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Joan Stiles
Pianist/composer Joan Stiles has been gaining recognition for her highly creative approach to the jazz tradition. She recently joined the roster of pianists who have appeared on Marian McPartland’s PianoJazz show and she was profiled on WBGO’s hour-long “Jazz from the Archives” broadcast. Her 2nd CD, Hurly-Burly garnered a 4-star review from Downbeat Magazine and topped JazzWeek Radio charts. Ted Panken writes, “Joan Stiles possesses the chops, craft, imagination, wit and sophistication to be mentioned iwith the most distinguished descendants of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and Mary Lou Williams.”
Stiles’ 3rd CD, Three Musicians (Fall 2011 release on Oo-Bla-Dee records) is an adventurous trio outing with repertoire ranging from standards, show tunes, Monk, Strayhorn, Mary Lou Williams to Beatles and Clapton. Highlights include collages on LOVE “In the Sunshine of My Funny Valentine’s Love” and MONEY "“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime” meets “Can’t Buy Me Love.” Stiles' compositions, "West End Boogie," a soulful rhythmic odd-meter blues, and her Gillespie/Dameron- inspired "Bebopicity" add to the eclectic mix.
In Pablo Picasso’s iconic Cubist masterpiece “Three Musicians,” the Spanish painter constructs a joyous geometric collage portraying himself and two close friends as a carnivalesque combo. On pianist Joan Stiles’ consistently inspired new CD, Three Musicians, she’s created an equally vivid portrait of bold artists in action, a captivating aural collage full of witty, often jaw- dropping juxtapositions (she’s also responsible for the CD’s smart cover art, a Picasso homage-collage).
Her first two albums, (Hurly-Burly and Love Call) showcased Stiles as a resourceful and inventive arranger. With its stripped-down instrumentation, Three Musicians reveals the pianist as a madcap seat-of-the- pants improviser who combines vast harmonic resources and rhythmic acuity with a sharp sense of humor.
The unusual trio features saxophonist Joel Frahm and drummer Matt Wilson, superlative musicians who share Stiles’ prodigious sense of play. The concept for the group flowed from the talent-laden sextet featured on Stiles’s 2007 album Hurly-Burly with Frahm, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, alto saxophonist Steve Wilson, and the consummate rhythm section of bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash.
A jazz artist doesn’t create an unorthodox album like Three Musicians without a deep well of experiences to draw upon. Joan Stiles has taken a long, circuitous route to becoming one of jazz’s most inventive pianists and bandleaders. Born and raised in Brooklyn, she gravitated to a converted player piano in her grandmother’s Greenpoint apartment, picking out TV commercial themes “by ear.” Encouraged by her father, an amateur singer, she quickly learned how to read lead sheets, improvise, and accompany him singing standards. In her early teens, she found a creative outlet as a guitar-wielding singer/songwriter who performed around Brooklyn. Later on as a precocious 17-year-old college sophomore, she dropped out of NYU to join a rock band as keyboardist and vocalist.
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Joan Stiles: Three Musicians
![Read "Three Musicians" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/coverart/2010/joanstiles_threemusicians_db.jpg)
by Dan Bilawsky
On the surface, Three Musicians is a smart collection of performances from a witty threesome, but closer observation reveals deep Cubist intent. In referencing one of Pablo Picasso's masterpieces, pianist Joan Stiles touches on a style of art that rarely finds an overt entrance into jazz, creating a layered, collage ideology within the very fabric of her work. The term mash-up" has become the phrase of choice in pop music circles to describe arrangements that weave two ...
read moreJoan Stiles: Hurly-Burly
![Read "Hurly-Burly" reviewed by Elliott Simon](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/coverart/2007/joanstiles.jpg)
by Elliott Simon
Back with her own unique take on the piano's place in jazz, the aptly named Joan mistress of many Stiles presents a session with myriad influences in a variety of formats with her sophomore effort, Hurly-Burly. Her first release, Love Call (ZoHo, 2004), was a breath of fresh air that more than hinted at clever arranging skills combined with an ability to interpret and present the classics" on her own terms. Hurly-Burly makes good on that promise and is evidence ...
read moreJoan Stiles: Hurly-Burly
![Read "Hurly-Burly" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/coverart/2007/joanstiles.jpg)
by Michael P. Gladstone
Pianist, composer, bandleader and occasional vocalist Joan Stiles's terrific Hurly-Burly shows her skill at arranging, as well as being an ambitious tribute to her pianistic heroes. Here's hoping that it works this time, as her debut recording Love Calls (Zoho, 2004), which included a most impressive cast of Clark Terry, Frank Wess, Warren Vache, Benny Powell and Joe Temperley was held in the can for six years until Zoho finally released it.
Hurly-Burly's thematic concept is ...
read moreJoan Stiles and Lisa Hilton: Two New York States Of Mind
![Read "Joan Stiles and Lisa Hilton: Two New York States Of Mind" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/3fe898fd5a54787ec1588f0cdb21ce02.jpg)
by C. Michael Bailey
New York City pianist/vocalist Joan Stiles and Malibu pianist Lisa Hilton have something in common: their taste in men...musical sidemen, that is. Alto saxophonist Steve Wilson, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and drummer Lewis Nash show up amongst the sextet and quintet featured, respectively, on Stile's Hurly-Burly and Hilton's New York Sessions.
