy

Battle Lines

Blue Canteen Music
2020

buy

Battle Lines

Blue Canteen Music
2020

buy

Remembrance

SteepleChase Records
2020

buy

The Disciple

SteepleChase Records
2014

buy

The Eternal Triangle

SteepleChase Records
2013

buy

Videos

Similar

Greg Abate
saxophone
Diane Marino
piano and vocals
Larry Koonse
guitar, electric

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.