PRESS RELEASE

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May 30, 2025 — Acclaimed pianist and composer Danny Grissett returns with Travelogue, a powerful new release on Savant Records. Featuring eight original compositions, the album showcases Grissett’s artistry alongside two of today’s most revered jazz musicians: drummer Bill Stewart and bassist Vicente Archer.

Travelogue is a vibrant collection of musical stories, each track a stop along the way in a journey shaped by travel, reflection, and deep musical connection. Grissett navigates new musical landscapes with the same lyrical grace and harmonic depth that have long defined his voice, all while remaining anchored in the language of modern jazz.

“Travelogue represents a collection of musical stories, told in collaboration with two phenomenal musicians,” says Grissett. “I’m eager to share new music after such a long time.”

Having called Los Angeles, New York, and Vienna home, Grissett reflects on how life in these three cities has not only shaped his identity but also helped him discover a sense of home in stillness, in motion, and wherever the music might lead.

This marks Grissett’s first trio recording in nearly a decade, and the chemistry between the three players is palpable—swinging, grooving, intuitive, and deeply attuned.

A Los Angeles native and longtime fixture of the New York and European jazz scenes, Danny Grissett has earned international acclaim for his work as both a bandleader and a sought-after sideman. He has toured and/or recorded with jazz greats including Tom Harrell, Nicholas Payton, Jeremy Pelt, and Benny Golson, and his previous recordings on Criss Cross have solidified his place as one of the leading pianists of his generation.

Travelogue will be available on all major platforms beginning May 30, 2025 

 For more information, visit Savant Records (www.jazzdepot.com) 

Translated version.  

April 16, 2025

There was a moment, during the performance of Some Other Time, when it felt as though the entire cathedral was holding its breath. The audience, motionless and absorbed, seemed afraid that even the slightest rustle might break the spell. This is how the concert series Pianos in the Churches of the Historic Center began— with palpable intensity. The series is curated by Giordano in Jazz and organized by the Municipality of Foggia, with coordination by Carlo Dicesare and the fruitful collaboration of the Archdiocese of Foggia-Bovino, the regional Puglia Culture system, and the Moody Jazz Café.

The audience responded with genuine enthusiasm: the cathedral was packed in every section, with around seven hundred people in attendance and many more left outside, drawn in by the unique atmosphere that was already evident during the soundcheck. But what stood out the most was the quality of the listening: an attentive, engaged, respectful, and passionate audience, following every piece with emotional involvement and highlighting the most touching moments with warm, sincere, and at times emotional applause.

Grissett demonstrated impeccable technical mastery and a clear, personal, and deeply expressive musical vision, offering a rich and varied program that ranged from classic jazz standards to original compositions with strong evocative power. The opening with Chick Corea’s Tones for Joan’s Bones immediately revealed the pianist’s approach: dynamic, articulate, and fluid. From there, the performance moved between lyrical depth (Prelude to a Kiss, Here’s That Rainy Day), rhythmic playfulness (Mr. Wiggle Worm), and poignant introspection through Grissett’s own compositions, including Lament for Bobby and The People in the City, where the pianist conveyed urban imagery and atmospheres through intense and refined melodic writing—never self-indulgent. The encore, Strollin’ by Horace Silver, closed the evening on a bright, liberating blues note, leaving the audience smiling and with a satisfying sense of fulfillment. Lengthy applause and a final ovation accompanied Grissett’s exit, visibly moved and grateful for the enthusiastic reception.

Friday’s event was more than just a concert; it was a collective ritual, a shared experience of beauty and reflection in which jazz became a bridge between worlds, eras, and sensibilities.

The series, which will enliven Foggia’s historic center from April 12 to 30 with seven free concerts in seven sacred places across the city, aims to unite music, spirituality, and urban rediscovery. It’s a true musical and cultural journey, where listening also becomes an opportunity for meditation, beauty, and belonging.

Opening this sonic journey was Danny Grissett, a pianist originally from Los Angeles, who has long been considered one of the most respected and sought-after names on the New York jazz scene. Educated at the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute under the guidance of masters such as Herbie Hancock, Barry Harris, Terence Blanchard, and Roy Haynes, Grissett has built a solid and luminous career collaborating with some of the most significant voices in contemporary jazz. He was a longtime member of Tom Harrell’s quintet, supporting the famed trumpeter for several years, and has worked with artists such as Jeremy Pelt, Wayne Escoffery, Nicholas Payton, and Jackie McLean. These prestigious collaborations have helped establish him as a prominent figure on the international jazz scene, capable of blending tradition and modernity with rare musical sensitivity.

The Pianos in the Churches of the Historic Center series is structured in two distinct phases: a first part, from April 12 to 15, featuring performances by artists like Emanuele Sartoris, Daniele Pozzovivo, and Rosario Gioeni, and a second part resuming on April 22 with Gregory Privat, culminating in the concerts on April 29 and 30 with Giovanni Guidi and the duo Omar Sosa & Marialy Pacheco.

The final two concerts are part of International Jazz Day, the global celebration established by UNESCO to honor jazz as a tool for dialogue, inclusion, and freedom of expression. This occasion further strengthens the cultural and symbolic value of the series, placing Foggia within an international network dedicated to promoting music and peace through the universal language of jazz.

Text by A.V.O.