Denny Zeitlin

A Return to a Primary Focus on Acoustic Music: 1978+

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By the time “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” was complete, I was experiencing a mounting hunger for a return to the purity of acoustic music. Even before beginning to work on the film, I had accepted Tom Buckner’s suggestion and recorded a solo acoustic piano album for 1750 Arch Records, released in 1978. This represented a return to my earliest musical roots, where as a young child I would sit at the family Steinway and improvise music from moment to moment, without any preconceived structure. “Soundings” consists entirely of “free improvisations” recorded in concert and in my studio at home. These pieces cover a wide range of harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic territory, but throughout, I hope the listener is taken on a journey that has a sense of compositional integrity.

Critical Acclaim:

HIGH FIDELITY, Don Heckman: " San Francisco pianist/psychiatrist/composer Denny Zeitlin challenges Keith Jarrett's solo-piano primacy with this fascinating new collection of improvisations. His playing is every bit as interesting as Jarrett’s and yet totally different—more compositional in nature, and more varied in tone and texture. An invaluable album for piano fans."

DOWNBEAT, Jon Balleras: "...followers of Zeitlin's early acoustic playing will be pleased to learn that his roller coaster runs, bouncy polychords, and crashing, strategically placed climaxes resurface here, held together, as always, by Zeitlin's keen intuitive logic...Throughout, Zeitlin's technique is formidable. But most importantly, listening to Denny Zeitlin is listening to a mind at work, listening to a stylistically rich, complete musician."

In 1981, Todd Barkan, owner of the world-renowned jazz club “Keystone Korner” in San Francisco, suggested that Charlie Haden and I re-unite in a duo engagement at his club. Charlie and I got together for an afternoon rehearsal at my studio—the first time we had played together in about 15 years. The music came together so naturally and easily that we decided we had to document it. I brought my 8 track tape recorder in for the week, and some very special music emerged. The album includes our originals, and some songbook and jazz standards, including Coleman’s “Birdfood” which draws on Charlie’s years of playing with Ornette, and my great attraction to the music made by that quartet. Charlie sent the tape to Manfred Eicher at ECM, who loved it. Shortly thereafter, we went to Stuttgart to mix the album eventually released in 1983 as “Denny Zeitlin & Charlie Haden: Time Remembers One Time Once.”

Critical Acclaim:

DOWNBEAT: "[4 1/2 out of 5 stars] Here's a happy meeting of kindred musical minds. Recorded in performance at San Francisco's Keystone Korner, 'Time Remembers One Time Once' explores the potential of the piano/bass duo, delves into the musically arcane, touches on the familiar, and mixes the musically pensive with pure musical exuberance...an intricate, satisfying record."

JAZZ TIMES: "No cover, no minimum (after you get this set home) for this original and exciting performance by two of the greatest free associationists in jazz. Zeitlin's playing here is ever articulate and sensitive, revealing no loss of the startling keyboard proficiency he displayed in his Columbia albums of the '60s. As consistently rewarding a listening experience as you're likely to get!"

STEREO REVIEW: "Zeitlin's playing still has the flash that so impressed me almost twenty years ago, but now there is also more substance, and the one-time George Russell student has found the perfect partner in Haden, whose playing has always been profound. Their nine musical conversations here are eminently accessible, yet thought-provoking and rife with intriguing nuances that are so subtle they may be overlooked until the second or third hearing. This is soft, gentle music, but it has a strong spine. I hope this is only the first of many such collaborations."

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Leonard Feather: "Zeitlin, still living a double life as psychiatrist and pianist, clearly is a connoisseur of every genre from bebop to free jazz. A splendidly conceived program by two longtime perfectionists."

Tidal Wave - In 1982, Herb Wong, then president of Palo Alto Jazz Records approached me to do a project, and suggested a multi-faceted presentation of solo, duo, trio, and quartets. This appealed to me, since it reflected what I frequently did in concerts, but had never done on record. I assembled an all star band of musicians I had been performing with: John Abercrombie, guitar; Charlie Haden, bass; and Peter Donald, drums. We recorded in L.A. at Chick Corea’s Mad Hatter Studio, with a great Steinway D, super acoustics, and a superb engineer, Bernie Kirsch. I remember having a roaring cold the two days of recording, but despite going through 3 boxes of Kleenex, and having to re-start several takes because of sneezing, the music transcended the virus. When it came time to design the cover, I wanted to find a good photo of a tidal wave. We didn’t have any luck, and ended up with a huge wave from a surfing magazine. The Palo Alto art department did their best to obliterate the surfer. Where was Photoshop when we needed it?! When Palo Alto Jazz went out of business, Quicksilver Records re-issued it, and eventually released it in CD.

Critical Acclaim:

DOWNBEAT: "Five Stars [highest rating]...surrounding himself with a stellar group of associates and turning in five of his own compositions, Zeitlin demonstrates his total command and unique personality on Tidal Wave."

STEREO REVIEW: "Performance: riveting; Recording: very good...Here there is substance...Zeitlin himself has always combined an extraordinary technique with more than fleeting musical thoughts, and in this release he delivers that blend in a context that is in good part acoustical."

ST. PETERSBURG TIMES: "One of the few truly original jazz pianists and an extraordinary composer."

MUSIC CONNECTION: "An embarrassment of riches from a multileveled talent."

OAKLAND TRIBUNE: "It all works beautifully...Zeitlin and crew are, within a somewhat mainstream context, nothing less than brilliant in their interactions."

In 1985, I was approached by Paul Winter to do a solo piano album for his label, Living Music Records. Paul’s musical journey had taken him from the mainstream jazz of his first Columbia LPs, to bossa nova, and on to a visionary approach to musical cultural exchange and concern for our planet. Along the way he was hailed as the “Father of New Age Music.” Paul never liked that description, and prefers to think of his work and that of the Paul Winter Consort as “World Music.” Whatever the label, I think he is at the top of that genre. His album, “Icarus”, which included Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless and Collin Wolcott ( who would go on to found the group “Oregon”) remains an all-time favorite of mine, and I’ve always thought that Paul’s sound on saxophone is gorgeous and heartfelt. Paul was interested in showcasing the simpler, non-dissonant, more lyrical side of my playing, and I became intrigued at the challenge. We agreed to co-produce, and go back and forth with pieces I created until we found a program we both felt was appropriate. The compositions on “Homecoming” are all original, and some of them come as close to “New Age” or “World Music” as anything I have done before or since. I toured quite frequently with the Paul Winter Consort in the year following the release, playing solo, duo with the incredible cellist Eugene Friesen, and enjoying hanging out with the band. Times at Paul’s farm in Litchfield, CT were very special.

Critical Acclaim:

DOWNBEAT: “Denny Zeitlin, as we’ve come to expect, gives us an ongoing, fluid dialog between mind and instrument, done with more than a usual helping of wistful, reflective moods, held in a delicate balance of thought and feeling. It’s a measure of Zeitlin’s subtle skill as an improviser that repeated listenings are required to delineate where Zeitlin’s thematic material ends and his improvisations begin, so organic is his conception.”

BOSTON PHOENIX: “In Denny Zeitlin, Living Music has someone truly special…‘Homecoming’ is Zeitlin’s first solo acoustic album in a while, and it apparently was done at the urging of Winter, a longtime friend. We should thank both of them, because it’s great. In terms of musical sophistication, it’s light years ahead of what you’d expect from a ‘New Age’ label, and yet it’s an album that even those who aren’t jazz fans can appreciate.”

CHATTANOOGA TIMES: “Solo piano outing by the jazz pianist/composer is propelled by intensity of feeling, incorporation of significant jazz idioms and an exuberant sense of adventure and discovery.”

EVERETT HERALD: “He blends classical techniques with all sorts of jazz angles and before you know it you’ve got an unusual, far-reaching album of monumental proportions. ‘Homecoming’, his debut on the Living Music label, is one of those. It is a worthy addition to his growing (and engrossing) body of work.”

Windham Hill was the distributor for “Homecoming”, and I gravitated into a relationship with their newly formed straight ahead jazz division, “Windham Hill Jazz.” I had been playing for a while in a trio with Peter Donald on drums, and Joel DiBartolo on bass. I first heard Peter with the John Abercrombie Quartet, and loved his time feel and fiery edge. Joel DiBartolo had been playing with the Tonight Show band for years, and had a good harmonic ear and rock solid time. The trio music was developing nicely, and was documented on “Trio”, a studio date released in 1988, and a year later, on half of “In the Moment.”

Critical Acclaim:

DOWNBEAT: "Thoughtful and probing are adjectives frequently used in reference to Denny Zeitlin, and they remain applicable in regards to 'Trio.' Throughout this varied program, Zeitlin steadfastly refutes pat formulae, endowing each piece with unexpected pleasures. The work of drummer Peter Donald and bassist Joel DiBartolo are important assets to this end. Also, Zeitlin can turn on the afterburners, as he does on 'Brazilian Street Dance' and Ornette's 'Turnaround.' "

JAZZIZ: "...interpretations of the highest merit... 'Trio' offers skillful, sensitive, and consummately inventive versions of 'All The Things You Are,' 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,' and J.J. Johnson's 'Lament,' in addition to a sampling of Zeitlin's strongest original compositions in years."

KEYBOARD: "Indeed it is a trio, and a good one. Rather than lay down driving rhythms, bassist Joel DiBartolo and drummer Peter Donald wrap Zeitlin's piano in exactly the kind of frame it needs. Few players are as fluid, complex, and listenable as Zeitlin; fewer still can wear all of these hats at once. All three musicians must therefore listen constantly, interact instantly, and create along distinct yet parallel lines. So successfully do Zeitlin and company accomplish this goal that Windham Hill could just as well have called the album 'Solo.' "

BILLBOARD: "Beautiful, straight-ahead date on Windham's jazz line is Zeitlin's strongest keyboard showing in years...the psychiatrist/jazzman has not lost his very subtle touch. Outstanding."

VICTORY MUSIC REVIEW: “This is a major release of supreme piano improvisations. A consistently rewarding experience...Zeitlin shows his usual high sensitivity and knowledge. Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Illinois and M.D. Johns Hopkins, this practicing psychiatrist, pianist, composer and improviser has what it takes. No lack of confidence here. A gentleman of brilliant tenderness, succulent skill and soaring style."

Half of this CD features the trio with Peter Donald and Joel DiBartolo. The other half of “In the Moment” (1989) contains live duo performances with David Friesen, a strikingly original and intense bassist with whom I collaborated on and off for almost 15 years. I was featured on his “Other Times, Other Places” and “ Two for the Show” CDs, and we co-lead the three duo CDs described below.The transparency of piano-bass duets with its absence of drums poses both challenges and opportunities. I believe we made the most of these, and developed a concentrated, collaborative, and adventurous approach that brought out the best in both of us.

Critical Acclaim:

BUFFALO NEWS: “One of the great jazz records of the year, by almost any standard…tremendous playing all around.”

WASHINGTON POST: “[Zeitlin]…has been on the brink of jazz stardom since the mid-‘60s. Like the best jazz pianists—from Jarrett to McCoy Tyner and Don Pullen—Zeitlin is willing to push his music to the brink of collapse because he has the wherewithal to pull order out of chaos. Zeitlin encourages conflicting elements within his music and then finds a way to resolve that conflict within boldly inventive harmonies. Though he tends more to Jarrett’s lyricism than Tyner’s percussion, Zeitlin is a physical, assertive player.”

BALTIMORE SUN: “They don’t make jazz albums like Denny Zeitlin’s ‘In the Moment’ very often these days, and that’s a shame. A thoughtfully swinging pianist, Zeitlin has always been adept at unlocking the harmonic and melodic possibilities hidden within a jazz tune, but as ‘In the Moment’ makes plain, he’s also a superb ensemble player…’In the Moment’ comes off sounding like a classic.”

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: “[Denny Zeitlin is] not only a technician of considerable prowess, but someone who is able to effectively articulate the intricate, turbulent personae of the artists who have touched him most…he separates himself via his improvisational adroitness. Like a red-hot novelist, he’s able to build and juggle several themes at the same time and make them relevant to each other…if Zeitlin’s couch is anything like this record, save a space for me.”

PACIFIC SUN: “a dazzling display of Zeitlin’s fluid, complex keyboard style…”

“Denny Zeitlin/David Friesen: In Concert” was released by ITM in 1992, and later licensed by Summit Records in the US in 2000. The pieces were recorded live at various venues on my Panasonic DAT recorder, using just 2 Neumann KM-84 microphones. This minimalist approach produced a very natural, clear sound. As with all of our CDs, there are originals, along with jazz and songbook standards. Several of the pieces were recorded at a small club in Tacoma on a night when the whole town was riveted to their TV screens watching a Tacoma expose. There were only about 5 people in the club, but we played some of our best music. That’s part of the delicious mystery of playing jazz; you never know when the magic is going to happen. (Many years later, I heard Matt Wilson wryly assert his group’s integrity with the quip “Yeah, we play the same for 5 people as we do for 9.”)

Critical Acclaim:

ALLABOUTJAZZ.COM: “Two creative artists working as a duo serve as a clear example of what the modern mainstream is all about. Bassist David Friesen, always in tune and favoring a lyrical style, adds double stops and slapped percussive sounds to enhance the pair’s creative output. Pianist Denny Zeitlin, fluid and seamless, swings with a tinge of the blues while improvising in highly creative bursts…Zeitlin and Friesen romp through familiar melodies and gradually work their way through improvised changes. Both remain lyrical throughout. However, the pianist enjoys stretching limits by adding avant-garde explorations from time to time…the duo pushes the envelope with dramatic intensity that can only come through a deep involvement…the excellent sound systems have captured Zeitlin and Friesen alone and yet together, as they complement each other with full counterpoint.”

52ND STREET.COM: “It’s a cliché, but it’s true: when these two guys get together, magic happens…the eight tracks presented here, two originals by each, two show tunes and jazz standards by Shorter and Rollins, were recorded in concerts at Tacoma, Portland, Berkeley, and Phoenix. For me, they provide an excellent window into the creative process of these two inquisitive, probing, adventurous minds. I have admired Zeitlin’s ability and willingness to push the envelope, to explore outside the usual boundaries of pattern, form, and time, without losing me in the process. Friesen’s presence seems immeasurably to enhance and enrich the endeavor, and I am left in awe of them, and of the depth of their interaction."

For some years I had been performing at the Maybeck Recital Hall in Berkelely, California. This tiny hall (sadly, no longer in operation) was created by architect Bernard Maybeck for a piano teacher who had struggled with a lifetime phobia of performing. She vowed her students would not be so afflicted, and had her house built with an acoustically perfect church-like living room, complete with balcony where she would sit and desensitize her students to “command” performance. Dick Whittington, the presenter, spoke with Carl Jefferson at Concord Records, and recommended that he include me in their Maybeck Solo Piano series. I was very pleased when he agreed to proceed. Here was an opportunity to make another return to my earliest roots, in a setting I knew and loved, along with a very fine piano. The only possible negative was the pressure to harvest a complete album in two sets, and the ambiguity regarding whether this was primarily a recording session with an audience, or a concert that happened to be recorded. For instance, would “false starts” and “intercuts” be permitted , where I could repeat a section as one might do in a studio ? Some pianists earlier in the series had done this. I clarified with Carl, a wonderful, exuberant jazz fan, that this was to be primarily a concert. Fortunately, everything came together, and buoyed by a rapt and enthusiastic audience, I played some of my best music.

"Denny Zeitlin at Maybeck” was released by Concord in 1993.

Critical Acclaim:

HARMONIA MUNDI JAZZ (France): An extraordinary pianist, of exceptional dimension…an absolute discovery. Denny Zeitlin is a veritable genius…”

BILLBOARD: “[Critic’s Choice: Highly Recommended]…the ravenous rhythms of ‘Blues On The Side’…the infectious changes of ‘Just Passing By’…a thunderous ‘Fifth House’…”

JAZZ AND BLUES REPORT: “Zeitlin, a gifted player with a well-integrated range of heartfelt jazz expressions and strong left-hand foundation, expertly and confidently executes four well-crafted originals among the 12 tunes, ‘Blues On the Side,’ ‘And Then I Wondered If You Knew,’ ‘Country Fair,’ and ‘Just Passing By,’ with the same vibrancy devoted to standards by Gershwin, Coltrane, Ellington, and Porter. An impassioned, delightful offering from a pianist conversant in the jazz tradition.”

BLACK & WHITE: “Denny Zeitlin’s ‘day job’ is teaching and practicing psychiatry, but from the first chord of At Maybeck, you know you’re in the presence of a master musician. Zeitlin likes to rearrange tunes to fit his personality (Gershwin’s ‘My Man’s Gone Now’ becomes a mini-concerto), but his phrasing has so much clarity and rhythmic energy that the listener is borne aloft on his novel variations.”

JAZZ (France): “Each time a new album of the Maybeck collection is released, we say to ourselves that it surpasses all that preceeded it. This one could well in fact surpass all that will follow it.”

In summer, 1994, as plans for a West Coast duo tour with David Friesen shaped up, I arranged with Carl to be included in his Maybeck Duo Series. Phil Edwards did the remote recording, and got a wonderful sound, and with Maybeck our final date on the tour, the music was really happening. “Denny Zeitlin/David Friesen: Concord Duo Series, Vol. 8” was released by Concord in 1995.

Critical Acclaim for the Concord Duo CD and Live Performances:

LOS ANGELES TIMES: “Both artists are gifted, cutting-edge soloists whose interaction with each other seems to occur on an almost symbiotic plane of connectedness.”

SANTA BARBERA INDEPENDENT: “Zeitlin and Friesen are bona fide masters of modern jazz, and, having performed as a duet some 15 years, their product can only be described as magic…”

LOS ANGELES READER: “The type of hand-in-glove musical exchange of which pianist Denny Zeitlin and bassist David Friesen are capable is a rare commodity in any genre. Egos must be put aside for the greater glory of the music, and both players are known for their empathetic approaches to improvisational work.”

TIROLER TAGESZEITUNG, Innsbruck, Austria: “A duo is the smallest, but the most risky entity of interactive music-playing. This duo is amazingly delicate, and also entertaining, challenging, and stimulating with every single note.”

DOWNBEAT: “Their 10 year relationship enables them to follow one another into vast harmonic labyrinths without losing contact, and Zeitlin’s pianistic intelligence brings out the best in Friesen.”

David Friesen and I always enjoyed playing at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles. Ruth Price, a fine jazz singer, runs her venue as a concert hall, and the musicians are always treated with great respect. It seemed a fine place for another live album, and in August, 1998 I brought my ADAT down from San Francisco, along with a bevy of Neumann Microphones. Despite the gymnastics involved in simultaneously being recording engineer and pianist, things went without a hitch. We took the best of a week-end’s harvest, and mixed the 8-track recording together. We were very excited about the music, and Intuition, a German label, released it in 1999 as “Denny Zeitlin/David Friesen: Live at the Jazz Bakery.”

Critical Acclaim:

JAZZREVIEW: "The outstanding bassist David Friesen teams up with longtime friend and partner, pianist-psychiatrist Denny Zeitlin, for a live set of exquisite one-on-one music making...a nuanced joy."

TIROLER TAGESZEITUNG, Martin Volgger (Austria): Tageszeitung/Austria: "Denny Zeitlin and David Friesen's deep private friendship has donated a few exciting duo recordings to Jazz. Their latest CD—recorded live at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, CA fits in that row. Two extraordinary musical personalities have an intimidate dialogue that goes very deep into the musical realm. Whether with standards or originals, and because of Zeitlin and Friesen's free concept of playing plus the extreme contrapuntal exchanges between the two, the music is filled with enthusiasm and creates a captivating atmosphere. Lastly, because the music doesn't follow well known clichés, it becomes a very lively (vivid) and completely timeless musical document."

JAZZ TIMES (Germany): "Two virtuosos on their instruments took the Jazz Bakery by storm."

JAZZTHETIC (Germany): "The whole range of musical dialogue is shown by Zeitlin and Friesen in their live recording 'Live at The Jazz Bakery.' Intense musical interaction."

CABINET NIGHTFLIGHT (Germany): "What the two master-bakers produced at the Jazz Bakery is not just a common breakfast, it's also brunch and dinner with dessert simultaneously."

In 1996, Todd Barkan, doing a lot of independent production in New York, contacted me about doing a project for Japan’s Venus Records. It would be a trio recording, and I would have wide latitude of choice of musicians. For some years, I had been wanting to record with Buster Williams. I’d loved his sound, time, and approach since first hearing him on Herbie Hancock’s “The Prisioner” LP. The way he played on Herbie’s tune “ I Have a Dream” knocked me out. And someone I had admired on drums for years was Al Foster—incredible taste and swing. They were available for the date, and I came to NYC, had an afternoon rehearsal, and went into Clinton Studio A and did the CD in two days. The chemistry among the three of us was wonderful, Todd’s vibe was very helpful, the engineer was tuned in, and the magnificent 9 foot refurbished Steinway was originally from Columbia’s 30th Street studio and had been used for “Kind of Blue.” Talk about history!

“Denny Zeitlin: As Long as There’s Music” was released in 1997 on Venus Records,and in 2000 on 32 Jazz in the US, briefly before that label went out of business. It remains available as an import.

Critical Acclaim:

JAZZTIMES, Doug Ramsey: Zeitlin’s first trio record in years recalls the excitement the pianist generated in his debut on Jeremy Steig’s Flute Fever in 1963, and on the subsequent series of his own Columbia LPs. His technique was dazzling from the beginning. At 24, he could swing hard, as his work on “Oleo” on Steig’s album made thrillingly clear, and he had a rich harmonic imagination. This CD fulfills all the promise of those early efforts…his harmonic depth, command of time and finely honed sense of proportion and drama in building a solo…his brilliance and the interaction he achieves with bassist Buster Williams and drummer Al Foster make it a fully realized trio recording…the new CD abounds with examples of Zeitlin’s mastery.”

DOWNBEAT, pianist Brad Mehldau, Blindfold Test: “That got me off most of anything you’ve played. [pianist Brad Mehldau is responding to Zeitlin’s “Cousin Mary” after hearing a number of selections from other artists’ albums.] The bass and drums feel like Buster Williams and Ben Riley. The drummer has that great tipping feel. I love the pianist. I never hear any vocabulary. The arrangement is great. At a certain point he gets away from what the roots should be, and is making up different forms of the blues. You can hear a lot of the history of piano styles in his playing… 5 stars [highest rating]”

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Don Heckman: “A solid collection of classy, straight-ahead jazz improvisation. Performing in this context, Zeitlin delivers with a far brawnier, more hard-swinging approach than was generally the case in his more pensive performances with bassist David Friesen. Williams seems especially compatible with Zeitlin, sometimes moving in tandem with him, sometimes ranging off into contrapuntal interaction. The results are always rewarding, sometimes much more than that.”

JAZZIZ, Neil Tesser: “Zeitlin’s a tall man with long fingers, and he has a sparkling, effervescent technique…Zeitlin’s flights of virtuosity wait in reserve…and so are all the more startling when they emerge to underscore the emotions under investigation. On such tracks as the title tune or “I’m All Smiles”, familiar melodies and relaxed rhythms launch solos of discursive logic and dream imagery. But even on an up-tempo workout like Coltrane’s “Cousin Mary”, Zeitlin refuses to settle for easy riffing. He digs as deeply into a tune as any pianist now working, and more so than most. He really sounds like no one else.”

KEYBOARD, Anthony Commiso:“A great set of standards and pungent originals…fascinating collages of sounds. The title track is a true gem that displays Zeitlin’s eclectic style.”

Mandolinist David Grisman and I had enjoyed each other’s music for many years. We had played one duet concert at the San Francisco Jazz Festival in the seventies, but hadn’t crossed paths again until the late nineties when we began to just get together at my studio and play. We had a lot of fun inhabiting each other’s tunes, and sharing genres. David comes primarily from a bluegrass and folk tradition, but loves integrating diverse forms of music as do I. We did a duet tune for his “Dawg Duos” compilation CD, and went on to record an album of duets “David Grisman/Denny Zeitlin: New River” for his label, Acoustic Disk in June, 2001. At first consideration, a mandolin-piano duo might seem unwieldy; its hard to imagine a greater disparity of sounding board size. But somehow, it really works, and the music on this CD seems very fresh, and certainly pulled me into some new musical spaces. Subsequently, David and I have enjoyed doing some more duo concerts.

Critical Acclaim:

JAZZTIMES: “ Take two exceptional San Francisco Bay-area based musicians with exceptional backgrounds—Denny Zeitlin is both a practicing psychiatrist and a world-class jazz pianist; mandolinist David Grisman came out of bluegrass to play with a number of jazz luminaries—and this series of vibrant duets is what you get…spontaneous and unpredictable.”

DOWNBEAT: “On the duet album New River , Grisman and Zeitlin display their considerable chops as well as a strong empathy for one another’s musicianship…[Zeitlin] is particularly adept in the duo format. His playing is both straightforward and adventuresome, providing a solid counterpoint for Grisman’s masterful mandolin work.”

LA WEEKLY: “Mixing bluegrass with strains of swing, modal and Latin jazz, the record serves as a fine showcase of exactly what Zeitlin can bring to the table: not just his open and thoughtful imagination, his encyclopedic knowledge of styles, his rigorous attention to structure and his lovely Bill Evans-like lyricism, but the distinct ability to spontaneously connect with his fellow musicians on the deepest of levels.”

RHYTHM AND NEWS: “…each maestro brings his best, blending their influences—jazz, blues, Dixieland, bluegrass, and Latin swing—into a sparkling and truly invigorating whole. A wonderful disc to live to. “

MUSICBOX-ONLINE.COM: “New River is not only intriguingly adventurous in spirit, but also breathtakingly beautiful as the musicians traverse a wide-sweeping sonic terrain…the chemistry between these two wizards is truly remarkable…surely , it’s not a simple task to find two artists who so easily seem to grasp what the other is doing, and it’s even harder for two artists to get together and relinquish enough of their egos to allow the real magic to happen. But that’s exactly what Grisman and Zeitlin do time and again throughout New River , making this a true collaboration with groundbreaking results.”

In April, 2001, I performed at New York’s Jazz Standard with Buster Williams and Al Foster, which really whet my appetite for more trio playing. Subsequently I did a couple of West Coast tours with Buster and Matt Wilson on drums and the music felt like a hand in glove. I've already mentioned my admiration for Buster; Matt Wilson is an amazingly original and flexible drummer who always seems to do what is needed. Richard McDonnell of MaxJazz heard us live at the International Association of Jazz Educators convention in Toronto in January, 2003, and that led to my signing with the label. On a week-end in August, 2003, we met at Systems II Studios in Brooklyn, and recorded “Slickrock”. The vibes from the studio staff, Richard and Clayton McDonnell of MaxJazz,and Katsu Naito, the engineer, were great, and we had a ball. As a Steinway artist, I was able to choose my favorite piano from their stock, and I was delighted with the sound and feel. The recording date felt like a celebration. The title piece, an extended composition of mine that moves through totally free avant-garde to road maps to written sections, evokes a long day’s mountain biking ride in the canyonlands of Moab, Utah. The piece lasts over 15 minutes and was recorded in one take. The CD was released in the summer of 2004, and I continue to be very excited about how this trio keeps developing.

Critical Acclaim:

DOWNBEAT: "Zeitlin remains an extraordinarily sensitive and brilliantly virtuosic pianist and composer, as attested to on his recent 'Slickrock'."

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: “Slickrock shows Zeitlin to be in unrelentingly powerful form, his approach as varied as ever, alternately thundering, funky and sensitive, and full of delightfully surprising twists and turns.”

HARTFORD COURANT: “A top-seeded modern pianist and composer…his searching, brilliant analytical music is energized…expect the unexpected as he moves in and out of styles from free jazz to straight-ahead, from prelude to tone poem…all Zeitlin’s pieces are like journeys. Instead of taking the path more traveled, he blazes his own mountain trails, revealing musical landscapes never before experienced.”

NEW JERSEY STAR LEDGER: “Zeitlin established himself as a highly original composer and brilliant jazz pianist with an exuberant technique in the mid-1960s…he is still boiling over with passionate, lyrical and harmonically adventurous music that stimulates the imagination.”

SF WEEKLY, San Francisco: “Slickrock has nary an excessive note to be heard among its 13 tracks. It’s all killer, no filler, as yesteryear’s hepcats would say.”

In May, 2005, MaxJazz released my second project for them. “Solo Voyage” consists of solo acoustic piano for half the album, with explorations of Monk’s “Bemsha Swing”, Shorter’s “Miyako,” my compositions “Cascade,” and “Quiet Now,” and a free improvisation, “Walking, Prancing, Marching, Dancing.” Monk and Shorter are, of course, incredible composers, and I hope my interpretations bring something new while remaining faithful to the spirit of the originals. Although “Cascade” has been in my solo repertoire for 15 years, this is the first release. I have recorded “Quiet Now” twice since my original release in 1965. I was extremely flattered that Bill Evans took such a liking to this piece that he recorded it at least nine times over his career and kept it in his nightly repertoire for 15 years. It was a pleasure for me to extend and re-work “Quiet Now” for this project. “Walking, Prancing, Marching, Dancing” is a free improvisation, with no preconceived structure. As with any improvisation, I try to consciously stay out of the way of what is emerging. Unconsciously, part of what guides me is my wish for compositional integrity. I hope listeners feel they are taken on a journey that unfolds in a natural way.

“Solo Voyage” comprises the other half of the CD—a suite of jazz and songbook standards, originals, and free improvisation interludes that I created for one of my oldest and closest friends, Bill Young. Bill was a good drummer and an even better entrepreneur who presided over Chicago’s top commercial music production company for many decades, providing countless hours of work to Chicago musicians. He was also a fine father and husband, and a great friend of mine for over 50 years. Bill’s life was drawing to a close after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was home on hospice care, and above all, wanted a peaceful, contemplative ending.

I hoped this music would ease his final journey; to quietly inspire him; to perhaps offer something transcendent. The acoustic piano is at the core of the suite, with some synthesizer orchestration. On a Wednesday night, in the process of recording, I learned from Bill’s wife, Denise, that he had taken a turn for the worse. It was quite possible that he might not survive until my arrival in Chicago on Friday. I stayed up all night, finished the suite, and got the CD to FedEx on Thursday. It arrived Friday morning, and I learned that Bill had heard it and been touched by it before he slipped into the final coma in which I found him when I arrived that night. Although this music was an intensely personal good-by gift to a dear friend, I believe Bill would have felt good about sharing it.

“Solo Voyage,” Denny's 4th solo album, was released in June, 2005.

Critical Acclaim:

JAZZTIMES: “Mention Denny Zeitlin and two associations most frequently come to mind. One, that he’s a working psychiatrist; the other, that he wrote the enduring modern jazz ballad ‘Quiet Now,’ a longtime favorite of Bill Evans. Zeitlin, a superb, perennially evolving keyboard improviser and composer…returns in an epic interpretation on Solo Voyage. A peak performance, ‘Quiet Now’ is surrounded by other examples of Zeitlin’s creative power as a self-sufficient interpreter, including mesmerizing transformations of two compositions quite distinct in expressive sensibility and tempo: Thelonious Monk’s ‘Bemsha Swing’ and Wayne Shorter’s haunting ballad ‘Miyako.’ The album’s most ambitious moment ultimately belongs to ‘Solo Voyage,’ a stirring multipart memoriam that draws upon Zeitlin’s synthesizer to add tonal color to his poetic acoustic piano work.”

ALLABOUTJAZZ.COM: “While managing to generate a world-class reputation as a pianist, he’s also maintained a second life as a practicing psychiatrist…his life choices clearly haven’t impeded his ability to maintain the kind of artistic growth and reputation of better-known pianists like Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, and Keith Jarrett. ‘Solo Voyage’ is another fine example of just how fully-formed and well-conceived Zeitlin’s music is…Zeitlin embraces a complete view of the jazz tradition…‘Solo Voyage’ is an engaging journey from start to finish.”

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: “Here are my favorite 2005 CDs…Denny Zeitlin ‘Solo Voyage’ (MaxJazz)—A solo piano session that unfolds like a series of disquieting dreams, this gorgeous album features some of Zeitlin's first forays into electronic music since his chilling score for Philip Kaufman's ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers.’ The St. Louis label MaxJazz deserves kudos for continuing to document Zeitlin and [Jessica] Williams, great Bay Area artists at the peak of their powers.”

JAZZREVIEW.COM: “…a beautiful reading of ‘Bemsha Swing’…a fine example of Zeitlin’s phenomenal exterity at the keyboard…at times the listener will feel that the pianist is endowed with an extra hand or two. Zeitlin’s best known composition is, no doubt, ‘Quiet Now.’ Denny Zeitlin offers a wonderful thirteen-minute rendition on this CD. The centerpiece of the album is a half-hour suite in eight movements…and goes a long way to make ‘Solo Voyage’ enjoyable to a wide audience.”

ALL MUSIC GUIDE—JAZZ: “A brilliant pianist…long having his own approach to modern mainstream jazz, Denny Zeitlin performs solo on this disc, sometimes augmenting his piano with an atmospheric synthesizer…Zeitlin sounds creative throughout this fine project…This is an intriguing array of songs played by one of America’s finest pianists in a solo setting.”

While I love playing with other musicians, there is something wonderfully limitless and challenging about being onstage or in the studio by myself. In many ways, this is my most intensely personal musical statement, and goes back to my earliest musical roots.

