Pianist Lisa Hilton has got to be one of the hardest working figures in the music industry. Since the release of her debut album, Seduction, in 1997, she has released a total of 29 albums. That is in less than three decades at that. Now as 2024 comes to a close, Hilton is scheduled to release what will now be her 30th (yes, 30th) album as a band leader when she releases Lucky All Along. Set for release Nov. 29 through Ruby Slipper Productions, the record spans 11 songs at a total run time of 58 minutes. Its blend of originals and covers makes for plenty for audiences to appreciate, from the likes of ‘And Some Blues…’ to the cover of Charlie Puth’s acclaimed ‘See You Again’ to the light work of the album’s opener, ‘Little Beach Morning’ and all of the album’s other entries. The whole makes Lucky All Along a largely engaging and entertaining work from beginning to end. All things considered they make Lucky All Along one more welcome addition to this year’s field of new jazz albums.
Lucky All Along, the forthcoming 30th album from Lisa Hilton, is a presentation that shows the veteran pianist has not lost a step throughout her career and catalog. From beginning to end, it offers much for audiences to appreciate. Just one of the many notable entries in this latest offering from Hilton comes in the form of ‘And Some Blues…’ As Hilton points out in the album’s liner notes, “Originally the blues were considered the basis or soul of jazz, but today many jazz artists don’t include any in their performances at all. I always want to include the blues, though!” She is correct about the blues being part of the roots of jazz, if one looks back on the history of both genres. She and her band mates – Igmar Thomas (trumpet), Rudy Royston (drums), and Luques Curtis (bass) – do an exceptional job of blending the two styles together here. Hilton’s own performance delivers a certain swagger and swing, really letting that soul of which she wrote shine through. Meanwhile the pairing of Curtis and Royston does its own ample job of developing an infectious rhythm to back up Hilton. When Thomas enters the fold, his light performance here (and the production therein) adds its own soul to the mix, complimenting Hilton’s performance so well. The whole makes ‘And Some Blues…’ a surprisingly enjoyable modern blues tune that is certain to become a favorite among Hilton’s established audiences and more casual listeners alike.
The group’s cover of Charlie Puth’s ‘See You Again’ takes audiences in a completely different direction from ‘And Some Blues…’ Where that prior song is a smooth, infectious groove-infused work, the group’s take of ‘See You Again’ takes Puth’s original and makes it just as emotional in its own unique way. Thomas leads the way here on trumpet while Hilton delivers the familiar, flowing piano line made famous through Puth’s work. Royston and Curtis’ performances here are so subtle, adding just the right touch as the backbone of the group. The collective’s work gives the song a new identity. There is no doubt there. At the same time though, but the group still gives the song so much warmth and heart throughout the song even as it makes the song more smooth jazz oriented. Hilton did note, after all, in the album’s liner notes, “the music on Lucky All Along is inspired by the history of cool jazz as well as impressionism.” This rendition of the famed pop song is definitely a cool jazz work that is still just as heartfelt as its source material and is just as certain to touch listeners.
Moving back in a more lighthearted direction, Hilton and company open Lucky All Along on an equally gentle but less emotional work in ‘Little Beach Mornings.’ Hilton notes of this song, ‘In California, there are huge beaches, such as SoCal’s Zuma Beach, but w also have a lot of pocket beaches – small but inviting scoops of sand that dot our coastline. ‘Little Beach Mornings’ is a warm wake-me-up tune that celebrates the beauty and sense of community that I feel near my home in Malibu. Keeping this in mind, audiences can actually see, when they close their minds, those little pocket beaches, waves gently rolling in and out, the sun slowly rising, the peacefulness of those lesser-visited spots as they take in the group’s work. What is especially interesting is that some of that imagery comes as the group blends some subtle Afro-Latin influences into the overall light, smooth original composition. The seemingly syncopated rhythms that Hilton herself turns out in her performance are expertly complimented by the work of Curtis on bass while Royston’s light touches on the cymbals do so much in their simplicity to add to that vision of the waves lightly touching the sand. The whole is such an enjoyable offering and great way to open this record. When it is considered alongside the other songs examined here and that whole considered along with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes Lucky All Along a wonderful new offering from Lisa Hilton and her fellow musicians on this outing.
Lucky All Along, the forthcoming latest album from Lisa Hilton, is a strong new offering from the veteran pianist that so many listeners will appreciate. All three of the songs examined here make that clear. When the trio of songs is examined along with the rest of the album’s entries the whole makes Lucky All Along an impressive late entry into this year’s field of new jazz albums.
Lucky All Along is scheduled for release Nov. 29 through Ruby Slipper Productions. More information on the album is available along with all of Lisa Hilton’s latest mews at:
Website: https://lisahiltonmusic.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaHiltonMusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisahiltonmusic
