Originally from Los Angeles, California, pianist/composer Danny Grissett is a new addition to the New York jazz scene. He started playing the piano at age five, and began studying classically when he turned six. Danny continued his classical training through high school and college, earning his B.A. in Music Education in 1998, while developing a love for jazz along the way.

Rick Holland: Thanks for taking the time with JR247. I wanted to start by asking you how has your move to New York changed your life?

Danny Grissett:   Moving to NY has made a big impact on my life.  I mean aside from the drastic changes in lifestyle, the music scene is quite different too.  Its so wonderful to be amidst so many jazz greats that I’ve admired and revered for many years.  And up until moving to NY these were people I had only heard on recordings and or read about in books or magazines.  Most of them I had never seen live.  But being in NY has brought them to life in a different way for me.  I have now had the opportunity to meet many of these people and have conversations with them, or see them perform live.  In a few cases, I’ve even shared the bandstand with them .  And as if that weren’t enough, there are also numerous wonderful young creative musicians who are doing great things in this music too.  And I have been so blessed to find myself working in different situations with both.  And all of that seems to be a never ending source of inspiration and creativity for me.  

RH: I hear a lot of cross pollination of harmonic influence, McCoy maybe? How did your emphasis on harmony evolve? It’s a very unique sound.

DG:  Well, this is not to say that other instruments do not deal with harmony, but when you are a pianist its no secret that chords and harmony are a major part of what we deal with in every situation.  When ever we sit down at the piano, the majority of the time we will be playing chords.  So whenever I checked out pianist, I always tried to get a hold of their harmonic concept first.  And as far as my harmonic concept is concerned, I think is it just a fusion of all of the  different things I liked about the many musicians I have checked out over the years.  McCoy Tyner is surely one of the musicians I have checked out, but also other cats like Herbie, Bud Powell, Barry Harris, and Mulgrew Miller to name a few because there are so many.  And those are just pianist.  Cats who play other instruments are also very interesting too because they have a little different approach on harmony.   

RH:  I noticed you saying you studied with Carl Allen and Billy Higgins. You also have an unique approach to rhythm. Were they influential in this regard?  

DG: Anytime I have the chance to play with great drummers such as Carl, and in the past, Billy, it has an influence on me in some way.  I think deep down inside I have a little drummer inside of me that wants to get out.  I am always having conversations with drummers about rhythms, drums, and cymbals, in the same way you might see a group of sax players get together and talk about mouthpieces.  I love the drums.  Billy used to say that in a way music began with the drums, noting the human heartbeat as some of the first music.  And while I find it hard to verbalize how all of that has shaped my specific concept, I can say that I think it is my love for the drums and rhythms that has had a big affect on how I approach the piano.  Its something that I am very conscious of.  

RH: How did studying classical music help you?

DG:  It certainly made me deal with the piano technique right away.  I gained a lot of “tools” for piano playing from classical lessons.  I also learned a lot about developing melodic ideas and the many ways in which to do that.  It also just heightened my awareness of certain musical elements such as phrasing, dynamics, and articulation, because whenever I was studying a new piece, those are some of the things my teachers and I always talked about.  I am very glad to have had that foundation.  I think it may have helped me get to certain things quicker than if I had just approached learning the piano and jazz at the same time, and by myself.
 
RH: You seem so very busy, what has been like coming to NY and being not only accepted, but touring, recording and playing with some of the best Jazz musicians in the world? This is putting you in an elite company.

DG:  It has been very fulfilling.  Those are some of the very reasons I moved to NY.  I am very grateful and I don’t take any of that for granted.  In an environment with so many great musicians, things could definitely be different for me than they are.

RH: What are some unique goals you’re setting for yourself musically?

DG: I don’t know that I have any goals that are truly unique.  I think my main goals are probably similar to some the goals of many of my peers.  I would just love to keep developing my voice, and to make a significant contribution to this great music, and its great legacy.     

 
RH: Tell us about Promise, it’s a brilliant recording, and a brilliant introduction to the world on behalf of your music? How did you conceive and plan for this date?

DG:  Thanks!  Its really a snap shot of where I was when we recorded that a little more than half a year ago.  It is so interesting because I feel like I have been growing and changing so rapidly since then.  Promise features compositions that I have written since I moved to the city, and a few recently reworked originals that I’ve always wanted to record.  So I really started with my tunes and then tried to include some standards that I loved.      

RH: What are your upcoming plans? Anything that we should know about?

DG: I will continue to develop my music in the trio setting, but also I am looking to expand the trio a bit.  I have other music that I have written for a slightly larger group, so I plan to get that played and recorded also.  

RH: Thanks for spending some time with us. I hope everybody will check out Danny’s new recording, The Promise, for more information, please visit: DannyGrissett.com or MySpace/DannyGrissett