I hope to be open and fully present, drawing on the worlds of jazz, classical, funk, and avant garde, and allowing the music to go where it wants. When the audience shares this openness, we enter a merger state where magic can really happen, and I believe the concert on this CD provides a special example. The confluence of this intimate hall’s fine acoustics, a superb instrument, and a rapt audience willing to actively meet the performance, created a “vibe” that helped me reach my deepest music. I hope this concert will take you on a journey to new places.

Denny Zeitlin: Precipice was released on Sunnyside Records in May, 2010

Critical Acclaim:

"[ 4 STARS–Highest Rating] …In 2010 Zeitlin is as voluptuously a part of the piano as any pianist in jazz, which means that now, at 72, he is one of a handful of greatest living jazz pianists, absolutely on the same level, I think, as Keith Jarrett and Herbie Hancock… as a result, this live January 2008 recital in Santa Barbara's Ralston Hall is something of a godsend. There is, at this stage, no such thing as a new Zeitlin disc that is anything short of precious… an amazing solo piano performance…"
Jeff Simon, New York, The Buffalo News

"In 2010, after seventy years at the piano, and many excellent albums, Zeitlin has created his personal masterpiece with Precipice…a perfect solo piano album."
Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz.com

"Denny Zeitlin has never shied away from the challenge of performing without a net… but then again, for an artist this intensely individualistic, cerebral and expansively inspired, such a setting seems only natural… solo performance may indeed be a precipice, but Denny Zeitlin is one of the best tightrope walkers around: sure footed, clear-eyed and brilliantly daring."
Forrest Dylan Bryant, Jazztimes

"…The experience is at once predictably exquisite as it creates a state of a type of suspended animation, floating with utter weightless abandon… throughout the program, Zeitlin does something else with verve and splendor: he swings like the wickedest cat since Art Tatum… this album is a timeless masterpiece from one of the greatest exponents of virtuoso pianoforte in the last two centuries–Denny Zeitlin."
Raul d'Gama Rose, allaboutjazz.com

There is certainly a special kind of excitement experienced by a performer walking out on a stage to a huge audience. But there is a unique quality of intimacy created when the performer is in a room in someone's home, filled with less than 100 people. And if those people are willing to reach out and meet the music half way, then boundaries between player, instrument, room, and audience can easily dissolve, and some very deep, rich music may occur. Ernie Shelton's House Concerts provided this atmosphere, and I believe something special emerged.

Solo piano performance takes me back to my earliest roots, and allows for perhaps the most intensely personal musical statement. I hope to be fully present, open, and able to "stay out of the way" of the music as it draws on the worlds of jazz, classical, funk, and avant garde.

Denny Zeitlin: Labyrinth was released on Sunnyside Records in June, 2011

Critical Acclaim:

"Labyrinth" (Sunnyside), released this year, is the latest sparkling solo piano album by Mr. Zeitlin, a veteran of the format…"
Nate Chinen, New York Times

"Bay Area jazz guru Denny Zeitlin evokes such classical icons as Paderewski and Scriabin — romantic, bravura keyboardists whose blend of technique and passion galvanized listeners… Zeitlin, who began recording in the '60s for Columbia, has always mixed rhapsody and rigor... Zeitlin goes where more conventional pianists fear to tread but never loses his way… Labyrinth is an effortless tour de force."
Carlo Wolff, JazzTimes

"No other jazz pianist veers back and forth over the line between the foundation of a classical musical education and the unfettered joy and playfulness of spontaneous creation better than Zeitlin… In his seventh decade now, Zeitlin has achieved the "venerable" status; but he isn't resting on his considerable achievements. Labyrinth offers up the best music of his career."
Dan McClenaghan, AllAboutJazz.com

"Here are some of the great and near-great solo jazz pianists now working, from Bill Evans’ near contemporary Denny Zeitlin, who may be the most creative of all these days, to Craig Taborn and Gonzalo Rubalcaba… Zeitlin is magnificent when playing solo, with total control over a massive and varied arsenal of techniques..little, if anything, is predictable on “Labyrinth,” where the communication between pianist and small audience was obviously on a very high level."
Jeff Simon, (NY) BuffaloNews.com

"…One of the best albums of Zeitlin's recent years. At 73, he is a brilliant and always enjoyable pianist bursting with a devastating energy…While piano solos too often take on the appearance of somewhat sad introspection, the psychiatrist Zeitlin finds instead a great outlet and a way to move with great passion and generosity."
Jean-Marc Gelin, Jazzman (France)

"Zeitlin's touch is so distinctive that his longtime fans will recognize his playing immediately…like the vintage wines that Denny Zeitlin collects, the masterful pianist keeps getting better with age."
Ken Dryden, AllMusicGuide.com

"With his vivid imagination and command of time, Denny Zeitlin is one pianist who sounds constrained in anything but a solo setting, even though he's played with several great rhythm sections…By turns impressionistic and tightly focused, this is a beautifully paced and sensitively played recital."
James Hale, Downbeat

"With pianist Denny Zeitlin, you sense that he isn't quite sure where he wants to end up on any given song. The truth is he isn't. Which is part of what makes him so special and engaging as an artist. Denny courageously rushes out on limbs. But instead of inching back to safety when he hears creaking, he simply hurls himself into space, confident that somewhere along the way he will find another limb and grab hold. And invariably he does. A prime example of Denny's fearless piano style is exhibited on Labyrinth, his latest release…"
Marc Myers, JazzWax.com

"Zeitlin is truly a master of the piano, with a technique so superior that he appears to be almost alone at the top … Labyrinth, his most mesmerizing solo record to date… every time Zeitlin sits at the keyboard, genius is awakened… he has contributed some of the most definitive literature to the Great Piano Songbook… Zeitlin's masterful use of the language of music is permanently enshrined in everything he touches."
Raul D'Gama Rose, AllAboutJazz.com

"A great title for this live solo recording from a pianist who has proven time and again that there’s an orchestra inside the piano. Zeitlin takes us through every conceivable twist and turn, from the spectacular opening “Footprints” (apparently you do not need Wayne Shorter to give this starpower) to the delicate “They Say It’s Wonderful” to the rambunctious “Lazy Bird” to the majestic “Dancing in the Dark.”
Andrea Canter, jazzink.blogspot.com

"[4 Stars—Highest Rating] Denny Zeitlin’s new live solo piano album is an intimate affair brimming with verve, lyricism and improvisation… Listeners are directly pulled into Zeitlin’s deeply personal musical universe."
Doug Simpson, Audiophile Audition [audaud.com]

"His latest release Labyrinth, a live solo performance in front of a small group of people, drives many things home that Zeitlin has strived to capture over his long and esteemed career… Broad and expansive just like a real labyrinth, this new release proves that you can grow old while still staying in touch with the modern."
John Garratt, popmatters.com

"Jazz Pianist Denny Zeitlin's new album is super-good… Over the course of Denny Zeitlin’s estimable career, the heart-brain balance in his playing has always been just right. True to form, the Marin-based pianist’s new solo album, “Labyrinth: Live Solo Piano” (Sunnyside), is as soulful as it is cagily engrossing…He can eat up the keyboard, for sure. But it's his taste and warmth of expression which may send you over the edge…Long admired by other top pianists (e.g., Billy Taylor and Herbie Hancock), Zeitlin has garnered a loyal audience…."
Richard Scheinin, Mercury News

In concerts and in my previous albums, I have always programmed for variety. Yet for decades, I have wanted to record an album with one over-arching mood — a gentle, lyrical journey of mostly ballads. In this recording I've chosen songs that I've loved for years, encountering some of them here as a performer for the first time. My hope was to explore them as deeply, authentically, and spontaneously as possible — to share how the music and often exquisite lyrics of these songs have touched and intrigued me. The pieces on this CD come mostly from the American Songbook, with a contribution from Jobim, and two originals. They all express a fundamental desire we share as humans: the yearning for an intimate connection. Some celebrate the rapture of love "found." Others explore the heartbreak of love "lost." My hope is that you will be rewarded by deep listening to this album, and also find it a worthy companion to activities of daily life — a fine meal, perhaps; moments of contemplation; and most especially, being with someone you love.

Denny Zeitlin: Wherever You Are — Midnight Moods for Solo Piano was released on Sunnyside Records in Summer, 2012

Critical Acclaim:

"There's something magnificent about a top-level artist alone with a piano, immersed in a mood of quiet nights, under quiet stars… 'Wherever You Are — Midnight Moods for Solo Piano' is Denny Zeitlin's most intimate and contemplative sets of songs, and perhaps the loveliest work from a top jazz pianist at the height of his expressive powers."
Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz.com

"His outstanding 2012 album, 'Wherever You Are (Midnight Moods for Solo Piano)' establishes his bona fides as a masterful postmodern balladeer in the general continuum of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett."
Will Friedwald, Wall Street Journal

"…'Wherever You Are: Midnight Moods for Solo Piano', is his 3rd unaccompanied recording in less than 2 years for the Sunnyside label. Before you start accusing the pianist of overkill, the CDs are different in many respects (material, pacing, recording venues)--what they have in common is the excellent musicianship and fertile mind of an artist who never compromises his ideals. What is different with the new recording is that the program consists entirely of ballads… Yet, nothing is what you'd expect other than the pianist will explore avenues others have never thought to use. He never abandons the melody but his harmonies are often surprising while he will slip into (and out of) a rhythmic pattern so naturally it might take you a moment to notice…'Wherever You Are' is indeed an album of 'Midnight Moods' yet this is not dark nor foreboding music. Instead, Denny Zeitlin aims for the heart of the listener by finding the emotional center of each song and creating his own world. Sit with someone you love or by yourself and allow this music to take you away from the humdrum, from the apparent darkness of the everyday world and into a much quieter place."
Richard B. Kamins, steptempest.blogspot.com

"Bay-area psychiatrist/pianist Denny Zeitlin not only leads volcanic trios but is one of the pre-eminent soloists in modern jazz… the title ['Midnight Moods For Solo Piano'] does not do justice to the sophistication of these arrangements and two original works that fill the disc… music that transcends time and place. Denny Zeitlin strikes the universal chords of love lost and found, creating moods for whenever, wherever you are."
Andrea Canter, jazzpolice.com

"The subtitle of this recording, 'Midnight Moods for Solo Piano', is proof that albums of pretty, nocturnal ballads can be probing, adventurous, and creative. Denny Zeitlin explores well-chosen standards from the American Songbook, a Jobim medley, and two originals. With patient intensity, within a rapt atmosphere, he continuously discovers fresh ideas in these old songs… 'Goodbye' is one of the great recent interpretations of Gordon Jenkins's masterpiece, diversified with personal content but true to the song's dramatic announcement of loss… the nine minute 'Last Night When We Were Young' is an erudite, exhaustive treatise in barely moving waves of rubato as Zeitlin pursues distant implications of Harold Arlen's quintessentially romantic song… his 'midnight mood' is deep and never broken. These 10 pieces are like a suite, a single tide containing crosscurrents of austere emotion. Zeitlin recorded Wherever You Are in his home studio, but it doesn't sound like it. The sonic portrait is close and clear and dynamic, and provides a complete experience of this rich, intelligent, music."
Thomas Conrad Stereophile Magazine 10/12/12

"… the tunes all do seem to connect to each other; as soon as 'Goodbye' fades away into the night, the gentle chimes of 'Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars/How Insensitive' gently rise like a sliver of a moon. Zeitlin's touch and exploratory skills on these pieces feel like gentle rabbit trails during a conversation, slowly drifting away from the main point, creating a new main point, and then returning to what we were talking about originally. Lot's to learn about sounds and thoughts on this ruminating release."
George Harris, jazzweekly.com

"Equally at home performing with his working trio and as a solo pianist, Zeitlin focuses on the latter in this striking session which he recorded himself in his home studio. His imaginative arrangements of the familiar standards that make up much of this collection put them into a new light, perfect for late-night listening with someone special… This compelling solo piano CD is destined to become one of Denny Zeitlin's landmark recordings."
Ken Dryden, allmusic.com

"...Here, Denny plays solo piano and sticks exclusively to ballads. Denny's most recent albums have been spiritual tours de force, with cascades of musical exploration. Here, it's Denny in slow motion, affording an opportunity to hear his voicings up close and learn how he builds ideas on the backs of eight standards and two originals."
Marc Myers, jazzwax.com

"Solo piano recordings can be the equivalent of tap dancing in a musical mine field for some artists. Denny Zeitlin reconfirms his ability to interpret a ballad as well as any pianist today… Zeitlin's true gift is his keen sense of lyrical direction and harmonic balance when it comes to working without a net… There is a buoyant ebb and flow to the release with well paced and a thoughtful emotional quality to the melodic course charted… one would be hard pressed not to find this as one of Denny Zeitlin's most entertaining releases to date [and] one of the more entertaining for the year."
Brent Black, criticaljazz.com

Back in the late sixties, after having recorded a series of acoustic piano trio albums for Columbia, and restless with the timbral limitations of the acoustic piano, I began a decade of exploring the possibilities of integrating acoustic and electronic instruments in a music that would draw on my experiences in jazz, classical, funk, and the avant- garde. Expansion and Syzygy documented this journey, culminating in the electronic-acoustic-symphonic score for the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers in 1978. I then returned to a focus on acoustic music for the eighties and nineties. Since the millennium, there have been amazing technological advances that have exponentially increased the potential of electro-acoustic music, and I have been re-exploring this dimension, side by side with acoustic solo and trio concerts and recordings. I have upgraded my studio, which feels more and more like a magical musical sandbox where I can "be" an orchestra.

I enjoyed the challenge of being the sole composer and performer on this album, while imparting the impression of a number of players spontaneously interacting. Improvisation is at the heart of this music, and much of what you hear was recorded in real time. The only live-recorded acoustic instrument is a Steinway grand piano. All the other sounds are from the digital world and are triggered from keyboards: sampled instruments and sound sources, or sounds and instruments created by various forms of synthesis. All these sources are frequently further processed digitally.

There are those who feel that acoustic and electronic music do not mix. All my life I have resisted the concept of "Either/Or," being drawn to integration rather than separation; hence the title of this project: "Both/And."

Denny Zeitlin: Both/And — Solo Electro-Acoustic Adventures was released on Sunnyside Records in July, 2013

Critical Acclaim:

"'Meteorology,' a nod to the fusion group Weather Report, announces Zeitlin's artistic gear shift… a marvelous minor symphony adeptly done… If the opener is a minor symphony, the thirteen minute "Dystopian Uprising" is a moody symphony. A masterpiece that evokes the unsettled mood of a world gone terribly wrong… a complex piece of music all the more beautiful for its mostly-restrained-but-vivid exploration of a darkening existence… If "Dystopian Uprising" is a moody symphony, the five part, twenty-three minute "Monk-y Business Revisited" is a major one…Electronics have been creeping into the world of jazz music bit-by-bit. Denny Zeitlin embraces the format and marries it to the acoustic side with a rare finesse. Both/And is an extraordinary work of art… Denny Zeitlin is an orchestra, one that uses an acoustic/electronic blend with a master's touch, to transcend even the "timbral limitations" of the orchestral format, creating his finest and most compelling work."
Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz.com

"Denny's approach has always been a masterful synthesis of technique and "brain freedom" — the suspension of pragmatism so that his spirit and hands can run the creative show...The album [Both/And] is a magnificent work that combines acoustic improvisation with densely layered electronica and sound sampling. What you hear is a sophisticated frenzy of jazz forms and computerized expressions that simultaneously astonish and tickle." "Denny has always been an action pianist, but here he's operating on a much larger scale and in multiple dimensions — combining acoustic and electronic jazz keyboards with synth-symphonic surprises to produce an original work that's both chapel and cathedral… What's extraordinary is that Denny is playing and creating all of the sounds himself." "At times it sounds as if there are dozens of musicians playing… sound samples, software and instruments become electronic tubes of paint and the size and scope of what's created is large, provocative and breathtaking. You have to hand it to Denny for continuing to let curiosity drive his explorations to the outer edges of the electronic jazz galaxy."
Marc Myers, jazzwax.com

"5 Stars [highest rating] Denny Zeitlin turns the solo piano world on its head with the most ambitious work of his storied career. A stellar performance and unique hybrid that others have attempted but with nowhere near the harmonic wonders that Zeitlin creates here… Both/And is an incredibly inventive approach combining both acoustic and electronic instrumentation in a setting that celebrates Zeitlin's prolific talent not only in jazz but in the world of the classical as well as a smoldering funk bass and the more open ended avant-garde… To a certain extent this is a release documenting Zeitlin as a cultural byproduct of his own experiences over the last thirty years. The only live recorded instrument is a Steinway grand piano while the layers of texture that weave their way in a synergistic ebb and flow are from the digital realm of keyboards, sampled instruments and unique sound sources processed digitally but remaining oddly organic with an almost three dimensional sonic depth of field. While one might expect a release of this nature to be somewhat "one note" we find Zeitlin going far deeper than what other artists have attempted with an electro-acoustic format. Easily one of the best releases for 2013."
Brent Black, criticaljazz.com

"Dr. Denny Zeitlin has made a career of creating a catalogue of some of the most imaginatively lyrical and sublime acoustic solo and trio sessions…This time around, the good doctor changes the prescription and treatment, mixing his signature sound with electronics that provide bass lines, percussion and a wide range of experimental sounds… A fascinating experiment that succeeds thoroughly well on various fronts."
George Harris, jazzweekly.com

"The set features Zeitlin working alone, but on a mix of electric and acoustic keyboards – really stretching out and exploring a rich range of new sounds, but all with that sense of lyricism, mood, and timing that makes his straighter jazz material so great!...Make no mistake—there's still plenty of jazz in the mix here, and the spirit of Zeitlin's other recent work greatly informs the set..."
DustyGroove.com

"… his album Both/And: Solo Electro-Acoustic Adventures is truly ambitious — not only does it sound nothing like his last album, but it sounds like no other album entirely… All of Zeitlin's compositions zig-zag through sophisticated detours, never settling for what you expected. Bizarre, fascinating, and totally worth it."
John Garratt, popmatters.com

"… as one might expect of a musician who has always demonstrated a high degree of accessible creativity, Zeitlin's project is both a digital and analog, electronic and acoustic, success… it's all from the mind and heart of Denny Zeitlin in a merging of real time and imagined collaboration, of sounds in the moment and sounds in the digital lab… a symphony for the 21st century bridging modern classical and jazz elements. Only a DVD or live performance would remind us that it is the work of one artist… playful and adventurous, a revelation of how modern technology can be harnessed and unleashed, artfully, by one multi-tasking puppeteer who brings together two worlds of sound in a cohesive musical embrace."
Andrea Canter, jazzpolice.com

My thoughts turned to Buster Williams when I was preparing for a trio slot at the 2001 San Francisco Jazz Festival. I had realized a decades- long dream of playing with him a few years earlier on an album for Venus Records ("As Long As There's Music") and loved his sound, deep groove, harmonic sensibility and spirit of adventure. A friend recommended a young drummer named Matt Wilson, whom I had not heard. Internet audio clips confirmed that this guy could really play. It turned out he was a fan of Buster's and my music, and was available both for the festival, and a gig at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles that followed.

I had a chance to go over the material with each of them separately, but the first time the three of us actually played together was on the festival stage. The chemistry felt magical, and the music felt like it could go anywhere. Matt was the perfect choice for Buster and me; he seemed telepathic, with terrific swing, humor, and desire to explore. In the ensuing days at the Jazz Bakery, the three of us felt some very special music unfold, and I was lucky to be able to get the late Drew Daniels, a brilliant engineer, to record the music on this CD. The majority of the pieces are American songbook standards whose lyrics focus on love found or love lost.

Denny Zeitlin: Stairway To The Stars was released on Sunnyside Records in Summer, 2014

Critical Acclaim:

"There is almost no one musician playing today who can deconstruct a standard and then put it back together again like Denny Zeitlin. On his breathtaking album, Stairway to the Stars he does just that… Mr. Zeitlin literally owns the piano and commands it to do his bidding when he sits down to play… He is almost without parallel in jazz and the equal of any musician in the classical realm as well… The recording is worthy of being judged to be a masterpiece… His pianism is echoed by the brilliance, of course, of bassist Buster Williams and the percussion colouring of drummer Matt Wilson… "
Raul da Gama, latinjazznet.com

"5 Stars [highest rating]… A studio release of this magnitude would be a great album. Stairway To The Stars as a live release is catching lightning in a bottle!"
Brent Black, criticaljazz.com

"… like all of Denny's albums, it's an adventure… Denny turns standards inside out without abandoning their spirit. Songs start with a familiar reference point, with Denny then layering the melody with gorgeous chord changes. Then he takes us off on an improvisational voyage deep inside the song, giving you insight into what makes it special and what holds it together… let go and feel the tidal pull of his approach and enjoy his scuba exploration of music, where the notes dart around like tropical fish. This album is worthwhile for Oleo alone. Trust me, no matter how well you know Sonny Rollins's standard, you don't know it like this."
Marc Myers, jazzwax.com

"… These three are formidable together… What sets the Zeitlin-Williams-Wilson trio apart is its openness and ardor: They approach this material as if it's never been played before, deconstructing the melodies and rebuilding them in their own image. Zeitlin, who had already been playing professionally for three-and-a half decades at this point, favors a sensitive, inquisitive touch on ballads with which Williams and Wilson naturally empathize. They're clearly in love with each other's playing."
Jeff Tamarkin, JazzTimes

"… The evening's set is mostly ballads, except for a crisply bopping take of “Oleo” that takes you for a white knuckler of a ride … This disc is one for the ages."
George Harris, jazzweekly.com

"… [Denny Zeitlin] piano trio triumphs… Over his five-decade-long career, pianist Denny Zeitlin has been a consistently questing musician, forging his own discovery-driven sound whether performing in solo, duo, trio or even electronic formats… Zeitlin is all about exploring, and never about playing it safe. In particular, reharmonizing gives him and his listeners thrills and he's keen to improvise new colours to staples… "
Peter Hum, OttawaCitizen.com

"… [the trio displays] a spirit of fun, adventure and devil-may-care panache. ..Few pianists working today have his command of harmonic depth, his "just right" and sometimes daring touch with a melody… always supple touch and endless inventiveness… A beautiful set … ."
Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz.com

"Top five summer releases to groove on: Denny Zeitlin can play the hell out of the piano. He means business. With just his faithful, bare-bones trio — drummer Matt Wilson and bassist Buster Williams — Zeitlin reinvigorates straight-ahead jazz with artful, brisk, and, when called for, coyly intimate numbers that allow each musician to dig deep. None of this is surprising for a jazz veteran with over 30 well-received albums to his name, two DownBeat Critics Poll wins, and network appearances… Stairway To The Stars is a live album of exquisite covers and an original composition by Zeitlin… "
Carol Banks Weber,axs.com

"[Stairway To The Stars] gives Zeitlin aficionados another opportunity to marvel at the subtlety and inquisitiveness of this enigmatic pianist."
Pierre Giroux, Audiophile Audition (audaud.com)

"… the music has lost none of its power to intrigue and endure… The trio's interaction seems telepathic… Back in 2001, Stairway to the Stars would have been a prophetic portrait of the elegant music lying ahead for the trio. In 2014, we can look back at their starting point and look ahead to their next adventure."
Andrea Canter, JazzPolice.com

"The years have done nothing to tame Dr. Zeitlin's interest in exploration… Recent playing by Zeitlin has been squarely in the modern jazz mainstream — beautiful, varied, harmonically sophisticated… a pianist who thinks like an orchestra… Zeitlin is a big pianist who takes up plenty of sonic space and interest... As a ballad player, Zeitlin is exceptional and resourceful… Zeitlin can cook at fast tempos when he chooses… He's still doing things a little differently, exploring the horizon, bringing his own touch to everything."
Will Layman, popmatters.com

"… Messrs. Zeitlin, Williams and Wilson sound as if they were made to play together… Dr. Denny Zeitlin creates music that is timeless yet of his time… "
Richard B. Kamins, steptempest.blogspot.com

"[Special Recommendation] Stairway To The Stars comes from the same engagement as Zeitlin's Trio In Concert, released in 2009. If anything, the sequel finds the pianist even more intimately engaged with the veteran bassist Buster Williams and the young drummer Matt Wilson… . Among the highlights in the new album: Zeitlin's audacious chromaticisms in Wayne Shorter's Deluge."
Doug Ramsey, artsjournal.com/rifftides

"… Zeitlin's latest Sunnyside release, Stairway To The Stars, captures a magical performance by the 2001 trio close to its inception, from a live performance at The Jazz Bakery in Culver City, California… Standards take the fore on the disc, but are anything but “standard” here… Throughout, the disc is testament to the rare ability of these musicians, and evidence that even great artists sound best in the right company."
Tim Wilkins, producer, WBGO

This album has roots going back to the late sixties, when I began a decade of exploring the electro-acoustic integration of jazz, classical, funk, rock, and free-form music. My trio included Mel Graves or Ratso Harris on bass, and throughout, the incredible drummer/percussionist George Marsh. We recorded and toured the West Coast, concluding this period with my electro-acoustic-symphonic score for the 1978 remake of "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers."

I then returned to a focus on acoustic solo, duo, and trio music for a couple decades, and George went on to numerous other projects. With the passage of the millennium, synthesizer and recording technological advances lured me back into a major and ongoing studio upgrade. "Both/And" (Sunnyside 2013) was devoted to the electro-acoustic domain as a soloist. And in the last year or so, George and I have musically re-united, and have been exploring the potential of duo electro-acoustic free improvisations.

Our goal has been to approach the music without a score or any preconception; to be as fully present as possible, "riding the moment," and allowing the music to go where it wants — without any constraint of genre, or fixed harmonic, rhythmic, or melodic structure. We hope that what emerges are spontaneous compositions that have freshness, beauty, excitement, internal logic, new sounds, and a sense of journey. We often refer to them as "sound paintings."

Over 95% of this music was recorded in "real time" with one pass. On those occasions where I didn't have enough hands to play what I was hearing, I over-dubbed some orchestration or a solo voice. And in those instances, I typically went with the first take, to preserve the spontaneity of the project.

I believe you will hear in our interaction that George is a full partner in the co-creation of this album. To preserve acoustic separation during recording we were unable to see each other; we were carried by our shared musical vision, trust, and a rapport that seems telepathic. We often feel like we are some kind of galactic orchestra.

Denny Zeitlin: Riding The Moment — Duo Electro-Acoustic Free Improvisations was released on Sunnyside Records in Summer, 2015

Critical Acclaim:

"'Live electronics' are flourishing in jazz, and nobody is going for the full immersion there deeper than pianist/keyboardist Denny Zeitlin...the sweeping, glowing washes of neon sound, the synthesized instruments, the electric bumps and swirlings and rattles and cool drones. .. the unbridled spontaneity of Zeitlin's improvisational sound creation alongside the inspired drumming of George Marsh...[Zeitlin] is as virtuosic a musician as you'll find in this arena, and his engagement with Marsh is superb...its perfection of in-the-moment interaction, the melodic aspect of Marsh's drum work, the genius and beauty of Zeitlin's musicianship and the simpatico of the exchange of a thousand ideas between the two musicians...there's energy, the vibrancy of the "recorded live" aspect of the music, and inspired vision of two seasoned jazz pros caught in the act of spontaneous creation, riding the moment."
Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz.com

"Riding The Moment is exactly what it sounds like. Zeitlin and Marsh literally made electro- acoustic music with the technology at their disposal on the spot, taking jazz improvisation to a whole other level. There wasn't a plan, or any rehearsals before the recording process, just the two of them separated by a barrier, left to their own devices. As Zeitlin worked his board of 30 preset patches and a thousand sounds, he found a psychic link with Marsh, as they played in sync and riffed off one another's movements as naturally and as fluidly as if they shared one brain...reunited, and it never sounded so good."
Carol Banks Weber, axs.com

" Of all the jazz pianists of stature who have delved into a multi-key electric synthesized approach to the art, Denny Zeitlin may well be the most creative and satisfying. His music loses nothing of its immediacy, but it gains an almost orchestral dimension to it. He is a master improviser still, of course, but when tackling an array of acoustic and non-acoustic instruments (piano and synths), he is also a master orchestrator. You can hear all that very dramatically on his new album in tandem with his long-time drummer associate George Marsh. Riding the Moment (Sunnyside 1408) gives us some profound new compositions-improvisations for the duo, 12 in all... [Both/And, 2013] marked Denny's return to the multi-instrument fray, with the inspiration of the new synthesizers and their increased sonic color options. That was an impressive outing. Now with Riding the Moment he reunites with George Marsh for a program that stands out as even more masterfully done, with the immediacy of the very creative and musically astute Marsh to add to the texture and drive of the music. "Orchestrated" is the word. Without losing any of the essential excellence of the Zeitlin line and harmonic inventiveness, we experience a fully varied set of aural possibilities that have all the magic of the Zeitlin-Marsh chemistry but with a hugely imaginative way of creating vivid sound textures. It's a masterful, wildly interesting program and perhaps also an object-lesson on how to make use of the new instruments to create an uncompromising music of beauty and drive, jazz in the A-1 mode. You need to hear this. It is fascinating, explorative, exciting music here, Zeitlin and Marsh at their very best!"
Grego Applegate Edwards, gapplegatemusicreview.blogspot.com

"... It is a veritable tapestry of melody, harmony and rhythm that makes for a complete transformation of musical foundations into a diaphanous, living, breathing and palpitating fabric of music, impossible not to react to... What a glorious partnership this is. Neither musician pushes the music around too much, playing with extraordinary restraint and respect for each other's ideas whether they be joyful, sorrowful or even sometimes dark and sinister. Colours are freely exchanged in a moving palette that each instrumental genius dips into and then with a flourish, swishes the proverbial brush onto the canvas that seems to assume a myriad of shapes and colours... The playing, however eccentric, is never experimental. Nothing is lost either in intensity, or clarity, or even focus..."
Raul da Gama, Jazzdagama.com

"In which we find the good doctor going back to his experimental post Miles roots with his old fellow traveler from the period. Ensconcing themselves firmly in the present to carry out some one take improvs, brother, all we can say is there are chops and there are chops. Playing with the curiosity and experimental nature that could inspire the young 'uns feeling their oats, this is a solid dose of what improv jazz etc is all about. They've been there, they've done that but they're wearing new t-shirts. This is a wild ride that offers up nothing you are expecting but you don't want to miss it as it pulls out of the station. Check it out."
Chris Spector, midwestrecord.com

"Pianist Denny Zeitlin has so far had a long and distinguished career and his catalog is consistent and worth exploring in detail. This is not least because of his explorative nature. Zeitlin has a deep musicality, but also a will to keep on searching for new sounds and expressions...The focus [of Riding The Moment] is on the process of creation and not so much the finished result. It is hard to imagine that any of these tracks could become standards, but that is not the point. Instead, Zeitlin and Marsh go on a sound journey together with the volume turned up. They enter, to paraphrase one of the titles of the album, the rabbit hole together and see what happens. Many genres are explored without limitations. There are avant-garde moments, funky grooves with synthetic horns, ambient washes of keyboard and lyrical sensitivity. Marsh drives the music forward with his drums, but he also listens when Zeitlin pauses. They listen together, they speak together through the music and it is not a silent conversation. Many things happen and one musical wave catches another while Zeitlin and Marsh continue to ride the moment."
Jakob Baekegaard, allaboutjazz.com

"From the time that Denny Zeitlin first began recording in 1963, the word conventional was never part of his musical vocabulary...The latest iteration on this voyage of discovery is entitled Riding The Moment, which blends technology and music, to deliver a listening experience that is both demanding and exhilarating...Participating with Zeitlin in this adventure, is long-time collaborator and co-composer, percussionist/drummer George Marsh...the task of finding the appropriate words to describe or define the music, is a challenge as the standard phraseology does not readily apply...words like angularity, convulsive potency, exploratory force, daring, might well be appropriate..."
Pierre Giroux, Audiophile Audition (audaud.com)

"Riding The Moment recalls the mid-seventies moments of pianist Denny Zeitlin, when his ground-breaking early experiments of creatively incorporating the synthesizer into jazz led to trio recordings that included George Marsh on drums. After almost forty years apart, long-time notable pianist Zeitlin calls back his old partner to explore some old ideas in a 21st century setting. In contrast to those 70s explorations, there's no bass player this time - it's just a duet - but Zeitlin has more than made up for the lack of a bassist, thanks to technology and the know-how to leverage it. At the same time, he's never lost touch with his beginnings in post-bop nor forsaken his formal studies of music theory and composition. As a result, Zeitlin's brand of free jazz doesn't sacrifice melodicism in its pursuit of instantaneous composing, [and is] reinforced by Marsh's highly sensitive and pliable drumming. Denny Zeitlin has been a psychiatrist for almost as long as he's been a professional musician, and he assuredly understands how intuition works from a clinical sense. Riding The Moment is a demonstration of his understanding of intuition first hand, as a practitioner of jazz. There, too, his knowledge on the topic is at the doctorate level."
S.Victor Aaron, somethingelsereviews.com

"...These guys just play great music together. All the years of collaborating and creating music really shows on this album...All the songs sound terrific and there is a good flow. You might feel like dancing, singing, clapping or just relaxing while listening to this album. There is no doubt that you will be doing something when you hear this CD. It is good that Zeitlin and Marsh created an album like this. It is the real deal."
Oscar Brooks, LA Jazz Music Examiner (www.examiner.com)

"Denny Zeitlin and George Marsh celebrate the telepathic power of music the hard way...Jazz keyboardist Zeitlin and drummer Marsh go back so far together that they are fully comfortable creating 75 minutes of music on the spot without needing to give each other visual cues...Riding the Moment's ability to impress is threefold. The music is entirely spontaneous, both men were on opposite sides of a studio wall, and Zeitlin had to navigate banks upon banks of keyboard sounds on the fly. The fact that Riding the Moment comes out sounding so self-assured and coherent is a nice touch. Of course, the music itself is very good too...The music is "jazz", in a loose sense. Zeitlin's sounds can be hard bop one moment, smooth fusion the next, and possibly wind up in a marriage of fusion and musique concrète in no time at all (see "Vortex"). This diversity occurs without causing so much as a hiccup. Marsh isn't out to provide the music with a defining beat so much as he's searching for ways to fill out the sound. Through mallets, sticks, and the many angles of his kit, Marsh pulls a variety of sounds from the air without being a road hog. Each cymbal rush is like a secondary color for Zeitlin's multi-faceted rainbow...It goes without saying that Riding the Moment is an album unlike most, purely by structure. It's also a fine way to get reacquainted with the telepathic power of music. If something this dense and rich can arise from sessions with no preconceived plan, what else is in store for us out there?"
John Garratt, popmatters.com

"What a strange and fascinating recording...playfulness of their interactions has the heart of a roots-down garage band jam session, while all the electronics and effects suggests that their garage is wedged onto a satellite hurtling somewhere far off in space..."
Dave Sumner, birdistheworm.com

I was a junior in college in 1959 when Wayne Shorter made his recording debut as a leader, and was captivated by the originality of his sound and concept, both as a performer and composer. His music was original, cliché-free, with unusual shapes of phrases, twists and turns, deliciously fresh harmonies, and melodies that kept reverberating. There was a relaxed intensity to his playing, and his solos always took the listener on an unusual and exciting journey.

