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Theo Hill

Hailed by the New York Times as "a vital young pianist at play in New York's straight-ahead tradition" Theo Hill is emerging as a fresh new voice in jazz piano. Born in Albany, New York, he began to study classical piano with Mary Moran at the age of five. He gravitated toward jazz studying piano at age twelve with Lee Shaw. By age sixteen, he was performing at clubs in the tri-city area and made his first New York City appearance sitting in at Smalls Jazz Club. He was accepted into the Jazz Conservatory at SUNY Purchase where he studied jazz piano with Charles Blenzig and Hal Galper. After graduating cum laude in 2004 he moved to New York City to immerse himself in the vibrant jazz culture. Theo has since performed in hundreds of venues including Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, Birdland, Carnegie Hall, Smalls, 55 Bar, The Iridium, Jazz Standard, Zinc Bar, Lenox Lounge, Minton's, Bill's Place, Smoke, St. Nick’s Pub, Cleopatra’s Needle, Fat Cat, Shapeshifter Lab, Nublu, and The Jazz Gallery. Hill has toured in over 30 states in the U.S. as well as international appearances in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Qatar, Romania, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. As a sideman Theo has had the opportunity to perform with Jeff "Tain" Watts, Charles Tolliver, Wallace Roney, Jeremy Pelt, Bobby Watson, Victor Bailey, Lenny White, Roy Ayers, Frank Lacy, Essiet Essiet, T.S. Monk, Victor Jones, Bill Saxton, J.D Allen, Tim Green, Willie Jones III, Curtis Lundy, David Weiss, Carmen Lundy, Gregory Porter as well as many other master musicians. Theo has performed with The Charles Tolliver Big Band, The Captain Black Big Band, The Josh Evans Big Band and is currently a member of The Mingus Big Band. He has also performed or recorded with Eddie Henderson, Nicholas Payton, Josh Evans, Dave Liebman, Vincent Herring, Steve Wilson, Marcus Strickland, Stacy Dillard, Logan Richardson, Gerald Cannon, "Burniss" Earl Travis, Ben Williams, Lewis Nash, Ralph Peterson, Winard Harper, E.J. Strickland, Marcus Gilmore, Obed Calvaire and Justin Brown. Theo works as a bandleader and as an in demand sideman performing, composing, recording and touring around the world. Theo also conducts master classes, teaches privately and works as a private lesson instructor at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and at the Collective School of Music.

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Album Review

Various Artists: Tales Of Wonder: A Jazz Celebration Of Stevie

Read "Tales Of Wonder: A Jazz Celebration Of Stevie" reviewed by Kyle Simpler


There aren't many songwriters who have reached a level of success comparable to Stevie Wonder. He is one of the most important figures in American music, and to celebrate his 70th birthday, Posi-Tone records is releasing Tales of Wonder: A Jazz Celebration of Stevie. This compilation, performed by some of the label's excellent roster of musicians, offers a fitting tribute to this legendary artist. Rather than simply offering something of a greatest hits compilation, Tales of Wonder digs into Wonder's ...

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Radio & Podcasts

New Music from Daniel Loomis, Mark Segger, and Theo Hill

Read "New Music from Daniel Loomis, Mark Segger, and Theo Hill" reviewed by Bob Osborne


Three featured new releases this time The new one from bassist/composer, Daniel Loomis is an evocative musical dive into an ancient, universal story exploring why bad things happen to good people, through a modern retelling of the Old Testament story of Job. Loomis brings his unique compositional voice and signature soulful bass-playing to a new jazz song cycle form developed to bring this story alive. The fullness of the album examines the most perplexing and powerful themes from ...

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Album Review

Theo Hill: Interstellar Adventures

Read "Interstellar Adventures" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Hot on the heels of his heralded 2017 effort Promethean, the five covers and five originals on his latest Interstellar Adventures serve as rousing calling-cards for Theo Hill as he continues his steady, determined ascent into the contemporary ranks of vital and inspired jazz pianists. With the exciting, percussive talents of bassist Rashaan Carter and drummer Rudy Royston seemingly joined at the hip with the leader, the opening title-track is an enticing, melodic reverie in the standard trio ...

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Album Review

New Faces: Straight Forward

Read "Straight Forward" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


New Faces is the brainchild of producer Marc Free, who comingles the talents of six young jazzers, each of whom has led at least one session for Posi-Tone. With the exception of a Herbie Hancock composition, the material is comprised of attractive, catchy themes of varying degrees of complexity, penned by a number of the label's artists and originally released on records throughout Posi-Tone's two-decade plus history. The record was recorded in one day, the group sounds well prepared, and ...

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Album Review

New Faces: Straight Forward

Read "Straight Forward" reviewed by Paul Rauch


The collection of musicians on this record, collectively referred to as “New Faces," is an attempt by Posi-Tone producer Marc Free to create a sampler of the label's mission, utilizing a selection of young leaders to collectively personify their overall musical vision. As stated on the Posi- Tone website, “The entire series of succinct performances included on this album are deliberately intended to provide accurate practical auditory insight and representation of the musical aesthetics and operational ethos of Posi-Tone Records." ...

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Album Review

Theo Hill: Promethean

Read "Promethean" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


Promethean captures Theo Hill at a significant juncture in his development. The record is ample evidence that the thirty-something New York City-based artist is rapidly securing a place in the crowded field of noteworthy contemporary jazz pianists. On the one hand--particularly during medium and up-tempo cuts such as “This Here," “Hey, It's Me You're Talking To," “Litha," “Is That So," and “Citadel"--youthful exuberance and a cocky certainty imbue everything he plays. On the other, his improvisations are resourceful, well ordered, ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Tales Of Wonder: A...

Posi-Tone Records
2020

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Interstellar...

Posi-Tone Records
2018

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Straight Forward

Posi-Tone Records
2018

buy

Promethean

Posi-Tone Records
2017

buy

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