Danny Grissett

American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer

Danny Grissett

Grissett in 2010

Background information
Born| 1975 (age 49-50)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres| Jazz
Occupation(s)| Musician, composer
Instrument(s)| Piano, Fender Rhodes
Years active| Early 2000s–present
Labels| Criss Cross
Website| dannygrissett.com

Musical artist

Danny Grissett (2018) in Aarhus, Denmark

Danny Grissett (born 1975) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.

## Early life

[edit]

Grissett was born in Los Angeles in 1975.[1] He first played the piano at the age of five, taking classical music lessons.[2] He graduated with a B.A. in Music Education[1] from California State University, Dominguez Hills,[2] then completed a two-year master's degree in jazz performance in 2000 at the California Institute of the Arts[1][2] followed by studies at the Thelonious Monk Institute at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.

## Later life and career

[edit]

After playing around Los Angeles he moved to New York City in 2003.[1] He became trumpeter Nicholas Payton's keyboardist early the following year, and has been a regular member of trumpeter Tom Harrell's band since 2005.[2] Grissett released his first album as a leader in 2006, on the Criss Cross label, for whom he has continued to record.[1] Promise and his following album, Encounters, were trio recordings with Vicente Archer (bass) and Kendrick Scott (drums).[2] His next album, Form, from 2008, added saxophonist Seamus Blake, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, and trombonist Steve Davis to the trio.[2]

## Playing style

[edit]

A Down Beat reviewer in 2010 commented that Grissett employed "strategies drawn from Mulgrew Miller, Herbie Hancock and Sonny Clark to tell cogent stories that carry his own harmonic and rhythmic signature."[2]

## Discography

[edit]

An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.

### As leader/co-leader

[edit]

Year recorded  | Title  | Label  | Personnel/Notes

|
|
|

2005  | Promise | Criss Cross | Trio, with Vicente Archer (bass), Kendrick Scott (drums)
2007  | Encounters | Criss Cross | Trio, with Vicente Archer (bass), Kendrick Scott (drums)
2008  | Form | Criss Cross | Sextet, with Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Steve Davis (trombone), Seamus Blake (tenor sax), Vicente Archer (bass), Kendrick Scott (drums)
2011  | Stride | Criss Cross | Trio, with Vicente Archer (bass), Marcus Gilmore (drums)
2015  | The In-Between | Criss Cross | Quartet, with Walter Smith III (tenor sax), Vicente Archer (bass), Bill Stewart (drums)
2017?  | Remembrance | Savant  | Quartet, with Dayna Stephens (tenor sax, soprano sax), Vicente Archer (bass), Bill Stewart (drums)

### As sideman

[edit]

Year recorded  | Leader  | Title  | Label

|
|
|

2003  | Vincent Herring | Mr. Wizard | HighNote
2006  | Vincent Herring | Ends and Means | HighNote
2006  | Jimmy Greene | Gifts and Givers | Criss Cross
2006  | Tom Harrell | Light On | HighNote
2006*  | Anne Mette Iversen | This Is My House | Okapi
2007  | Jeremy Pelt | November | Max Jazz
2007  | Lage Lund | Early Songs | Criss Cross
2007  | Kiyoshi Kitagawa | I'm Still Here | Atelier Sawano
2008  | Kengo Nakamura | Generations | 55
2008  | Tom Harrell | Prana Dance | HighNote
2008*  | Anne Mette Iversen | Best of the West | Brooklyn Jazz Underground
2009  | Tom Harrell | Roman Nights | HighNote
2009  | Jeremy Pelt | Men of Honor | HighNote
2010  | Jeremy Pelt | The Talented Mr. Pelt | HighNote
2010  | Tom Harrell | The Time of the Sun | HighNote
2011  | Tom Harrell | Number Five | HighNote
2011  | Jeremy Pelt | Soul | HighNote
2011*  | Anne Mette Iversen | Milo Songs | Brooklyn Jazz Underground
2011*  | Ozan Musluoğlu | 40th Day | Equinox Music & Entertainment
2012*  | Laïka Fatien | Come a Little Closer | Universal
2014*  | Anne Mette Iversen | So Many Roads | Brooklyn Jazz Underground
2014*  | Tom Guarna | Rush | Brooklyn Jazz Underground
2015*  | Tom Harrell  | First Impressions | HighNote
2015*  | Ferit Odman | Dameronia With Strings | Equinox Music & Entertainment
2016*  | Jeremy Pelt  | #Jiveculture | HighNote
2016*  | Anne Mette Iversen  | Round Trip | Brooklyn Jazz Underground
2016*  | Rale Micic | Night Music | Whaling City Sound
2017*  | Tom Harrell  | Moving Picture | HighNote
2018*  | Pee Wee Ellis | In My Ellingtonian Mood | Minor Music
2019*  | Raynald Colom | The Barcelona Sessions | Fresh Sound New Talent

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Collar, Matt. "Artist Biography – Danny Grissett". AllMusic. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
2. ^ a b c d e f g Panken, Ted (April 2010). "Danny Grissett – Leader's Languages". Down Beat. p. 22\. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* An extended analysis of a Grissett performance

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Norway

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

Other|

* Yale LUX