Wayne's evolution has continued to inspire me over the ensuing decades, and I've recorded his compositions on a number of occasions.

The idea of an entire concert of Wayne's tunes as launching pads into improvisation occurred to me as I was preparing for an annual performance at the Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland, California. The venue is perfect — a stable of marvelous pianos; an intimate concert space that attracts an attentive and adventurous audience; flawless acoustics; and a staff that really cares about the music.

I hoped to approach the concert with Wayne's openness to the moment, and spirit of discovery. While I felt a loyalty to the compositions, I felt free to re-imagine them — at points reharmonizing, moving into different tempos and time signatures, re-cycling sections, and stretching into free improvisation.

I believe that Wayne is jazz's greatest living composer and improviser, and for this concert, I focused on his timeless early compositions. They are all from the sixties, with the exception of "Ana Maria," published in the seventies. I hope you will enjoy these explorations.

Denny Zeitlin: Early Wayne — Explorations of Classic Wayne Shorter Compositions was released on Sunnyside Records in Summer, 2016

Critical Acclaim:

(click on links below for complete reviews)

"One of my favorite new jazz piano albums so far this year is Denny Zeitlin's Early Wayne — featuring Denny's solo impressions of Wayne Shorter compositions. Denny's approach on the album is tremendously exciting and free-spirited. He covers Shorter's works with a range of interpretive attacks without losing the saxophonist's glimmering sensitivity. In Denny's hands, Shorter's music comes rushing at you like a team of horses. The thundering energy closes in on you, and the pounding rhythmic feel continues to churn on the back end until they all pass. In this regard, Denny's piano impressions are exhilarating… On Early Wayne, we hear Denny's passion for the music as he digs deeper and deeper on songs. What I love most is how Denny reconstructs Shorter's stormy and tender themes, launching waves of explorations that find new ground while remaining simpatico with Shorter's own vision. Early Wayne is a concept album meant to be heard from start to finish. In this regard, songs function as chapters of an engaging Shorter biography. Bravo Denny! "
Marc Myers, www.jazzwax.com
(http://www.jazzwax.com/2016/07/denny-zeitlin-early-wayne.html)

"… Nothing Zeitlin does is half-hearted, or by half-measures… His sound is a cross-section of the classical and the modern, almost overflowing with ideas and sharp, sudden contrasts… Zeitlin explores Shorter's early works on piano through 10 tracks, leaving no room for doubt that this is an artist who immerses himself in the total experience of unwrapping the complex… with equal abandon and laser focus."
Carol Banks Weber, www.axs.com
(http://www.axs.com/denny-zeitlin-covers-wayne-shorter-with-lavish-laser-like-focus-86478)

"… Early Wayne is a continuation of Zeitlin — long a distinctive and boundary-pushing jazz pianist — paying homage to the highly influential saxophonist and composer. In fact, Early Wayne can be thought of as an extension and continuation of the solo piano live recordings collection Labyrinth (2011), where Zeitlin applied his very personal interpretation of Shorter's most recognized composition "Footprints." Only this time, every song covered here is from Shorter, and all but one fall within his most fertile and groundbreaking Blue Note period from 1964 to 1968. Recording again in front of a live audience, Zeitlin's longstanding familiarity with Shorter songs meant he didn't have to go into a studio and fuss over them, and he felt free to allow his own personality to shine through. Zeitlin takes an approach to the title track of Shorter's best-known album that speaks as much to the creativity of himself as it does the flair of Shorter's songs. For "Speak No Evil" he deconstructs the theme and recasts it, keeping its familiarity but altering its contours. Then he swings it hard before breaking it into fragments again. And yet, the essence — that esoteric essence — of the harmonics remains. In doing so, he uncovers one of the geniuses of Shorter's compositions: they're so sophisticated and so hard to pin down but also have a well-defined character that's downright impossible to erase. "Nefertiti," with its hypnotically circular pattern, is stretched out to the point where it appears almost through composed, then Zeitlin settles into a groove and subtly substitutes and adds chords, successfully avoiding the monotony of playing an endless loop. "Ju Ju" seems to waltz with more animation in Zeitlin's hands, and he's able to deliver every facet of the enigmatic harmony with just his two hands. Zeitlin treats "Teru" with the impressionistic fragility often associated with Bill Evans' "Blue In Green." Tempo is messed with and liberties are taken with the motif for the originally-swinging "Toy Tune," but a steady bass line is maintained with the left hand, keeping the song moored. "Infant Eyes," Shorter's gorgeous masterpiece ballad, is taken on without much adornment here, a wise tact given that this number stands so strong on its own. On the other hand, the dense flowing intro used for "Paraphernalia" doesn't easily tip off this tune until Zeitlin finally launches into the horn parts nearly two minutes in. "Ana Maria" is the lone song that was first recorded after the 60s, taken from Shorter's 1975 Brazilian jazz excursion Native Dancer. Stripping away its fusion clothes, Zeitlin uncovers the vintage Shorter shapes and harmonic progressions that defined his classic period from a decade earlier. "E.S.P.," the third of three Shorter songs introduced on Miles Davis albums from his Second Great Quintet period, is an occasion for Zeitlin to show impressive range, vigor and complex emotion. The closer "Miyako" is another one of Shorter's melancholy and graceful serenades that Zeitlin handles with fitting care. So much has been said, written and covered of one of the few remaining living legends of pre-fusion jazz; honestly, it's reached the saturation point. Perhaps it only took another veteran jazz star who can trace his own groundbreaking career back to the acoustic era to give Shorter's songs tributes that are actually worthwhile hearing nearly as much as the originals."
S. Victor Aaron, somethingelsereviews.com
(http://somethingelsereviews.com/2016/06/29/denny-zeitlin-early-wayne-2016/)

" Pianist Denny Zeitlin's career in music started just a bit after saxophonist Wayne Shorter showed up on the scene… Both men have enjoyed long and lauded careers… In terms of jazz standards, Shorter's early tunes are as familiar as anybody's — distinctive and cliche-less, unfailingly modern-sounding, even fifty years after they were written. And often covered. Zeitlin's immersion there is something like an embrace of a jazz prayer book, where the readings of those prayers are anything but rote exercises. They feel dynamic and joyful, like rapturous and freewheeling interpretations time-tested truths… infusing classic on-edge beauty with virtuoso pianism and idiosyncratic imagination."
Dan McClenaghan, www.allaboutjazz.com
(https://www.allaboutjazz.com/early-wayne-explorations-of-classic-wayne-shorter-compositions-denny-zeitlin-sunnyside-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php)

"… Zeitlin travels through these songs, changing and mixing rhythms, going from rubato to swing and back again in the blink of an eye… Recorded live in December of 2014, "Early Wayne" serves to remind the listener not only of what an impressive composer Wayne Shorter has been throughout his career but also what a brilliant interpreter Denny Zeitlin has been and remains. This is music to play over and over as one hears more each time through the program. Close your eyes and enjoy the shower of notes as they rain down on your mind and soul. "
Richard B. Kamins, steptempest.blogspot.com
(http://steptempest.blogspot.com/2016/07/wayne-shorter-music-denny-zeitlin-piano.html)

"Oh, how this record defies so many conventions… Here we find one undisputed legend peering deeply into a load of deep back pages from another undisputed legend whose works had originally inspired him in real time…. Zeitlin crosses all divides, solo nonetheless. Finding music within the music, often of his own invention---improvising on an improviser---at 78, we find Zeitlin continuing to break new ground with the passion and vision of the college junior that encountered these tunes for the first time. An absolute artistic triumph, this is the kind of set that raises the bar, sets new standards and brings all the other similar clichés a new day in the sun. Killer stuff throughout."
Chris Spector, www.midwestrecord.com
(http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1110.html)

"This live solo-piano recital is an ambitious undertaking. The program is 10 Wayne Shorter tunes, most from the early 1960s. Shorter's compositions, with their motivically assembled melodic structures and proprietary harmonic environments, are famously challenging. But Denny Zeitlin never sounds worried. He sounds exhilarated, caught up in the adventure.

When Mile Davis' Second Great Quintet introduced "Nefertiti" to the world in 1968, it was a strange, pensive suspension that recycled for eight minutes, without solos. Zeitlin is less interested in the song's ambiguous chord progressions than in its tendril of melody. He delicately traces it and then gradually enlarges it into something deep and dense. He never quite abandons "Nefertiti," even as he flows outward to its distant implications.

On Christmas Eve 1964, Shorter recorded a classic album, Speak No Evil. The title track and "Infant Eyes" became two of his most covered compositions. What is intriguing about Zeitlin's project is that it offers profoundly pianistic versions of these pieces conceived for horns. With rich, ringing piano notes, he rounds their edges. By flooding them with new content, he renders them lush. But if the bridge of "Speak No Evil" becomes an rolling, spilling piano extravagance, "Infant Eyes," reimagined in 7/4, reveals how a piano, in the right hands, can evoke gentle mysteries no horn can touch. Additional high moments include a ballad meditation ("Teru"), a subliminal bossa nova ("Ana Maria") and two elaborate mazes also first introduced on Miles Davis albums ("Paraphernalia" and "E.S.P.").

Given its erudition, it is surprising and impressive that this album was created not with multiple takes and edits in a studio but in one outpouring before a live audience. It was recorded in concert at the Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland, Calif., on Dec. 5, 2014. Zeitlin has having a really good day."
Thomas Conrad, JazzTimes, September, 2016

"…He finds freshness in music that already has an aura of modernity despite Shorter's having written most of it decades ago. Zeitlin unleashes his imagination and formidable technique in interpretations of "Speak No Evil," "Nefertiti," "Infant Eyes," "Teru," "Toy Tune," "Paraphernalia," "Miyako," "Ju Ju" and "Ana Maria"… They are all first and only takes, performed before an audience at the Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland, California… This is an important addition to Zeitlin's discography, and to the growing list of recordings honoring Shorter, who turns 83 next month."
Doug Ramsey, www.artsjournal.com/rifftides
(http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2016/07/recent-listening-in-brief-zeitlin-on-shorter.html)

"… The ten tracks that comprise Early Wayne were recorded in performance on December 5, 2014 and each is a magnificent example of an artist displaying the ability to create Jazz at the highest level of personal expression.

Denny's achievements with the music are a testimony to his love of what he is doing, his honesty, and of his artistic devotion to master the discipline necessary to perform what the author Ted Gioia has referred to as "The Imperfect Art."

As the novelist Willa Cather once wrote: "Artistic growth is more than anything a refining of a sense of truthfulness. Only the stupid believe that to be truthful is easy; only the artist knows how difficult it is."

I've been listening to Denny's music in performance and on recordings for over 50 years and I view each new opportunity to do as another episode to hear his quest for truth.

In this regard, you won't want to miss his latest efforts as reflected in the ten stunning improvisations that make up Early Wayne: Explorations of Classic Wayne Shorter Compositions."
Steven Cerra, jazzprofiles.blogspot.com
(http://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com/2016/08/denny-zeitlin-early-wayne.html)

"…Denny Zeitlin's selection of these pieces has been lovingly planned… Zeitlin plays them with daring improvisations that always include a graceful bow to Shorter's melodies and end with a blossoming into a glorious liberation of the songs. Each piece played by Zeitlin is a performance of surpassing brilliance and character, captured live on a gloriously-tuned piano, at the end of which there is a sense of joyful release, of music-making free from all constraint…Throughout the performance Denny Zeitlin keeps everything smartly on the move (he is the least sentimental of pianists) spinning the composer's vocal line in introductory passages with rare translucency and with decoration cascading like stardust. There is never a question of attention-seeking; only pianism as natural as breathing. Textures, too, are as light as air. Again detail is as acute as ever… It is in a constant state of wonder and a spirit of uplift that I find myself listening to performances that are carried on an irresistible tide of almost youthful exuberance. I come away with a greater conviction that Denny Zeitlin may well be one of the most remarkable pianists of our time."
Raul da Gama www.jazzdagama.com
(http://jazzdagama.com/cds/denny-zeitlin-early-wayne/)

"…[Denny Zeitlin] has successfully developed his career on his own terms, following a path that is free of the shibboleths that might constrain his creative ideas. His current release Solo Piano: Early Wayne is a continuation of this voyage… Denny Zeitlin is a dynamic, percussive, pianist with a gift for illuminating modern jazz that is harmonically articulate."
Pierre Giroux, Audiophile Audition, www.audaud.com
(http://www.audaud.com/denny-zeitlin-solo-piano-early-wayne-sunnyside-communications/)

"Pianist Denny Zeitlin is the perfect choice to interpret material by who he calls "jazz's greatest living composer," Wayne Shorter. They both are gifted at creating material that can be swinging, clever, tangential, free and explorative… this is a meeting made in heaven… a session to savor for the exposure of one brilliant mind exploring another."
George W. Harris, jazzweekly.com
(http://www.jazzweekly.com/2016/08/waynes-worlddenny-zeitlin-solo-piano-early-wayne/)

Denny Zeitlin & George Marsh: Expedition — Duo Electro-Acoustic Improvisations was released on Sunnyside Records in Summer, 2017

This album chronicles the continuing adventures in my studio with George. (See "Riding The Moment" above for details.) We've been having a marvelous time, and the music keeps evolving. To continue the "Expedition" metaphor, our vision of the terrain has expanded, as well as our sense of the geology.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM AROUND THE TIME OF ALBUM RELEASE:

"‘Electro-acoustic’ seems to be one of the latest trends currently happening in the progressive and avant-garde jazz arenas, but that’s old hat to such veteran groundbreakers like pianist Denny Zeitlin and percussionist George Marsh. They have been exploring the endless possibilities presented by technology aiding in the improvisation process since the late 60s. Continuing a reunion after a four decade break, Zeitlin and Marsh build on a renewed rapport found on 2015’s Riding The Moment with Expedition (July 21, 2017 from Sunnyside Records).

Zeitlin has taken advantage of recent advances in technology to not only create music with orchestral complexity aided only by Marsh’s drums and percussion but also to compose extemporaneously. Compositions follow down a logical path, all more remarkable since Zeitlin and Marsh are blazing these paths together without forethought and — due to the logistics of the recording setup – also without the benefit of seeing each other while they do so. Thus, an endeavor so steeped in technology relies even more than conventional musical recordings on the trust between the musicians and their own intuition to pull this off.

Using a massive arsenal of music-making tools at his disposal, Zeitlin marshals various, keyboards, synthesizers, computers, pedals and a grand piano to mold layers and textures into a lucid whole that is alive in the moment because it was created in the moment, with almost all the performances heard here first takes with very little overdubs. And if you think that this results in some dissonant mess, think again; melody, harmony, rhythm and the arc of a performance are plentifully present.

