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Eric Reed

When you think of hard-driving swing, daring expression,sophistication and elegance in artistry, formidable techniqueand a thunderous sound, there are only a very small handfulof contemporary pianists you think of and one of them ismost assuredly ERIC REED. But don’t think of him as a justa pianist; Eric is one of his generation’s most advancedthinkers in music.

Born in the musically rich city of Philadelphia, PA. Eric grewup playing in his father’s storefront Baptist church, startingat the age of five: “My father was a minister but he alsoused to sing with a Gospel group in Philly called the BayState Singers. He is my earliest musical influence. I alsowas hit heavily by the sound of Christian and secular musicof the 1970s (most notably Edwin & Walter Hawkins,Andrae Crouch and James Cleveland). “ Soon after, youngReed was bitten by the Jazz bug after hearing recordings byArt Blakey, Ramsey Lewis and Dave Brubeck.

Blessed by God as a child prodigy, Eric started playingpiano at age two, beginning formal instruction at age five,starting at Philadelphia’s Settlement Music School at ageseven. However, he remained primarily self-taught, oftenconfounding his instructors by not learning the written music,but listening to them play it first and memorizing musicalpieces note-for-note: “I wasn’t interested in practicing Bach;I was too busy digging Horace Silver!”

By age eleven, his family moved to the greater Los Angelesarea and he continued his formal instruction at the R.D.Colburn School of Arts where his theory teacher JeffLavner, finally realizing that Eric was destined for swinging,turned him onto recordings of great Jazz pianists: “Myneighborhood library had all kinds of hip Jazz albums and Iwas in there every day checking them out. Everything wasthere: Ahmad Jamal, Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, McCoyTyner — it was incredible! By the time I was thirteen, I didn’trealize it but, I had digested all of the standard Jazzrecordings that working musicians were expected to know.”

At 18, Eric began touring the world with his own ensemblesand recording both as a leader and sideman, makingserious waves in the world of music. He garnered greatnotice with Wynton Marsalis’ Septet (1990-91; 1992-95)and spent two years with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra(1996-98), making countless recordings and TVappearances with them. Reed also worked in the bands ofFreddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson (1991-92).

In 2005, Eric formed a quartet with fellow Los AngeleanWillie Jones III, bassist Gerald Cannon and tenor & sopranosaxophonist Stacy Dillard. They currently hit the performingcircuit quite vigorously: “Willie and Gerald have been prettytight for years and they have one serious hook up.” Holdingup his reputation as providing a musical haven for new,young arrivals on the Jazz scene, Eric has this to say ofStacy Dillard: “Stacy’s concept is original and inspiring. Heis completely unpredictable and doesn’t bore you with stocklicks. In fact he doesn’t bog himself down with just playingchord changes—he plays ideas. He’s a true improviser.”

Eric Scott Reed: Out Late

by Neil Duggan
July 25, 2025

Prioritizing energy and passion over musical precision, pianist Eric Scott Reed recorded every track on his album Out Late as a first take, with all musicians performing together in one room. Nothing was added later--this old-style approach gives the recording its vintage feel. As Reed explains, “We rehearsed a song for a few minutes, and once everybody got the melody under their fingers, we went ahead and made a track while it was fresh. The energy is there; the rawness ...

Radio & Podcasts

New Music From Reed, Elia, McGuinness & More

by Bob Osborne
June 5, 2025

On this show an eclectic mix of new material and older recordings brought back to live from the archives. Well established artists are featured as are fresh faces on the jazz scene.Playlist Eric Scott Reed “Glow" from Out Late (Smoke Sessions Records) 00:00 Dave Liebman, Billy Hart, Adam Rudolph “Transmutation" from Beingness (Meta Records) 03:32 Eduardo Elia"III" from Desvíos (577 Records) 10:37 Clifford Jordan “Cal Massey" from Glass Bead Games (Strata-East) 14:34 The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra “Down ...

