Jazz Articles about David Hazeltine

David Hazeltine: Good-Hearted People

by C. Andrew Hovan
October 1, 2001

Although he was into his forties before the critical notices and accolades started to come; pianist David Hazeltine hasn’t wasted any time since then in actively putting forth his creative muse. As a member of One For All, Hazeltine has held a prominent place in the fashionable ensemble due to his charismatic writing. Furthermore, his catalogs for Sharp Nine, Criss Cross, and Venus have swelled recently with some of the finest contemporary fare of current vintage.

Good-Hearted People is Hazeltine’s ...

David Hazeltine: Milwaukee's Best Becomes One of New York's Finest

by C. Andrew Hovan
April 1, 2001

“Writing is not an easy thing for me. I spend a lot of time getting it exactly how I want it."New York is a tough town. To be seen and heard among the scores of would-be jazz musicians you have to possess talent that is beyond the everyday and a voice that sets you apart from the crowd. Since settling permanently in the Big Apple in 1992, pianist David Hazeltine has done just that. He's consistently in demand ...

David Hazeltine: The Classic Trio- Volume 2

by C. Andrew Hovan
April 1, 2001

It used to be that if you wanted to hear some very classy piano jazz you pretty much had only a few choices. Those in New York could chose to stroll down to the now defunct Bradley’s, while the rest of us could be content in picking up a Tommy Flanagan or Kenny Barron album. About five years ago a new piano star began to change all that. While still a fledgling label, the Sharp Nine imprint released The Classic ...

David Hazeltine: The Classic Trio, Volume II

by David Adler
April 1, 2001

This follow-up to 1997’s The Classic Trio features the same lineup: David Hazeltine on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Like its predecessor, Volume II includes a mix of standards and originals. Hazeltine is at his best on the standards, exhibiting a command that allows him to quote “52nd Street Theme" in the midst of “Bewitched," and “Bemsha Swing" during the set closer, a go-for-broke “What a Difference a Day Makes." He displays harmonic ingenuity throughout ...

David Hazeltine: Blues Quarters, Volume 1

by David A. Orthmann
April 1, 2001

In the same elite class as his recent releases on Sharp Nine and Venus, David Hazeltine’sBlues Quarters, Volume I(Criss Cross), conveys the full range of his considerable talent. For this recording Hazeltine utilizes a quartet consisting of his piano, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. All three sideman are frequently part of his creative orbit, and their familiarity engenders an acute rapport even as each member pursues a distinct voice within the music. As always, ...

David Hazeltine Trio: Senor Blues

by David A. Orthmann
March 1, 2001

Although they appear infrequently in a club or on a concert stage, the trio consisting of pianist and leader David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Louis Hayes is one of the most exciting recording units in the jazz mainstream. The connection between Hazeltine and Hayes dates back to the mid-90s, when the pianist joined the drummer’s hard-driving quintet, contributing arrangements and compositions for the band. He plays a similar role in One For All, a cooperative sextet that has ...

David Hazeltine: The Classic Trio, Volume II

by David A. Orthmann
February 1, 2001

Recording for independent labels such as Sharp Nine, Criss Cross, Venus, and Go Jazz, in less than a decade David Hazeltine has amassed an impressive body of work as a leader. Viewed as a whole, the music on these discs amply documents his strengths as a player, musical thinker, and director of small ensembles. First and foremost, Hazeltine is an excellent jazz pianist. Having assimilated influences ranging from Art Tatum to Barry Harris to Cedar Walton, his improvisations abound with ...