The highly detailed cymbals and toms of Marsh on “Geysers” amid Zeitlin’s atmospheric potpourri becomes a focal point because it’s placed far up enough in the mix and sounds so human from the sharp relief. “Expedition” quickly finds its footing following a simulated bowed bass intro, a completely realized composition with a natural progression made all the more astonishing that it was imagined in the moment. Zeitlin’s piano turns the ambience of “Thorns of Life” into earnest melancholy. “Watch Where You Step” strings together a suite of connected improvs and bolstered at key turns by computer or synth generated orchestral backdrops.

As with Riding The Moment, Zeitlin is able to convincingly mimic real instruments, such as an acoustic guitar and flute on “Traffic,” but when Marsh breaks into a loose swing, the pianist responds in kind with his acoustic instrument on piano and without missing a beat, the song morphs into pure jazz. Despite that, Zeitlin finds a way to incorporate those artificial sounds without disturbing the purity.

Heavenly ‘vocal’ choruses grace the spare, introspective “Spiral Nebula,” but Marsh’s drums are the real star here, channeling the late Paul Motian. For “Shards of Blue,” a single-note synth line resembling a trumpet undertakes a solo firmly rooted in bop language, later settling into a looser groove led by a synth resembling an EWI. “One Song” comes closest to acoustic mainstream jazz for a while as a faux acoustic bass rounds out a traditional piano trio; synthesized accents occasionally intrude to add tasteful texture.

The number of jazz musicians who were innovating 4-5 decades ago and continue to innovate today is very small; Denny Zeitlin and George Marsh certainly belong in that exclusive club. Expedition continues their long, provocative journey."
S.Victor Aaron, somethingelsereviews.com

"This is not the first collaboration between pianist/keyboardist Denny Zeitlin and drummer George Marsh, but it’s the strongest… Zeitlin does some flowing keywork with Marsh’s swinging drumming on”Geysers” while creating a synthetic bass pulse to form some Middle Eastern harmonics on “Lives Of Clowns.” He makes his keyboards sounds like a reed on the loose “Shards of Blue” while a touch of brass is toned with conversant cymbals on “One Song.” Sonic soundscapes produce acoustic frames during the ominous “Sentinel" and the impressionistic “Spiral Nebula.” Both artists use broad brush strokes on these abstract paintings of sounds, taking the listener to other exotic worlds."
George Harris, jazzweekly.com

" Pianist Denny Zeitlin, [Roscoe] Mitchell’s contemporary and fellow native of Chicago, is equally dedicated to ceaseless artistic growth. This is how he concludes a paragraph of notes for his latest collaboration with drummer-percussionist George Marsh,

'We often feel like we are some kind of galactic orchestra.'

That does not mean that they are space cadets. Their unplanned mutual inventiveness is so logical that it often sounds as if it must have been conceived on manuscript paper, but no; it is spontaneous improvisation, forged in experience and trust that go back to Zeitlin’s 1960s trio with Marsh, his music for the 1970s remake of the film Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and to Riding The Moment, the duo’s previous Sunnyside album. Zeitlin uses electronic keyboards, a synthesizer and creative engineering to fashion, among other things, impressions of horn sections, an arco bass, a guitar and what might be a trumpet or—wait a minute—it’s a trombone (if a trombone could play that high).

Marsh’s cymbals crashes on “Not Lost in The Shuffle” are priceless. Throughout, he accompanies Zeitlin’s permutations with drumming that occasionally echoes and always complements his partner’s piano-synthesizer-organ-trumpet-saxophone-trombone-guitar-orchestra creations. That sentence may read like the prescription for a complex disaster waiting to happen. There is no disaster. The music has a bebop feeling of forward motion in “Traffic;” turns as lyrical as a minor-key Schubert sonata in “Spiral Nebula;” recalls the classic Zeitlin trio with Marsh when “One Song” gets fully underway; makes you want to dance during “Watch Where You Step;” and swings hard during Zeitlin’s electro-faux trombone solo on “Shards Of Blue.”

The album is a remarkable technical accomplishment. More important, it is a solid musical achievement that has the virtue of being—if you’ll pardon the outmoded, uncool, expression—entertaining."
Doug Ramsey, artsjournal.com/rifftides

Denny Zeitlin Trio: Wishing On The Moon was released by Sunnyside Records in Summer, 2018

By 2009, the date of this live recording at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC, Buster Williams, Matt Wilson, and I had been performing as a trio for 8 years, and this CD captures some of our best music—full of surprise, exploration, confidence, excitement, nuance, and empathy. The program has some of my favorite originals and standards. I had recorded all of them previously; they have always provided a special springboard into improvisation.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM:

"Denny Zeitlin is not simply a very good pianist. He is a great one… one of the most highly accomplished musicians writing for and performing on the instrument today… throughout this magnificent record (superbly engineered at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, at Jazz At Lincoln Center) one is continuously impressed at how Mr. Zeitlin is alive to the complex pleasures of contemporary music. .. and how blessed he is to have two of the most magical players on their instruments…"

Raul da Gama, Jazzdagama

"…Williams creates giant ripples, Wilson is like unto a force of nature, and Zeitlin storms and swirls without leaving the listener behind, maintaining a (restless) lyricism throughout… Zeitlin is up there in the pantheon with Corea, Tyner, and Herbie Hancock."

Mark Keresman, ICONDV

"… Wishing on the Moon represents the Denny Zeitlin Trio at the peak of its powers, on one those nights—this was recorded live at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York in 2009—when all the gears meshed, and all the stars aligned around that shining moon."

Dan McClenaghan, Allaboutjazz

"There’s so much for the ear on jazz pianist Denny Zeitlin's new live trio album, Wishing On The Moon, that the mind boggles… traditional straight-ahead lyricism banked up against a restless, avant-garde spirit of total invention… It takes a certain kind of genius to balance lyricism with adventure. Zeitlin, who practices psychiatry, is that genius, an artist who truly understands what it means to play in the clouds, while holding onto the audience with entrancing music, regardless… Wishing On The Moon celebrates jazz, in all its wondrous forms. Unapologetically, without ego. Just pure, true trio music as Denny Zeitlin’s nature intended."

Carol Banks Weber, Festivalpeak

"Recorded live at New York's Dizzy's Coca-Cola in March 2009, this newly released album features Denny at his explorative best, taking standards apart and reassembling them with curiosity and daring…"

Marc Myers, Jazzwax

"… in gestures large and small, guideposts laid out by form and instinct, a time- strengthened sense of equilateral idealism, and an open-minded aesthetic, this outfit continually creates music to marvel at… Whether updating classics, presenting program music, playing to the map, or moving a step beyond, this group proves to be a model of unabated creativity and class…"

Dan Bilawsky, Allaboutjazz

"A definitive trio…during a 2009 concert at Dizzy’s Coca Cola, Denny Zeitlin’s trio with Matt Wilson/dr and Buster Williams/b delivers a textbook example of interplay, teamwork and swing that should be used in many a music school…"

Harris, Georg W. Harris, Jazzweekly

"Denny Zeitlin’s Wishing On The Moon is a vital document of a trio that’s been gigging for some eighteen years, led by one of jazz’s most innovative keyboardists of the last half century and completed by a rhythm section of notable leaders themselves…"

S.Victor Aaron, Somethingelsereviews.com

"…Like the best trios, it's a group of equals…because of that trust, musicality, and willingness to go where inspiration takes them, the music they create is such a joy to listen to… classy, melodic, rhythmical, often stunning, and great fun…"

Richard B. Kamins, Steptempest.blogspot

"… a killer 2009 date with his long time trio live from Dizzy’s recorded when all the stars were perfectly aligned… The jazz piano trio is so in the moment, it almost feels like they weren’t aware they were being watched by an audience… this wonderfully played date is a solid reminder of why we became music fans in the first place…"

Chris Spector, Midwestrecord

"…I’ve been listening to Denny’s music in performance and on recordings for over 50 years and I view each new opportunity to do as another episode to hear his quest for truth… Wishing on the Moon continues his search for honest artistic expression at the very highest level. It's been a pleasure to be able to accompany him on this journey."

Steven Cerra, Jazzprofiles.blogspot

Denny Zeitlin: Remembering Miles was released by Sunnyside Records in Spring, 2019

For a number of years I have been doing an annual solo piano concert at the Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland, CA, focusing on the work of a single composer. I titled my 2016 concert "Remembering Miles," which allowed me to re-imagine a number of compositions associated with Miles over the course of his long career. Miles as performer, composer, magnet for outstanding sidemen, and shape-shifter has inspired my entire musical life.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM:

"On Remembering Miles Denny Zeitlin takes all the measures of what makes pianism great and relocates them to another rarefied realm… There is nothing contrived or attention-seeking about his approach… His traversal of this music is instantly spellbinding for all the right reasons… Everywhere Mr. Zeitlin strikes a compelling balance between volatility and elegance, while maintaining the intuitive sensibility of a jazz artist."

Raul da Gama, JazzdaGama

"...Remembering Miles represents the culmination of six decades of recorded jazz by Denny Zeitlin and you have to listen to it to truly understand how special it is in terms of the gift of the experience and genius that Denny brings to his music. Few pianists could have rendered the music of Miles Davis in a solo piano setting with such discrimination and heartfelt sincerity."

Steven Cerra, Jazzprofiles.blogspot

"… An extraordinary recording career that began in 1963…with [this 2019 CD] Zeitlin taking these selected tunes on--and interpreting liberally--with just his piano and his own idiosyncratic reimaginings, you get an essence of two souls… Zeitlin is always startlingly virtuosic, and he is blessed with freewheeling improvisational elasticity… One of the most compelling and beautiful albums of Denny Zeitlin's career."

Dan McClenaghan, AllAboutJazz

"… Denny's solo piano approach here is more to use the songs almost like loose backdrops for sonic poetry--these incredibly complex lines on the piano that are at once free and melodic, modern and meaningful… The album is as revolutionary as anything the pianist recorded decades back…"

DustyGroove

"… By the end of Zeitlin's recital, it is fair to marvel at the range of Davis's music, of course, but also at the versatility of this pianist, a master of so many styles and approaches… Denny Zeitlin is a musician who never got stuck in one way of approaching the art…"

Will Layman, PopMatters

"… Doing more with a solo piano than anyone else can, Zeitlin serves us an explosive and revelatory meeting of the minds that finds the octogenarian playing with the verve and smarts of a 20-year-old with an old soul. Another in a series of penultimate dates from the master."

Chris Spector, MidwestRecord

"… By reaping the best of both worlds and respecting Miles' original portrayals of his songs and moving them forward with imaginative, dynamically fresh takes, Denny Zeitlin pays ultimate homage to Miles Davis. The Prince of Darkness was a master at recognizing other people's good ideas and making them great; Zeitlin does the same while he's Remembering Miles."

S. Victor Aaron, SomethingElseReviews

"… Denny Zeitlin is a master. His love for this music comes shining through the notes he plays and how he rearranges the song so you hear them anew… Splendid recording, sweet sound, and great music…"

Richard B. Kamins, StepTempest.blogspot

"Arriving on the jazz scene in the mid-60s while simultaneously practicing and teaching psychiatry, pianist Denny Zeitlin has consistently conducted his musical career on multiple tracks. He has played postbop as well as free improv, veered between electric and acoustic settings, drawn from classical composition and fusion, and played solo when he wasn't leading duos, trios, or larger ensembles...all those influences resonate through the music heard on Remembering Miles...it all adds up to an intriguing collection of Mile's musical stories, familiar but given refreshing new spins."

Philip Booth, JazzTimes

"one of our most lyrical pianists, Denny Zeitlin delivers a tour de force solo performance, interpreting songs from the wide ranging Miles Davis songbook… Like his previous interpretation of Wayne Shorter material, this one's a real treat and a moving tribute to an artist that bridged wide gaps..."

George W. Harris, JazzWeekly

"… Zeitlin's a master at reconstructing melody, mood, and movement, making a meal out of nuance in the great artists of the times-- himself included… Denny Zeitlin puts a lot of his own adventurous, thought-provoking spirit into each and every weird and wonderful note for quite a show, and quite an album."

Carol Banks Weber, FestivalPeak

"… Pianist Denny Zeitlin’s solo tribute to Davis, recorded live at Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland, explores the chameleonic leader’s writing—and songs by others he embraced—with a curator’s discerning ear as it finds dark humor and revels in daring reharmonizations…."

Fred Bouchard, Downbeat.com

"…[Remembering Miles] is one of Zeitlin's finest and best solo piano releases and is a must-listen… Pianist Denny Zeitlin is a master of solo performance. His solo piano concerts are always memorable and not to be missed…"

Doug Simpson, Audiophile Audition (AudAud)

Denny Zeitlin: Live At Mezzrow was released by Sunnyside Records in Summer, 2020

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to perform in a wide range of venues—from jazz festival stages for thousands of outdoor fans to jazz clubs with fewer than a hundred listeners. And while there is a special excitement in sharing music with a huge crowd, I find myself drawn more to the intimate settings, like Mezzrow. Spike Wilner and his staff have created a unique place for music in a long basement room in NYC’s Greenwich Village. He keeps his Steinway Grand in perfect shape; the acoustics are miraculously superb; and people are really listening. During this trio gig with Buster and Matt, it felt like we were all in it together—players and listeners deeply involved in the emerging music.

This CD marks our 18 th year as a trio, and though we don’t perform that often, due to the complexities of schedules and the demands of my psychiatric practice and teaching, the music has continued to evolve. Our two nights at Mezzrow were inspiring, and I hope you will enjoy this CD, our 5th album together.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM:

"Still going strong some fifty-six years after his first records, the polymath jazz pianist Denny Zeitlin continues his torrid pace of recording with yet another album that delves into one of his many fascinating sides…Zeitlin’s trio might not get together too frequently but when they do it’s magic…from serene moments to uninhibited flashes, Denny Zeitlin’s trio found themselves in particularly good form that spring night at the Mezzrow Jazz Club…."

S. Victor Aaron, somethingelsereviews

"There's few folks who approach the piano like Denny Zeitlin – and this beautiful live set is a perfect illustration of his deep talents and very unique sound on his instrument! Zeitlin is a master of balancing darkness and light – technical brilliance and down to earth energy – working here with his longtime trio with Buster Williams on bass and Matt Wilson on drums – two players who are instantly, innately responsive to the many-textured sounds that Zeitlin brings forth from the piano! And throughout it all, no matter what the mood, the whole thing manages to swing – even in subtle ways."

Rick Vojcik, Dusty Groove

"…this album is like a 3” steak cut at Morton’s, filled with flavor, oozing with texture with each bite a treat to the senses. Zeitlin’s fingers and mind have an encyclopedic knowledge of tradition, class and style… Each tune selection, each chord and each note makes you feel like Zeitlin is acting like Geppetto, carving a living being that moves, dances and sings out of a piece of wood. Everything comes alive in his hands."

George W. Harris, jazzweekly

"There’s no surprise about the consistent brilliance of pianist Denny Zeitlin’s new album Live at Mezzrow (Sunnyside). Recorded at the New York piano bar over a two-night run last year when he was 81, the session extends Zeitlin’s late-career creative surge into his ninth decade…"

Andrew Gilbert, San Francisco Classical Voice

"…Now in his eighties, Zeitlin is playing with all the invention focus and daring that has always characterized his work… Zeitlin the improviser lives on the edge of the avant-garde: it is a good place to be…from that vantage point he courts the unexpected. He loves the sound of the piano almost for its own sake and the Steinway rewards him… Bill Evans has been credited with redefining the piano trio. Zeitlin, Wilson and Williams when playing like this redefine the piano trio just as radically…. this is an impressive album…"

Jack Kenny, jazzviews

"Greatness among us: Denny Zeitlin, 82, leads his piano trio — bassist Buster Williams, drummer Matt Wilson — through compelling and, at times, rousing, mind-boggling performances of some tried-and-true jazz standards, with his unusual runaway aplomb… Live at Mezzrow (Sunnyside Records) showcases the veteran jazz pianist at his best, and most versatile…You don’t always know quite where Denny Zeitlin will go, but you always want to be there with him. That’s never been more true than on this June 12, 2020 release."

Carol Banks Weber, festivalpeak

"Coming up on two decades of creative engagement and evolution, pianist Denny Zeitlin's group with bassist Buster Williams and drummer Matt Wilson remains one of the most bracing, sophisticated and creatively satisfying trios on the scene…. Captured during two nights of Zeitlin's residency at the titular club in May of 2019, everybody appears to be in peak, pliable form… Zeitlin's command and combination(s) of numerous musical dialects, Williams' elastic resonance and grounding presence, and Wilson's character, coloring skills and impeccable sense of time and groove all come together to form a beautiful whole. This trio is both firm in its constitution and loose in its methods of operation. It's simply the best of both worlds."

