Jazz Articles about Denny Zeitlin

Denny Zeitlin: Precipice

by Dan McClenaghan
May 23, 2010

The recorded live format seems to suit pianist Denny Zeitlin, who is certainly the only top tier jazz pianist who is also a practicing psychiatrist. His In Concert (Sunnyside Records, 2009), with his trio featuring bassist Buster Williams and drummer Matt Wilson, was filled with beautiful moments of surrender and improvisational élan, and stunningly spontaneous displays of technical proficiency. His follow-up, Precipice, a solo piano outing, finds the pianist again live in concert, recorded at Ralston Hall in 2008, in ...

Denny Zeitlin's Inhabiting a Parallel Universe

by Raul d'Gama Rose
June 25, 2009

The artist is alone. Not woefully or desperately alone, but more like willfully alone and enraptured... He empties his head of thought to make way for the flow of air. And in the air, notes of varying pitch and character. They bring their sound alone... then sometimes strung together like necklaces of varying beads--whole ones, halves and quarters... eights... sixteenths... a myriad... The artist feels good to be alone, emptied of all thought now he is prepared for the waves ...

Denny Zeitlin: The Doctor Is Definitely In!

by Tom Greenland
April 4, 2009

Denny Zeitlin Denny Zeitlin: The Columbia Trio Sessions Mosaic Select 2009 Denny Zeitlin Trio Denny Zeitlin Trio/In Concert Sunnyside 2009

“The doctor is definitely in!" announced Todd Barkan last month at Dizzy's Club, hailing the East Coast return of pianist Denny Zeitlin for a two-night stand. Touring in support of two ...

Denny Zeitlin

by Ken Dryden
March 15, 2009

For over four decades, Denny Zeitlin has juggled practicing psychiatry, teaching in a medical school, playing jazz piano, composing, arranging, touring and pursuing a number of hobbies. Zeitlin was already playing professionally in high school, graduated Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Illinois, then entered Johns Hopkins Medical School. Zeitlin spent his evenings studying, though he enjoyed taking a break by playing jazz in a Baltimore club a couple of times a week, with Gary Bartz, Billy Hart and ...

Denny Zeitlin Trio: In Concert

by Raul d'Gama Rose
February 24, 2009

The art of the trio--piano, bass and drums--is an especially challenging prospect when considering that all three instruments play an essentially rhythmic role in almost any form of music. Thus, utilizing the harmonic extent of those instruments precludes extraordinary understanding of the finite possibilities of each with a view to extending these into the realm of the infinite. To bend and manipulate frequency responses of piano, bass and drums, and to extract and create melodic and harmonic invention requires consummate ...

Denny Zeitlin: Solo Voyage

by John Kelman
June 24, 2005

Most jazz artists must face the harsh reality that it's almost impossible to sustain a living by making music. Many find themselves having to take alternate employment in order to allow pursuance of their art, and then face the considerable challenge of doing so without impeding their continued development. So perhaps Denny Zeitlin has had it right all along. While managing to generate a world-class reputation as a pianist, he's also maintained a second life as a practicing psychiatrist.

Consequently, ...

Denny Zeitlin's Solo Voyage

by Bret Primack
June 10, 2005

Will the real Denny Zeitlin please stand up.Since the mid-60s, Jazz listeners have known Denny as an imaginative, audacious pianist who has led Trios, collaborated with bassists Charlie Haden and David Friesen, and mandolin maven David Grisman, and played some wonderful solo music.All this while also serving as a full time psychiatrist, and wait, there's more. He's a Professor at the University of California in San Francisco, as well. In his free (!) time, the Chicago ...