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Rachel Eckroth
Polymath (noun): a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning.
Music needs a term for this. What do you call one person who is a pianist, vocalist, keyboardist, composer, producer, arranger, band leader, sideman and more? Music may not have a term, but it does have a name: Rachel Eckroth.
Eckroth can lead with a bold vision or accompany with the subtle skills necessary to make another musician shine. Her combination of jazz experimentation and pop feeling form the engine behind her own work as a leader or co-leader on 20 albums, most recently The Garden on Rainy Days Records (2021). That same crossover talent is why she's been featured on voice and keyboards in the bands of Rufus Wainwright, St. Vincent, KT Tunstall, and Chris Botti.
Eckroth can hold an audience's attention in an intimate jazz club or on a massive concert stage. She did the latter when she opened for Rufus Wainwright's All These Poses Anniversary Tour, standing on stage alone with just her keyboards and her voice, weaving a sonic landscape that kept audiences enthralled. Eckroth is no stranger to television, either, having been a member of the house band on The Meredith Vieira Show and appearing on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers and Good Morning America with various artists.
Eckroth has been a busy recording artist throughout her career, and the pace has only increased in recent years. In 2020, Eckroth appeared on the single "Circling" by Donny McCaslin, the acclaimed saxophonist from David Bowie's final band. That same year, she released three singles of her own. This year (2021) she and her husband, bassist Tim Lefebvre (David Bowie, The Tedeschi Trucks Band) put out a duet album called The Blackbird Sessions Vol. 1. She also released the single "Moot Points" featuring Alassane, as well as an eponymous EP featuring four of her own songs.
Her latest project, The Garden, features 8 tracks written or co-written by Eckroth. The band includes Lefebvre and McCaslin along with drummer Christian Euman, guitarist Nir Felder, and saxophonist Andrew Krasilnikov. Eckroth chose the album title because, like a garden, her music is a diverse ecosystem grown from the seeds of her many musical adventures.
Polymath. Renaissance woman. Jack of all trades. Use whatever term you're comfortable with, or no special word at all. What matters is the music, and Rachel Eckroth's musical world is inviting, exciting, and filled with surprises.
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Rachel Eckroth: Humanoid
by Sharonne Cohen
"Humanoid is a departure for me," Rachel Eckroth said when we spoke about her new piano quartet album, recorded at Sam First jazz club in Los Angeles on October 28 and 29, 2022. Taking her first piano lesson at the age of five, this accomplished, multifaceted musician has honed her craft over the four decades since, becoming not only a gifted and versatile pianist and keyboardist, but a vocalist and songwriter. Engaged in creative projects spanning jazz, indie and pop, ...
Continue ReadingRachel Eckroth: Humanoid
by Mike Jurkovic
Pianist Rachel Eckroth may use wellness or New agey terms such as polymath or bold vision to describe her approach to her considerable art, but she gets down to Earth for real and very quickly on Humanoid, her first all-acoustic recording. Recorded live at Sam's First in Los Angeles, Eckroth's very active imagination spearheads a group, including bassist and all round jazz entrepreneur Billy Mohler, drummer Tina Raymond--whose uncanny sense for everything a drummer can do, can be ...
Continue ReadingRachel Eckroth, Céline Bonacina, Csaba Palotai, Gard Nilssen & More
by Ludovico Granvassu
The transatlantic partnership between Céline Bonacina, John Hadfield and Rachel Eckroth opens an edition of Mondo Jazz which also focuses on drummer-driven projects and piano trios.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Céline Bonacina Tunnel" Jump (Cristal) 0:16 Host talks 4:59 John Hadfield Tower of Liars" Drum of Stories (In a Circle) 6:53 Rachel Eckroth Under a Fig Tree" Humanoid (Sam First) 12:47 Host talks 21:00 Csaba Palotaï, Simon ...
Continue ReadingRachel Eckroth trio at Blue Note Milan
by Roberto Cifarelli
A collection of photos from the Rachel Eckroth Trio concert at Blue Note Milano on May 24, 2023 featuring Anna Butterss and John Hadfield. ...
Continue ReadingRachel Eckroth al Blue Note di Milano
by Claudio Bonomi
The Garden--Rachel Eckroth, Anna Butterss, John Hadfield Blue Note Milano 24.5.2023 La pianista, tastierista, cantante e compositrice americana Rachel Eckroth, definita da alcuni la regina del crossover per le sue doti camaleontiche nel passare da un genere all'altro quasi senza soluzione di continuità, è sbarcata in Italia durante un tour europeo che l'ha vista apparire anche sul palco del Blue Note di Milano insieme al suo nuovo trio formato da Anna Butterss (basso elettrico, contrabbasso) ...
Continue ReadingRachel Eckroth: The Garden
by Jerome Wilson
Pianist and composer Rachel Eckroth travels a twisty road on this CD, creating an ever-changing mix of jazz, prog rock, and fusion which utilizes off- center beats and swarming electronic effects. Eckroth's music is a little different on each track. Sometimes it builds up from layers of piano and synthesizers. At other times it works out of the basic piano trio format. Everything she creates, though, has an edgy, ominous atmosphere which lends itself as much to dark ...
Continue ReadingRachel Eckroth: The Garden
by Vic Albani
Approccio numero uno: Non so se ve ne siete accorti ma esistono dischi che al primo ascolto ti fanno dire ok." Al secondo eh però...." Al terzo Cribbio... Wow! Ma cosa stavo ascoltando le altre due volte?." Al quarto, se volete giocare con i maledetti voti, siamo già vicini al beh cinque stelle e forse oltre..." Poi, necessariamente devi riconsiderare tutto e passi ad un ascolto davvero analitico, ragionato e capisci che però, forse, è proprio così. ...
Continue ReadingArun Luthra and Rachel Eckroth "Louder Than Words" CD Release
Source:
Michael Ricci
About the Album Louder Than Words: In the tradition of great saxophone & piano duo albums from the likes of Stan Getz & Kenny Barron, Wayne Shorter & Herbie Hancock, and Joe Lovano & Hank Jones, Louder Than Words showcases the undeniable musical chemistry and brilliant composing of two outstanding jazz artists. Saxophonist Arun Luthra and pianist Rachel Eckroth bring their beautiful and distinctive voices together to create a captivating and thrilling musical dialogue which pays tribute to the jazz ...
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"Pianist, singer, and composer Rachel Eckroth is more than a musical chameleon. Her shapeshifting is so astonishingly dramatic that there is no upper limit to her creative identity." - Simon Rentner, WGBO “...Well, then. I’m convinced that Eckroth is a consummate professional who can do just about anything ...creating and performing original, hip music that can’t be pigeonholed into any one category.” —Steve Jansen - Phoenix New Times “Like any highly creative musician, jazz pianist and composer Rachel Eckroth refuses to repeat herself.” —Larry Rodgers - Arizona Republic "Rachel Eckroth is a revelation! Through her intimate vocals, interpersonal lyrics and sophisticated, nuanced musicianship she delivers a whole new manner of singer-songwriter borne largely from pure jazz bloodlines
Carla Bley
pianoHerbie Hancock
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Music
Saturn
From: SaturnBy Rachel Eckroth
Strange Meeting
From: HumanoidBy Rachel Eckroth
High Desert Winter
From: High Desert WinterBy Rachel Eckroth
Low Hanging Fruit
From: The GardenBy Rachel Eckroth
Future
From: Let GoBy Rachel Eckroth