David Hazeltine
Encyclopedia
David Hazeltine is an American
jazz pianist
.
Today a major pianist in the New York
and Japan
scenes, David Hazeltine has been playing gigs since he was thirteen. He did not seriously consider going into music until right before college. Once he entered into the jazz world he was encouraged by Chet Baker
who told him to go to New York. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, where he studied music with local pianist Will Green, worked as the house pianist for national acts at the former Jazz Gallery, and helped to retool the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
's jazz program, Hazeltine has been living in New York for several decades. Although he returned to Milwaukee briefly because of domestic issues, he considered the town constraining and not a good place to make his career. He has played and recorded with Jon Hendricks
, Louis Hayes
, and One for All
and done composing and arranging as well as teaching. Although he is a pianist he feels more influenced by saxophonists, particularly Charlie Parker
.
Hazeltine, in the tradition of Parker, works within and across the constrains of bebop
, and arcs toward the aesthetic of consonance rather than dissonance: reaching toward beauty in harmony, melody, rhythm and never straying too deeply from his roots. He is particularly influenced by Parker, Rollins
, Bud Powell
and early Miles Davis
. Although seemingly hard-line about the tradition, Hazeltine has done an impressive amount of innovation and is a gifted arranger and composer. Of particular note are his arrangements of pop tunes, which appear on most of his CDs. In fact, he is one of the few contemporary jazz musicians who continue the tradition of making contemporary tunes into "standards," particularly on his CD Modern Standards.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz pianist
Jazz piano
Jazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the instrument's combined melodic and harmonic capabilities...
.
Today a major pianist in the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
scenes, David Hazeltine has been playing gigs since he was thirteen. He did not seriously consider going into music until right before college. Once he entered into the jazz world he was encouraged by Chet Baker
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...
who told him to go to New York. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, where he studied music with local pianist Will Green, worked as the house pianist for national acts at the former Jazz Gallery, and helped to retool the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music is an independent music school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The conservatory teaches many types of music, including classical, jazz, rock, folk, and blues...
's jazz program, Hazeltine has been living in New York for several decades. Although he returned to Milwaukee briefly because of domestic issues, he considered the town constraining and not a good place to make his career. He has played and recorded with Jon Hendricks
Jon Hendricks
Jon Hendricks is an American jazz lyricist and singer. He is considered one of the originators of vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs and replaces many instruments with vocalists...
, Louis Hayes
Louis Hayes
Louis Hayes is an American jazz drummer.-Biography:His father played drums and piano and his mother the piano and he refers to the early influence of hearing jazz, especially that of big bands, on the radio...
, and One for All
One for All (band)
One for All is a New York City-based hard bop sextet, featuring Eric Alexander , Jim Rotondi , Steve Davis , David Hazeltine , John Webber and Joe Farnsworth . The style of the group has been likened to 1960s-era Blue Note jazz and has been described as being reminiscent of Art Blakey's Jazz...
and done composing and arranging as well as teaching. Although he is a pianist he feels more influenced by saxophonists, particularly Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
.
Hazeltine, in the tradition of Parker, works within and across the constrains of bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
, and arcs toward the aesthetic of consonance rather than dissonance: reaching toward beauty in harmony, melody, rhythm and never straying too deeply from his roots. He is particularly influenced by Parker, Rollins
Sonny Rollins
Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins is a Grammy-winning American jazz tenor saxophonist. Rollins is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. A number of his compositions, including "St...
, Bud Powell
Bud Powell
Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell was an American Jazz pianist. Powell has been described as one of "the two most significant pianists of the style of modern jazz that came to be known as bop", the other being his friend and contemporary Thelonious Monk...
and early Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
. Although seemingly hard-line about the tradition, Hazeltine has done an impressive amount of innovation and is a gifted arranger and composer. Of particular note are his arrangements of pop tunes, which appear on most of his CDs. In fact, he is one of the few contemporary jazz musicians who continue the tradition of making contemporary tunes into "standards," particularly on his CD Modern Standards.