Dan Bilawsky allabout jazz

"… Once again delivering a piano trio date that’s a defining moment of a generation of jazz fans, they deconstruct standards to reassemble them like drill sergeants you wind up respecting. The originals reflect unending creativity and vision while the disc on the whole makes you wish you were there hanging on in anticipation of what’s coming around the next bend. Killer stuff from the king of the realm and his loyal horsemen."

Chris Spector, midwestrecord

"West Coast pianist Denny Zeitlin creates a classic and adventurous live set with his long-standing trio featuring Buster Williams and Matt Wilson on Live at Mezzrow… Zeitlin's brand of pianism is perfect for the space—adventurous but squarely within the modern tradition, with subtleties in the harmonies, the countermelodies, the voicings, and the rhythmic interplay that benefit from an intimate sonic space… Zeitlin, over the age of 80 on the recording date, is never less than fully assured, clear in tone and touch, able to move nimbly and yet with exquisite dynamics… Musicians like Zeitlin and Williams can go every which way, back toward the swing era, lushly progressive in post- bop complexity, or freely into improvising not restricted by chord patterns… Zeitlin… was an early experimenter with synthesizers, film music work, and other elements that were ahead of their time when he tackled them. And his sound is also reassuring: there is mastery of the jazz language but a sense that it should liberate rather than constrict any given piece of music… And although Live at Mezzrow masquerades as an old-fashioned piano trio date, all of this versatility can be found here. Matt Wilson, a generation younger, never sounds like the firebrand. Indeed, the idea of generational conflict in creative music seems today like a quaint idea. This trio suggests so."

Will Layman, popmatters

"…Zeitlin delights in stretching familiar themes every which way, and he needs musical co-conspirators that are on the same wavelength. After 18 years of playing with Zeitlin, the absolutely reliable Williams and the exuberant Wilson are right there with him at all times, and the music just flows and flows… Matt Wilson’s drive and forceful but understated playing is a total joy throughout. His playing, in conjunction with Williams’ sensitive bass work and Zeitlin’s deeply probing piano, will keep me coming back to this date again and again. Happily recommended."

Stuart Kremsky, mrstusrecordroom

"…Zeitlin's relationship with Sunnyside Records, beginning in 2009, was and continues to be a fortuitous and fruitful one… an album a year schedule at the label that continues to this day, with solo, trio and electro-acoustic offerings of the highest caliber… Which brings us to Live At Mezzrow… The songs are familiar; the trio takes them into unfamiliar territory and back again with a modernistic verve… perhaps the finest of his ongoing album releases for Sunnyside Records. "

Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz

"…Dr. Zeitlin is a pianist with great facility, loves melody, and creates long, flowing, solos that are poetic and powerful whereas the rhythm section is just as musical and exploratory as its leader. One just knows they never play a song the same way twice…. these albums are creative music at its best… sit back, listen, and luxuriate in the splendid "Live at Mezzrow"."

Richard B. Kamins, steptempest

"If improvisation is the key ingredient in Jazz, you sure get your money’s worth when you listen to pianist Denny Zeitlin’s music. Improvisation is the heart and soul [and mind] of everything Denny’s plays… It’s as though his mind is seeing parallel melodic universes and he is trying to get them all in view at the same time. I suppose when you have a technique as dazzling as Denny’s and it’s been well-honed over 60 years of performing, technical limitations are no longer an obstacle and you can pretty much put out onto the instrument whatever you are conceptualizing… Denny has an almost instantaneous grasp of the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic possibilities of each song or tune that he improvises on such that his ability to interweave between these, three musical elements creates the “texture” or sonority of his music."

Stephen Cerra, jazzprofiles

"One of the best trios…with Buster Williams on bass and Matt Wilson on drums, the three top-notch musicians have recorded five wonderful albums for the Sunnyside label. Living on opposite coasts of the US, the trio interacts sporadically, making the wonder of their live performances all the more delightful…Live at Mezzrow is their latest release, and it is a topnotch collection of standards and Zeitlin originals… whether it's reharmonizing or rethinking a melody, Zeitlin continues to show why he is a top interpreter."

Jeffrey Siegel, straightnochaserjazz--podcast

Denny Zeitlin & George Marsh: Telepathy was released by Sunnyside, May, 2021

This is the third adventure in spontaneous composition in my studio with George, ( See “Riding The Moment” above for details), and may be our strongest yet, as we continue our journey.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM:

"[Editor’s Pick] ...Telepathy is a brilliant showcase of just how far Zeitlin and Marsh have come as a creative team... All taken together, Zeitlin and Marsh collectively succeed at assembling wildly divergent sounds and rhythms into coherent working structures while allowing the music — their music — to emerge entirely on its own."

Ed Enright, downbeat

"... a fascinating album that combines aspects of everything else we've mentioned: wild extrapolation, careful calibration, psychedelic possibility. Pianist Denny Zeitlin and drummer George Marsh have been collaborating as a duo for many years, building not only on a shared foothold in tradition but also a willingness to seek the unknown..."

Nate Chinen, WBGO

"...As the innovation of an electronic approach becomes more prominent in jazz, it is the veterans, Denny Zeitlin and George Marsh—with about a hundred and twenty years of professional musical experience between them—who are making the most interesting music in the field, pushing things further ahead..."

Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz

"Zeitlin and Marsh are such dexterous moving targets that just when you think you have them figured out, they change directions so easily that all you can do is say ‘huh?'... Just plain fun listening throughout."

Chris Spector, midwestrecord

"...as the title itself aptly describes the musical process, the musical interaction between these two musicians is at the furthest point in the arc of their creativity... the seemingly symphonic nature of the music produced by a mere duo, which in actuality sounds as if it were a whole crashing orchestra. When this is put together with the fact that all of this music was "improvised" as if by Telepathy, you will have come to experience the true impact of this extraordinary music... you will find these works quite magical in ways that you probably never thought music – certainly "electro-acoustic" music – could ever be..."

Raul Da Gama, jazzdagama

"...Denny Zeitlin and George Marsh have such a long history together but still manage to keep their partnership fresh because of their fearless experimental bent. On Telepathy, these long- established veterans from the 60s act like young upstarts showing the jazz world a fresh new approach..."

S. Victor Aaron, somethingelsereviews

"One of the greatest of the living jazz pianists... he brings in drummer George Marsh for a collection of ‘electro-acoustic improvisations’... and it works wonderfully..."

George W. Harris, jazzweekly

"...the entire resounding experience conjures up all sorts of labyrinthian detours of the mind, and spirit...Nothing and everything is free-form, avant-garde mixed in with a healthy dose of melodic, soundtrack jazz and ‘60s-‘70s pop... the unique, adventure-seeking talents of fluid artists, Denny Zeitlin and longtime experimental partner George Marsh... A blast from the past, done most modernly...on the fly."

Carol Banks Weber, festivalpeak

"...This one is no afterthought. It is essential. Nobody mixes up the synth and piano like Denny. And George is the perfect foil, a master drummer at the top of his game, totally attuned to what Denny is doing. Very recommended."

Grego Applegate Edwards, gapplegatemusicreview

"Really great sounds from the legendary Denny Zeitlin – an entry in his series of electro- acoustic improvisations with drummer George Marsh... sounding especially great in the freer setting of duo improvisations like these! George handles a bit of percussion, but mostly makes his main magic on the drum kit..."

Rick Vojcik, dustygroove

"Yes, "Telepathy" is the correct title for this album but it could easily be called "Great Fun" or "The Sandbox Sessions". Denny Zeitlin and George Marsh keep your attention throughout the album by letting their minds free to wander the sonic universe. Feeling stress? Put this music on good and loud; your housemate and/or neighbors might complain but you can't help but feel good as the music dances around you."

Richard B. Kamins, steptempest

"Electro-acoustic improvisation which inclines from intense to introspective.... The inventiveness and flexibility can be heard throughout the 14 tracks on Telepathy... sophisticated, masterful and stylish music."

Doug Simpson, audiophileaudition

"...I had a ball listening to this recording because I allowed myself the freedom to explore it just as the musicians allowed themselves the freedom to make it. Why not give yourself a daring adventure, too, by telepathically connecting with Denny and George. I guarantee you’ve never experienced anything like it."

Steven Cerra, jazzprofiles

Denny Zeitlin : The Name Of This Terrain was recorded in 1969 and released in 2022

"Back in 1969, I was immersed in an electro-acoustic integration of jazz, rock, avant garde classical, funk, and free-form music. My long-time close friend, Bill Young, suggested we co-produce a project where I would write new music and lyrics, and my trio, with George Marsh and Mel Graves, would perform and sing the lyrics as a demo. Bill would try to interest a label in completing the album with professional singers, and supporting a tour. The project was completed in November,1969, and a custom run of demo LPs created, but no labels were interested, and my trio returned to instrumental explorations in concerts and recordings. "The Name Of This Terrain" remained on the shelf until 2003, when Bill Young’s death somehow led to a stack of demo LPs ending up in a thrift store, setting off a gradual low-level international buzz. I began receiving inquiries from fans, collectors, and record labels, wanting to hear, purchase, or release this album. I was taken aback at the prospect. Although I felt the music and lyrics were very strong, none of us trio members had ever done any singing, and this demo album was never intended for release. I destroyed my copies, and for years successfully fended off inquiries. But every few years, Eothen Alapatt of Now- Again Records would circle back, enthusiastically proclaiming the album’s musical importance and the passion and emotional immediacy of the trio’s untrained vocal cords. In 2020, I was prompted to give the project a relisten, and to my surprise, was struck by the freshness of the concept, passion of performance, and spirit of adventure on the album, and was excited at the prospect of sharing it with the music world, as long as its history was made clear."

CRITICAL ACCLAIM:

"A few years after he burst onto the jazz scene, and almost a decade before he would record the soundtrack to a remake of ‘Invasion Of The Body Snatchers,’ the celebrated pianist Denny Zeitlin took his trio into the studio in 1969 to work on a surrealist sci-fi concept album of his own, ‘The Name of This Terrain.’ Bridging the space-age pop of the preceding decade and the jazz-rock era to come, the demos they made showcased Zeitlin’s always-impressive compositions, the snug versatility of his core trio (featuring the bassist Mel Graves and the drummer George Marsh) and — surprisingly — the band members’ orotund baritones… he rightly decided that the original tapes were compelling enough to be released on their own, and the album is out via Now-Again Records."

Giovanni Russonello, New York Times

"... Well, it only took 50 years for this forward thinking stuff to find its audience and here it is. Dr. Z. has gone pretty far out there when he feels like it but this goes beyond the reaches of the seventh galaxy where Hendrix and Miles are waging their final war over Betty Davis. Who knew what was lurking beneath the surface all this time? Utterly wild stuff that could have changed the face of FM radio and beyond."

Chris Spector, Midwest Record

"…There’s everything for me to love here; Jazzers that can rock and funk; a late 60s aesthetic; highly visual, smartly poetic, lightly ironic lyrics; an endearingly playful, experimental spirit. These are brains and souls that just had to explore; to understand it, and themselves, by doing, not by conceptualising or defining. And these brains and souls went and produced my favourite smart-arsed, playfully wonky album of all time."

Ian Ward, UK Vibe Magazine

"The Amazing Denny Zeitlin… The six songs, or rather “instrumental songs” from this unclassifiable album defy categories… In short, our heads turn and this incredible album is not close to leaving our turntables."

Fred Goaty, Jazz Magazine (France)

"Gifted psychiatrist, jazz pianist, and Sesame Street scorer’s worlds collide on rare 1969 demo disc… the complicity between Zeitlin’s electronic keyboard experiments, Mel Graves’ loping, magic carpet basslines and George Marsh’s backbeats is an improvisational wonder, foreshadowing routes taken by many modern jazz trios since. Cosmic, funky, riddled with left swerves, once heard it’s not easily forgotten."

Andy Cowan, Mojo Magazine (UK)

"…It’s astonishing to discover not only that this disc of experimental jazz-funk- rock garnered no interest in 1969 and remained unloved—even by its composer—until now, but also, given the top quality of both the recording and the performances, that it was meant as a demo…it’s all great stuff…"

Christopher Budd, Shindig Magazine (UK)

"…even after more than a half a century, and through all the vagaries of fashion, this is still a remarkable piece of work…"

Brian Morton, The Wire Magazine (UK)

"An insanely fantastic lost chapter in the career of pianist Denny Zeitlin – a never- issued session of electric keyboards and vocals – put together with his famous trio of the 60s, but lost to the world for many decades!.. maybe most interesting are the vocals created for the set – jazzy but offbeat lyrics that pop in and out of the tunes in this very cool way… the album's definitely one that we'd put right up there with the best…"

Rick Wojcik, Dusty Groove

"…It's a powerful and expansive work with Zeitlin's limber piano playing up front, but reaching across styles in a fusion which gets seriously funky in some places, positively cosmic in others. The title track alone is a 12-minute opus which will take you far and wide, like all the best jazz should."

JUNO Magazine (UK)

"…the world still hasn’t caught up with the sounds or the vibe of Zeitlin’s unearthly recording."

Steve Krakow, Chicago Reader

"Jazz pianist, psychiatrist and Invasion of the Bodysnatchers soundtrack composer Denny Zeitlin’s epic late 60s leftfield classical and jazz-funk fusion marvel The Name of This Terrain has resurfaced via Now-Again Records after its creator reconsidered the noteworthiness of his early career experimentation. "

New Commute

"…Anyone who seeks forward sounds, complexity and fire, you should no doubt give this a chance…the band can sing on pitch and in their own realm…it adds to the music and gives us a new angle on it all listening now… and the rest of the album lives up to the challenge of the first cut. It is complex, advanced, at times in a mind-meld of the more psychedelic music of the period but perhaps in ways that might not have been easily assimilated back then."

Grego Applegate Edwards, Gapplegate Music Review

"… As customary with the times, there is plenty of electronic experimentation as on the spacy “The Name Of This Terrain,” while things swirl around on the mind bending “The Wizard”. WHEW-a mother of invention! Did Zeitlin ever open for the Grateful Dead?"

George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

"…‘The Name of This Terrain,’ …his signature integration of “rock and jazz and free-form music and electronics” — with lyrics that bubbled up from his unconscious…easygoing, audacious, wonderfully, cheekily derivative, sometimes naughty, indicative of the finger-snapping, groovy beatnik times. Yet, timeless too… the technical wizardry and novel invention of three well-established, well- integrated musician friends feeling out the new material…you’d be hard-pressed to find any existing, established vocalist from the ‘60s to present who could as ably fill the role as these three jazz instrumentalists can… the words given life by the vocals seem a natural part of the music; the fourth instrument, if you will…a brilliant, organic coming together of the celebratorily divergent…"

Carol Banks Weber, Coggie Ink

Denny Zeitlin Solo Piano: Crazy Rhythm—Exploring George Gershwin was released by Sunnyside, June, 2023

"Back in 2014, I made a shift in my annual solo concerts at Oakland’s Piedmont Piano Company, and began focusing on the work of single composers: Wayne Shorter, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Billy Strayhorn-- and in 2018, George Gershwin. Gershwin (1898-1937) packed amazingly bold and original contributions to classical, jazz, and popular music into just 38 years of life. Jazz musicians have been particular beneficiaries--the structure of his compositions invites reharmonization and reconceptualizing. I wanted to both honor his songs, and breathe new life into them. The wonderful audience vibe, great acoustics, and stellar piano aided my plunge into the depths of the music."

CRITICAL ACCLAIM:

"The iconic West Coast pianist Denny Zeitlin is a consummate artist and craftsman... Crazy Rhythm - Exploring George Gershwin is an uncommon thrill for the senses... Mr. Zeitlin is clearly at the peak of his powers.... one of the few pianists around with the technical resources, musical grasp and conviction to recreate George Gershwin's legacy persuasively. In doing so, he amply demonstrates the timelessness and vitality of Mr. Gershwin's music. It seems safe to say that with Crazy Rhythm he has given us the Gershwin cycle for our time, and one unlikely soon to be superseded."

Raul Da Gama, jazzdagama

"... one of the most exciting and adventurous jazz legends around today... Recorded in 2018, the album is luxurious and explorative as Denny goes off in different directions, making this not so much a songbook collection but a Denny-fied re-imagining that makes the listen especially rewarding. No same old, same old here. Pure Denny."

Marc Myers, jazzwax

"Crazy Rhythm: Exploring George Gershwin (Sunnyside SSC 1693) contains some of the most familiar songs in American musical history, but you have never heard them like this. "Summertime" has a brand-new prologue, which surges and swells. When the immortal melody finally rings out, it is a rush. For Zeitlin, it was not a night for intimate understatement or wistful reflection. Normally graceful songs like "It Ain't Necessarily So" take on sharp angles and hard edges. Often, his powerful left hand marks out a grid of thick lines within which his right hand roams free. Gershwin's keys and harmonies become provisional. "My Man's Gone Now" is a ballad in tempo but not in tone; Zeitlin turns it into a series of dark, dramatic pronouncements. Over 13 minutes, he wrings the song dry."

