Danny Grissett (born 1975) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.

Danny Grissett
Grissett in 2010
Grissett in 2010
Background information
Born1975 (age 48–49)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s)Piano, Fender Rhodes
Years activeEarly 2000s–present
LabelsCriss Cross
Websitedannygrissett.com
Danny Grissett (2018) in Aarhus, Denmark

Early life

edit

Grissett was born in Los Angeles in 1975.[1] He first played the piano at the age of five, taking classical music lessons.[2] He graduated with a B.A. in Music Education[1] from California State University, Dominguez Hills,[2] then completed a two-year master's degree in jazz performance in 2000 at the California Institute of the Arts[1][2] followed by studies at the Thelonious Monk Institute at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.

Later life and career

edit

After playing around Los Angeles he moved to New York City in 2003.[1] He became trumpeter Nicholas Payton's keyboardist early the following year, and has been a regular member of trumpeter Tom Harrell's band since 2005.[2] Grissett released his first album as a leader in 2006, on the Criss Cross label, for whom he has continued to record.[1] Promise and his following album, Encounters, were trio recordings with Vicente Archer (bass) and Kendrick Scott (drums).[2] His next album, Form, from 2008, added saxophonist Seamus Blake, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, and trombonist Steve Davis to the trio.[2]

Playing style

edit

A Down Beat reviewer in 2010 commented that Grissett employed "strategies drawn from Mulgrew Miller, Herbie Hancock and Sonny Clark to tell cogent stories that carry his own harmonic and rhythmic signature."[2]

Discography

edit

An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.

As leader/co-leader

edit
Year recorded Title Label Personnel/Notes
2005 Promise Criss Cross Trio, with Vicente Archer (bass), Kendrick Scott (drums)
2007 Encounters Criss Cross Trio, with Vicente Archer (bass), Kendrick Scott (drums)
2008 Form Criss Cross Sextet, with Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Steve Davis (trombone), Seamus Blake (tenor sax), Vicente Archer (bass), Kendrick Scott (drums)
2011 Stride Criss Cross Trio, with Vicente Archer (bass), Marcus Gilmore (drums)
2015 The In-Between Criss Cross Quartet, with Walter Smith III (tenor sax), Vicente Archer (bass), Bill Stewart (drums)
2017? Remembrance Savant Quartet, with Dayna Stephens (tenor sax, soprano sax), Vicente Archer (bass), Bill Stewart (drums)

As sideman

edit
Year recorded Leader Title Label
2003 Vincent Herring Mr. Wizard HighNote
2006 Vincent Herring Ends and Means HighNote
2006 Jimmy Greene Gifts and Givers Criss Cross
2006 Tom Harrell Light On HighNote
2006* Anne Mette Iversen This Is My House Okapi
2007 Jeremy Pelt November Max Jazz
2007 Lage Lund Early Songs Criss Cross
2007 Kiyoshi Kitagawa I'm Still Here Atelier Sawano
2008 Kengo Nakamura Generations 55
2008 Tom Harrell Prana Dance HighNote
2008* Anne Mette Iversen Best of the West Brooklyn Jazz Underground
2009 Tom Harrell Roman Nights HighNote
2009 Jeremy Pelt Men of Honor HighNote
2010 Jeremy Pelt The Talented Mr. Pelt HighNote
2010 Tom Harrell The Time of the Sun HighNote
2011 Tom Harrell Number Five HighNote
2011 Jeremy Pelt Soul HighNote
2011* Anne Mette Iversen Milo Songs Brooklyn Jazz Underground
2011* Ozan Musluoğlu 40th Day Equinox Music & Entertainment
2012* Laïka Fatien Come a Little Closer Universal
2014* Anne Mette Iversen So Many Roads Brooklyn Jazz Underground
2014* Tom Guarna Rush Brooklyn Jazz Underground
2015* Tom Harrell First Impressions HighNote
2015* Ferit Odman Dameronia With Strings Equinox Music & Entertainment
2016* Jeremy Pelt #Jiveculture HighNote
2016* Anne Mette Iversen Round Trip Brooklyn Jazz Underground
2016* Rale Micic Night Music Whaling City Sound
2017* Tom Harrell Moving Picture HighNote
2018* Pee Wee Ellis In My Ellingtonian Mood Minor Music
2019* Raynald Colom The Barcelona Sessions Fresh Sound New Talent

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e Collar, Matt. "Artist Biography – Danny Grissett". AllMusic. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Panken, Ted (April 2010). "Danny Grissett – Leader's Languages". Down Beat. p. 22. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
edit