Pianist and composer Lisa Hilton has carved out a career as not only an impressive pianist with her own sound, but one able to write fresh and personal material too... Like all great artist, Hilton continues to take on new worlds to explore on this impressive journey.
—Jazz Weekly
“Renowned for her lyrical touch, inventive compositions, and ability to reinterpret jazz standards with a fresh perspective, Hilton continues to cement her reputation as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary jazz. With Extended Daydream, Lisa Hilton and her quintet deliver an album that is at once sophisticated, genre-fluid, and emotionally resonant—a testament to the enduring power of jazz and Hilton’s mastery as a pianist and composer.” —Jazz Chill
“Beautifully crafted and expertly impassioned new recording…” —Exclusive Magazine
Featuring JD Allen on tenor sax, trumpeter Igmar Thomas, bassist Luques Curtis & drummer Rudy Royston.
The Lisa Hilton Quintet returns with Extended Daydream, (Ruby Slippers Productions 1031) set for release on November 28, 2025 (Pre-Sale October 28, 2025). The award-winning composer and acclaimed pianist generously shares the spotlight with her stellar bandmates on eleven standout tracks. In a natural and genre-fluid approach, Hilton seamlessly combines the renowned 1959 jazz classic “So What" by Miles Davis alongside the 2024 tune “Wildflower" by singer/songwriter Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell, as well as nine of her own compositions.
Although both cover tracks are notable, the legendary Davis track begins with Hilton’s wafting modal introduction, which merges gently into the iconic two-note motif before unfurling to the virtuosic intensity of the band. Although Thomas’s and Allen’s horns each treat the listener with their prowess, Curtis holds the band steady with an upbeat intensity, and Royston shines in his percussion role, leaving no doubt this quintet can subtly reinvigorate a classic. In contrast, the subdued “Wildflower" with Thomas on muted trumpet showcases the vulnerability inherent in this song about regret. Hilton has a way of inconspicuously reinventing a standard from any era, and her band willingly supports that vision.
JD Allen is a welcome return, having recorded eight previous albums with Hilton. Their compatibility has always been apparent, weaving complementary lines on the title track “Extended Daydream," or swinging together on the finger snapping “Momentary Mystery." “Tropical Tuesday" begins with a delightful Latin rhythm perfect for Curtis’s talents and showcases Hilton’s abundant melodic skills, while “It’s Just for Now" displays her fluid soloing style. Switching it up, the quintet launches wholeheartedly into “Here & There & Back & Forth,"chock full of musical references from several eras. Hilton writes in her liner notes that the sensitive tunes “Seabirds" and “Blues on the Beach" reference the recent fires in Southern California, while “Sunset Tale" and the solo piano “Spacious Skies" call for us to find relief from today’s challenges in nature’s beauty, closing out the album with a slightly classical feeling.
If a daydream is a hopeful or insightful experience, the arc of Extended Daydream does extend hope and beauty along with a wallop of improvisational energy and style. Long a composer and pianist to watch, Hilton triumphs with this new genre fluid collection of cool jazz.
“Beautifully crafted and expertly impassioned new recording…” —Exclusive Magazine
Featuring JD Allen on tenor sax, trumpeter Igmar Thomas, bassist Luques Curtis & drummer Rudy Royston.
The Lisa Hilton Quintet returns with Extended Daydream, (Ruby Slippers Productions 1031) set for release on November 28, 2025 (Pre-Sale October 28, 2025). The award-winning composer and acclaimed pianist generously shares the spotlight with her stellar bandmates on eleven standout tracks. In a natural and genre-fluid approach, Hilton seamlessly combines the renowned 1959 jazz classic “So What" by Miles Davis alongside the 2024 tune “Wildflower" by singer/songwriter Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell, as well as nine of her own compositions.
Although both cover tracks are notable, the legendary Davis track begins with Hilton’s wafting modal introduction, which merges gently into the iconic two-note motif before unfurling to the virtuosic intensity of the band. Although Thomas’s and Allen’s horns each treat the listener with their prowess, Curtis holds the band steady with an upbeat intensity, and Royston shines in his percussion role, leaving no doubt this quintet can subtly reinvigorate a classic. In contrast, the subdued “Wildflower" with Thomas on muted trumpet showcases the vulnerability inherent in this song about regret. Hilton has a way of inconspicuously reinventing a standard from any era, and her band willingly supports that vision.
JD Allen is a welcome return, having recorded eight previous albums with Hilton. Their compatibility has always been apparent, weaving complementary lines on the title track “Extended Daydream," or swinging together on the finger snapping “Momentary Mystery." “Tropical Tuesday" begins with a delightful Latin rhythm perfect for Curtis’s talents and showcases Hilton’s abundant melodic skills, while “It’s Just for Now" displays her fluid soloing style. Switching it up, the quintet launches wholeheartedly into “Here & There & Back & Forth,"chock full of musical references from several eras. Hilton writes in her liner notes that the sensitive tunes “Seabirds" and “Blues on the Beach" reference the recent fires in Southern California, while “Sunset Tale" and the solo piano “Spacious Skies" call for us to find relief from today’s challenges in nature’s beauty, closing out the album with a slightly classical feeling.
If a daydream is a hopeful or insightful experience, the arc of Extended Daydream does extend hope and beauty along with a wallop of improvisational energy and style. Long a composer and pianist to watch, Hilton triumphs with this new genre fluid collection of cool jazz.
About Lisa Kristine Hilton
The music of Lisa Hilton draws inspiration from our great American composers: the evocative Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and Chet Baker, who at distinct times in their respective careers, were associated with the style known as “cool” jazz. The grooves of Horace Silver and Horace Silver, and the creative depth of Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk along with blues hero Robert Johnson were also artists of inspiration. She is a prolific composer who records and performs with many of today's jazz luminaries. Her thirty-one albums regularly sit at the top of the Jazz Week and other radio/streaming charts, drawing millions of plays on streaming services and appearing regularly as an Amazon #1 New Jazz Release. Hilton has performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Smithsonian Institution, UCLA's Royce Theatre, San Francisco Jazz, and Chicago's historic Green Mill and others.For more information contact DL Media.