Radio & Podcasts

Frannk Carlberg, Lorraine Feather, Entre Amigos & Eric Scott Reed

by Joe Dimino
June 1, 2025

Welcome aboard our 908th voyage into the world of Neon Jazz. We kick things off with the luminous sounds of LA-based maestro Eric Scott Reed, showcasing fresh tracks from his stellar 2025 release, Out Late. From there, it's a rich ride through the vibrant pulse of modern jazz, guided by veterans who continue to shape the genre with grace and fire. You'll hear new gems from the likes of Frank Carlberg, the ever-eloquent Lorraine Feather, the inventive Bevan Manson, and ...

Radio & Podcasts

Out Late with Eric Reed

by David Bixler
April 29, 2025

Pianist Eric Reed calls on tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Joe Farnsworth to join him on his new recording Out Late on Smoke Sessions Records. The record, which will be available on May 16, features seven originals that were intended to get this group of well-known musicians out of their comfort zones. In addition to our conversation in this episode of LINER NOTES, Eric uses the piano to give the listener a behind-the-scenes ...

New York Beat

Eric Reed Quartet at Smoke

by Nick Catalano
March 14, 2023

A garrulous Eric Reed traveled from his teaching gig at the University of Tennessee to lead a quartet at Smoke on March 9, 2023. Before the first set began Reed delivered lengthy commentary on Miles Davis, Benny Golson and the recently deceased Wayne Shorter, and included compositions by the latter two in the opening set. His sidemen included saxophonist Chris Lewis, bassist Dezron Douglas and drummer Kendrick Scott. Compositions from Reed's 2023 Smoke Sessions album Black, Brown and Blue were ...

New York Beat

Eric Reed at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club

by Nick Catalano
July 29, 2018

Hard Bop continues to find a home in NY's Smoke Jazz & Supper Club. For decades the room featured One for All -a group whose stalwart players Eric Alexander, Steve Davis, David Hazeltine, John Webber, Jim Rotondi, and Joe Farnsworth had critics comparing them to Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. These players often led smaller groups into Smoke with players such as Harold Mabern and other hard boppers. Last week (7-22) the club brought in Eric Reed and company ...

Multiple Reviews

Smoke Sessions

by Maurizio Zerbo
October 16, 2014

Questo gruppo di incisioni “live" è accomunato dall'adesione agli stilemi del modern mainstream. Emerge nei tre pianisti una sincera riflessione sul linguaggio moderno delle varie tradizioni jazzistiche, che vanno dall'eredità coltraniana al post-bop. Grazie anche alla calda atmosfera del jazz club Smoke, in cui sono stati registrati dal vivo, si impone una indiscutibile intensità emotiva che solo artisti di gran livello possono offrire. Eric Reed Groove Wise Valutazione: * * * ½ Smoke ...

Recording

Latest Album By Master Pianist Eric Scott Reed 'Out Late' Now Available Via Smoke Sessions Records

Source: AMT Public Relations
May 18, 2025

Master pianist Eric Scott Reed leads an invigorating top-shelf session, capturing the late-night vibrations of New York City Released May 16 via Smoke Sessions Records, Out Late features trumpeter Nicholas Payton, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Joe Farnsworth Out Late Album Release Shows May 16 at Los Angeles County Museum Of Art in Los Angeles & June 25-29, 2025 at Smoke Jazz Club in NYC. Jazz musicians are nocturnal by nature. Almost as essential as time ...
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Performance / Tour

Smoke Jazz Club Announces June Line-up Of Top Pianists Emmet Cohen, Danilo Perez, And Eric Scott Reed, And More

Source: AMT Public Relations
May 10, 2025

Hailed as the “#1 Jazz Club in New York City (SecretNYC),” SMOKE Jazz Club today announced its concert schedule for June 2025. SMOKE is thrilled to welcome back pianist Emmet Cohen leading his fan-favorite trio as well as pianist Eric Scott Reed celebrating his latest album Out Late released on the club’s namesake label. Marking his SMOKE Jazz Club debut is one of the most creative forces in music today — Panama native pianist Danilo Perez bringing his sensational trio ...
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