Thomas Conrad, Stereophile

"...A spin through the set bolsters the opinion that nobody could write a popular tune containing a combination of deft grace and uncommon intelligence better than George Gershwin-an American treasure if ever there was one. And nobody plays them with more style and celebration of their charm and their simplicity/complexity dynamic-adding his own distinctive layers of complexity-better than Denny Zeitlin."

Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz

"Ever since the early '60s pianist Denny Zeitlin has excelled as an original improvisational voice... his pianoforte prowess and identity, his original stance in regards to a set of standards by Gershwin... Inspiration is abundant and it all makes for an excellent go round, affirming Zeitlin as a true master of the Jazz arts, up there with the heavies no matter how you want to stack it."

Grego Applegate Edwards, gapplegatemusicreview

"If Gershwin's Crazy Rhythm is what ails you, this good doctor may have just the cure... jazz pianist Denny Zeitlin, also a professor of psychiatry, starts with familiar Gershwin melodies and interprets them in a way that's playful, and yet respectful; he never trashes the tunes or distorts them.... the excellent new solo album..."

Will Friedwald, newyorksun

"The music of George Gershwin, but taken in a very different way than you might expect-yet that's maybe no surprise, given the long legacy of creative piano work we've loved from the great Denny Zeitlin! The tunes are all familiar Gershwin standards, but Denny often uses them as rough inspirations, then transforms them into these beautiful sound paintings of his own-still faithful to the spirit and ideas of the originals...may well be one of the most striking examples of Denny's longstanding talents that we've heard in years..."

Rick Wojcik, dustygroove

"...Exploring Gershwin with Zeitlin is a unique opportunity that gets more intriguing and satisfying with each listening of this precious, preserved recording... A great American musical composer as defined by the artistry of a great American musician; it's his gift to us, not only of Gershwin's legacy but his own. George Gershwin is one for the ages and so is Denny Zeitlin. Don't miss this treat."

Steven Cerra, jazzprofiles

"Each note Denny Zeitlin plays - as close to the book as his wandering imagination allows - is full and wonderful and all-encompassing with the best of the past where George Gershwin accompanied big, bold, contemporary cinematic tales with equal, musical measures...catchy, Crazy Rhythms that captured the adoration of an entire generation."

Carol Banks Weber, carolbankswebercoggie.substack

"Gershwin galore... Zeitlin starts with a stimulating, nearly nine-minute adaptation of "Summertime,"... It's a wonderful way to launch the set since it reveals Zeitlin's love for Gershwin as well as Zeitlin's intention to mix expected moments along with Zeitlin's unique approach to Gershwin... The album's audio quality is superb... Hopefully, Zeitlin can continue to issue other Piedmont Piano Company appearances. They are a fine display of Zeitlin's solo piano prowess..."

Doug Simpson, audiophileaudition

"What a treat this album is... Denny Zeitlin makes George Gershwin come alive, illuminating the universality of the composer's music as well as the joy (try and sit still listening to "S'Wonderful"). Pay attention and get lost; let this music take you away from the mundane, from the troubles, for the rewards are many!"

Richard B. Kamins, steptempest

"Throughout a six-decade career, Denny Zeitlin has thrived on the cutting edge of jazz...Zeitlin reworks these songs with an entirely new vantage point - his own - sketching out these classic melodies enhanced with his improvisational flair, harmonic richness and advanced ability... he can discern the complex feelings within each of these Gershwin songs... Zeitlin covers the songs of George Gershwin with imagination, passion and a deeply personal touch."

S. Victor Aaron, somethingelsereviews

"...Gershwin compositions featured in this program are dressed up in new clothes benefiting from Zeitlin's restless, exploratory creativity and curiosity... Now 85, Denny Zeitlin continues to play with both an amazing technical facility and inexhaustible stream of ideas."

Pierre Giroux, newyorkcityjazzrecord

"...Denny Zeitlin goes solo on this rich and melodic album of interpretations of George Gershwin material. Zeitlin is a master of the rabbit trail, and he does some glorious ones,,, Everything by Zeitlin is worthwhile, and this latest release has him in his best milieu, alone together with his piano. Another warm colored tile to add to his rich mosaic of a catalogue."

George W. Harris, jazzweekly

"Crazy Rhythm: Exploring George Gershwin is a wonderful survey that offers deeply personal reimaginings of familiar tunes like The Man I Love and Summertime. As well-known as these songs still are after so many years and countless performances, Zeitlin's reinventions make them new all over again... The audience in Oakland, and now listeners at home, are the clear beneficiaries of this long acquaintance, now immortalized on this thoroughly delightful CD. Highest recommendation!"

Stuart Kremsky, mrstusrecordroom

Denny Zeitlin : “Panoply,” featuring George Marsh, Buster Williams, & Matt Wilson was released on Sunnyside SSC 1741 in June 2024

For this album, I went back through personal archives of unreleased material to assemble a program focusing on my three major musical approaches since the millennium: solo piano; duo electro-acoustic free improvisations with George Marsh; and trio with Buster Williams and Matt Wilson. I’ll describe the program by modality; but rather than sequencing them in three separate sections, I’ve arranged a more interesting journey.

Solo: Only One is a gorgeous ballad by bassist Bill Lee, who performed frequently in Chicago in the fifties with pianist Chris Anderson, on whose album I first heard this piece. Chris’ unique harmonic conception was a big influence on me, Herbie Hancock, Billy Wallace, Harold Maybern, and other Chicago pianists. Cherokee was frequently selected at a breakneck tempo at jam sessions back then when new players stepped up to the bandstand. Sink or swim. My version commemorates that vibe. Limburger Pie and Beeswax Crust occurred to me as the title for my composition that moves through different feelings, times, and textures. I have no idea what it means.

Duo: Drummer-percussionist George Marsh and I have been making music together since the late sixties, and beginning in 2013 have frequently met in my studio to record electro-acoustic spontaneous compositions. It’s been a marvelous adventure, and the five pieces here, Excursion, Music Box, Ambush, Regret, and A Raft, A River span a decade.

Trio: Buster Williams, Matt Wilson, and I began working as a trio in 2001, and the music has continued to evolve despite infrequent performances due to their busy touring schedules and the demands of my psychiatric practice and teaching. The selections here are from the same 2019 gig at Mezzrow Jazz Club in NYC that produced my Sunnyside 2020 album, “Live At Mezzrow.” I Was Feeling All Right, a Gershwin standard, ushers in the CD in a relaxed groove. Weirdo is indeed an unusual fifties blues which seems to be the progenitor of Walkin’ which appeared a bit later. Although not really clear, the tunes are generally credited to Miles Davis. We take our time and stretch out on this, with a statement of Walkin’ at the end. I Should Care is one of the exquisite standard ballads, and I have freshened it with reharmonization and modulation. Johnny Come Lately, written by Billy Strayhorn, finishes the album with up-tempo edge and an extended free middle section that evolves into a riveting vamp.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM:

"As renowned jazz pianist Denny Zeitlin enters his seventh decade as a recording artist, this restless artist continues to explore new avenues to advance his boundless craft… There’s plenty worthwhile here for both old fans and newcomers to his works."

S. Victor Aaron, somethingelsereviews

"For this release, Denny dipped into his archives of previously unreleased material and came up with winners…. As Panoply demonstrates, Denny is one of the finest and most imaginative jazz keyboardists around today..."

Marc Myers, jazzwax

"…The quality of everyone’s playing, especially Mr Zeitlin’s, is exceptional. In the world of music he is, indeed, an old soul – an artist of the first order who brings to music a sage perspective. This is true of every recording he produces… Mr Zeitlin takes us to another world… it is full of glinting lights, mysterious depths, expectations, frustrations, hopes and doubts, like the shattered shadows of a sinister, quasi-Mendelssohnian scherzo, glimpsed by moonlight in a forest… In sheer colour and variety, in the depth of its characterisation and the exceptional range and refinement of his pianism Mr Zeitlin imparts a power and magnificent stature to this music which no amount of ‘bigness’ [the usual route taken by pianists] can achieve… Every piece is played with buoyant, aristocratic grace and psychological ambiguity, as well as with almost insolent, debonair virtuosity. All in all, the music of Panoply is full of ravishing swagger, a world of pianism evoked as few could even hope to try."

Raul Da Gama, thatcanadianmagazine

"So if you are in the mood for 78.03 minutes of acts of creation performed at the highest level of musicianship with excitement and surprises looming everywhere, then look no farther than the music of Denny Zeitlin in general and the music on his latest CD Panoply in particular...."

Steven Cerra, jazzprofiles

"This is how the album unfolds: a trio or solo tune that is poignant and beautiful, with moments of adventurousness and modernity thrown in (Miles Davis' 'Weirdo,' for example) followed by the experimental and unabashedly audacious electro-acoustic sounds of the Zeitlin/Marsh workouts, making for a compelling listening experience..."

Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz

"The great pianist Denny Zeitlin works here in three wonderful ways – solo, duo, and trio – and comes across sounding wonderful throughout!"

Rick Wojcik, dustygroove

"Now, at the age of 86, Denny Zeitlin is still moving full steam ahead…what’s most striking here, as with all of his playing, is the emotional depth of his music… It transitions from lyrical solo piano to swinging trio tunes to otherworldly explorations, reflecting Denny’s remarkably creative mind, unbound by musical constraints..."

Bret Primack, syncopated justice

"The word panoply is defined as a complete or impressive collection of things or a splendid display. The word is appropriate for Zeitlin’s 12-track album…All of Zeitlin’s three sides are exquisitely illustrated on Panoply..."

Doug Simpson, audaud (audiophile edition)

"Denny Zeitlin doesn’t play it straight, not without a few miraculous detours that force the listener to reevaluate what music really is and how it’s supposed to make you feel. His operation touches both the heart and taps into the inner workings of the mind, when firing on all cylinders."

Carol Banks Weber, carolbankswebercoggie.substack

"...the tracks are a testament to his innovative spirit and ability to push the boundaries of jazz..."

Pierre Giroux, allaboutjazz

"Listening to Denny Zeitlin’s Panoply is like opening a box of Whitman Sampler chocolates. You never know what you are going to get as you savor each morsel — adventuresome trio performances, engaging solo outings or interesting synthesizer/drum explorations… Panoply lives up to its name — a complete collection of all things Denny Zeitlin..."

Abe Goldstien, papatamusicredux

"Veteran pianist Denny Zeitlin, who has been recording rewarding and inventive music since 1964… is still creating innovative and original music, even when playing a standard...."

Scott Yanow, lajazzscene

"...the piano master Zeitlin puts together a panoply (hence the title) of three ' "groups"...in solo format, Zeitlin is relaxed and wondrous on a dynamic 'Cherokee', glorious for his own 'Limburger Pie and Beeswax Crust' and gracefully rhapsodic on 'Only One'. The trio digs in and digs out of a sizzling read of 'Johnny Come Lately' and Williams does some clever work around Zeitlin on the dark shadowed 'Weirdo' while painting with a blue brush on 'I Was Doing All Right'. The duo is the real hoot here, with Zeitlin mixing concoctions like Back To The Future’s Dr. Brown on the playful 'Excursion' and mixing Bill Evans classicism with spry splashes on 'Regret', with Zeitlin using some sort of pedal for a bass line on the mischievous 'Music Box'. Great Scott!"

George W. Harris, jazzweekly

Denny Zeitlin Solo Piano: With A Song In My Heart—Exploring the Music of Richard Rodgers was released by Sunnyside, June, 2025

In the fall of 2019 I was preparing for my annual solo piano concert at Oakland's Piedmont Piano Company. Previous concerts had focused on Monk, Shorter, Strayhorn, Davis, and Gershwin. This time I was immersed in Richard Rodgers, whose music first electrified me when my parents took me to "Oklahoma!" when I was in grade school. And when I started playing jazz gigs in high school, it was often his standards that were the springboards into improvisation. Subsequently his songs have turned up a number of times on albums of mine.

Rodgers' contribution to the American song form and musical theatre is huge. And somehow, his work never gets old. The selections on this CD are my favorites from the concert and my studio, and reflect my desire to both honor these great tunes and find new ways to explore them.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

"Richard Rodgers' melodic genius has long been a favoured playground for jazz musicians, but few reimagine his work with the intellectual depth and intuitive poetry of pianist Denny Zeitlin. On With A Song In My Heart, Zeitlin offers a riveting solo piano exploration of eleven Rodgers classics, combining architectural reharmonization, rhythmic invention and unflinching emotional insight. This is not mere homage; it is a deeply personal conversation with one of the 20th century's great composers… the album is a triumph of imagination and craft as Zeitlin does not simply interpret Rodgers but illuminates him."

Pierre Giroux, allaboutjazz

"It's a glorious recording that features Denny's singular approach to solo piano, rumbling seamlessly between a straight-ahead approach and the avant-garde…. His approach is a special joy for those who know the songs, since you get to hear Denny's masterful deconstruction and adventurous expressiveness with the original in mind. Through textured distillation, he tunnels to the elements of what makes a standard beautiful and timeless… Denny's new album is jazz as it was meant to be heard: Music that makes you think and feel as you're taken on a moody journey through uncharted territory. He has never sounded better."

Marc Myers, jazzwax

"Sublime solo piano from Denny Zeitlin – a player who just seems to keep on growing musically… Zeitlin really opens up the tunes and makes them little masterpieces of personal introspection-- often leaving the melody behind for a bit, while he shows all these secret ideas that are lurking right below the surface of the tune…the whole thing is great…"

Rick Wojcik, dustygroove

"… as an artist Zeitlin blends many virtues: chops, fearless creativity, taste. As a man he is a force of nature… Zeitlin takes bold liberties with Rodgers's material… he frequently surrounds the composer's harmonies with new counter lines and unexpected digressions… Zeitlin, with his clean strong touch, ingenious modulations, and imaginative addenda, cannot touch a song without making it his own."

Thomas Conrad, stereophile

"…Zeitlin has honed the fine art of interpretation and re-examination of the standards to a razor-sharp edge…He proves himself again as one of the jazz world's most adept and daring interpreters, working with the established melodic frameworks and taking them to unexpected places, going 'out there,' sometimes wildly out there, while maintaining threads, sometimes tenuous but always present, to the melodic themes written by the composer. Nobody does it better…"

Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz

"…You can't listen to Denny Zeitlin without a certain anticipatory thrill…with one foot in the past, paying homage to Rodgers' melodic understanding, and the other out the door, ready to unravel new mysteries far ahead of his time, Zeitlin's new album satisfies the fan, the curious newbie, and the exploratory jazz in-between… With a Song in My Heart never gets stale, no matter how often you listen to it, and that's all him and his weathered, magic hands."

Carol Banks Weber, carolbankswebercoggie.substack

"…the playing throughout is elegant in its phrasing, with the composer's ever-lovely melodies at the forefront of Zeitlin's inventive improvisations…Concluding the album is a straight ahead version of the oft-played With a Song in My Heart. This exquisite rendition of this popular standard neatly sums up the session with its graceful beauty. Definitely recommended."

Stuart Kremsky, mrstusrecordroom

" .. With a Song In My Heart: Exploring The Music of Richard Rodgers sees Zeitlin applying his masterful interpretive abilities… Denny Zeitlin always offers a unique insight whenever he covers even very familiar songs… Accompanying the ingenuity used in freshening these songs is the advanced facility Zeitlin possesses on piano… The songs of Richard Rodgers are timeless tunes but that doesn't stop Denny Zeitlin for putting forth the extra effort to make these songs like new again with modern and imaginative interpretations that take nothing away from the sweet essence of these classic strains."

S. Victor Aaron, somethingelsereviews

"…This latest album of his, a solo recording of him taking on the compositions of Richard Rogers, is one that you simply don't want to end. And he plays the songs in a way that you want him to continue exploring each piece as well. Of how many artists would you really say, 'please, one more chorus'?"

George W. Harris, jazzweekly

"…Words alone do not do justice to the experience of being submerged while listening to the musical cornucopia that comes out of this artist's fertile mind…. You can't help but marvel at the man's unpredictable ideas that he often comes up with on the fly…With a Song in My Heart is a pure delight. Zeitlin continues to prove that the American songbook can still be a plentiful treasure trove… when the canon is examined and played by a true piano master like Zeitlin, one who has never shied away from challenge, the sky can be the limit."

Ralph A. Miriello, notesonjazz

"…Dr. Zeitlin takes his time, often having the melody dance across the keyboard. There's a vitality and vivaciousness to his explorations… Denny Zeitlin belongs to a long line of great interpreters/improvisors that includes "Fats" Waller, Art Tatum, and Dick Hyman (to name but three) who burrow into the songs they play, looking for the essence as well as the emotion… pure delight!"

Richard Kamins, richardkamins.substack