Peter Zak

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Peter Zak
Born (1965-05-13) May 13, 1965 (age 60)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentPiano
Years activeLate 1980s–present
Website peterzakmusic.com

Peter Zak (born May 13, 1965) is an American jazz pianist and composer.

Contents

Life and career

Zak grew up in Ohio. [1] He studied classical piano between the ages of six and 20. [2] He moved to Oakland, California with his parents at the age of 16. [2] He studied history at the University of California, Berkeley, by the end of which he had local jazz gigs. [2] He moved to New York City in 1989. [1] There, he played with mainstream musicians including Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein, Joe Farnsworth, and Ryan Kisor. [2] Zak began recording for SteepleChase Records in 2004. [2]

Zak's playing was influenced by McCoy Tyner and Cedar Walton. [2]

Discography

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

As leader/co-leader

Year recordedTitleLabelPersonnel/Notes
1989*More Than LoveGiana
1991*Purple RefrainGiana
2004Peter Zak Trio SteepleChase Trio, with Paul Gill (bass), Al Foster (drums)
2005For TomorrowSteepleChaseTrio, with Paul Gill (bass), Willie Jones, III (drums)
2007My ConceptionSteepleChaseSolo piano
2007Seed of SinSteepleChaseTrio, with Paul Gill (bass), Quincy Davis (drums)
2007Blues on the Corner: The Music of McCoy TynerSteepleChaseTrio, with Paul Gill (bass), Quincy Davis (drums)
2009The DeciderSteepleChaseQuartet, with Walt Weiskopf (tenor sax, soprano sax), Ugonna Okegwo (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)
2010Down EastSteepleChaseTrio, with Peter Washington (bass), Rodney Green (drums)
2011Nordic NoonSteepleChaseTrio, with Peter Washington (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)
2012The Eternal TriangleSteepleChaseTrio, with Peter Washington (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)
2013The DiscipleSteepleChaseTrio, with Peter Washington (bass), Willie Jones, III (drums)
2014StandardsSteepleChaseTrio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)
2017One Mind Fresh Sounds Quartet, with Seamus Blake (tenor sax), Marcos Varela (bass), Billy Drummond (drums) [3]

As sideman

Year recordedLeaderTitleLabel
1998 Ryan Kisor The Usual SuspectsFable
1998Ryan KisorPoint of ArrivalCriss Cross
2001Ryan KisorThe DreamCriss Cross

References

  1. 1 2 Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1538. ISBN   0141034017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Panken, Ted (September 2011) "Peter Zak – Melodic Intention". Down Beat. p. 20.
  3. ↑ "Peter Zak: One Mind Feat. Marcos Varela". Fresh Sounds Records. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
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