Despite their part-shared personnels, these recordings illustrate vastly different approaches to jazz composition, cover selection and performance. They also honor the musicianship of all involved, making the listening experience both ...
read moreJoan Stiles: Love Call
![Read "Love Call" reviewed by Jochem van Dijk](http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAudioArt/520/522489.jpg)
by Jochem van Dijk
A genre not too often reiterated: songbook rephrasings with a tightly arranged ensemble in various appearances. Although pianist and arranger Joan Stiles is by all means a fine and thoughtful player, it is in the underrated art of writing and conducting horn charts for small ensembles, that Love Call really shines. She makes expert use of either wide or narrow voicings both consonant and dissonant. With only a few players Stiles creates an old-style bigbandish thickness, or ...
read moreJoan Stiles: Love Call
![Read "Love Call" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan](http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAudioArt/520/522489.jpg)
by Dan McClenaghan
On Joan Stiles debut, Love Call, the pianist sometimes had me thinking of Erroll Garner, with a bright elan in her right hand flourishes; and sometimes she had me thinking of Thelonious Monk, with quirky chords and odd angles; but mostly she reminds me--as an arranger, not a player--of Ellington, penning her charts, masterfully, with the individual instrumentalists in mind, on this set of solo piano, piano trio, quartet, septet, octet and nonet renditions of familar songs.The disc ...
read moreJoan Stiles: Love Call
![Read "Love Call" reviewed by Elliott Simon](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0001WJN1E.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
by Elliott Simon
Joan Stiles' solo piano artfully interprets a clever arrangement of Take the A Train" and perfectly portrays the full range of emotions inherent in Billy Strayhorn's final composition Blood Count." This is after leading an octet in which tenor giant Frank Wess and baritone man Joe Temperley cut loose on Clifford Brown's Daahoud." In addition, the pianist makes all stops in between on Love Call.
Stiles' song selection serves as a wonderful introduction to both her expressive touch, which evinces ...
read moreJazz Musician of the Day: Joan Stiles
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Joan Stiles](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/3fe898fd5a54787ec1588f0cdb21ce02.jpg)
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Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Joan Stiles' birthday today!
Pianist/composer Joan Stiles has been gaining recognition for her highly creative approach to the jazz tradition. She recently joined the roster of pianists who have appeared on Marian McPartland’s PianoJazz show and she was profiled on WBGO’s hour-long “Jazz from the Archives” broadcast. Her 2nd CD, Hurly-Burly garnered a 4-star review from Downbeat Magazine and topped JazzWeek Radio charts. Ted Panken writes... Read more.
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Joan Stiles
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Joan Stiles](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/3fe898fd5a54787ec1588f0cdb21ce02.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Joan Stiles' birthday today!
Pianist/composer Joan Stiles has been gaining recognition for her highly creative approach to the jazz tradition. She recently joined the roster of pianists who have appeared on Marian McPartland’s PianoJazz show and she was profiled on WBGO’s hour-long “Jazz from the Archives” broadcast. Her 2nd CD, Hurly-Burly garnered a 4-star review from Downbeat Magazine and topped JazzWeek Radio charts. Ted Panken writes... Read more.
Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Joan Stiles
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Joan Stiles](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/3fe898fd5a54787ec1588f0cdb21ce02.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Joan Stiles' birthday today!
Pianist/composer Joan Stiles has been gaining recognition for her highly creative approach to the jazz tradition. She recently joined the roster of pianists who have appeared on Marian McPartland’s PianoJazz show and she was profiled on WBGO’s hour-long “Jazz from the Archives” broadcast. Her 2nd CD, Hurly-Burly garnered a 4-star review from Downbeat Magazine and topped JazzWeek Radio charts. Ted Panken writes... Read more.
Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Joan Stiles
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Joan Stiles](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/3fe898fd5a54787ec1588f0cdb21ce02.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Joan Stiles' birthday today! Pianist/composer Joan Stiles has been gaining recognition for her highly creative approach to the jazz tradition. She recently joined the roster of pianists who have appeared on Marian McPartland’s PianoJazz show and she was profiled on WBGO’s hour-long “Jazz from the Archives” broadcast. Her 2nd CD, Hurly-Burly garnered a 4-star review from Downbeat Magazine and topped JazzWeek Radio charts. Ted Panken writes... Read more. Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Joan Stiles
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Joan Stiles](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/3fe898fd5a54787ec1588f0cdb21ce02.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Joan Stiles' birthday today! Pianist/composer Joan Stiles has been gaining recognition for her highly creative approach to the jazz tradition. She recently joined the roster of pianists who have appeared on Marian McPartland’s PianoJazz show and she was profiled on WBGO’s hour-long “Jazz from the Archives” broadcast. Her 2nd CD, Hurly-Burly garnered a 4-star review from Downbeat Magazine and topped JazzWeek Radio charts. Ted Panken writes... Read more. Place our Musician of the Day widget ...
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Enter the "Joan Stiles - Three Musicians" CD Giveaway at All About Jazz!
![Enter the "Joan Stiles - Three Musicians" CD Giveaway at All About Jazz!](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/3fe898fd5a54787ec1588f0cdb21ce02.jpg)
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All About Jazz
All About Jazz members are invited to enter the Oo-Bla-Dee Joan StilesThree Musicians giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on January 31st. Click here to enter the contest (Following Joan Stiles at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.) Good luck! Your Friends at Oo-Bla-Dee Music Stiles, drummer Matt Wilson and saxophonist Joel Frahm overlap, contrast, collide and collude with one another in complementary fashion as they create music full ...
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"Three Musicians" is New CD from Pianist/Arranger Joan Stiles, Featuring Joel Frahm & Matt Wilson
!["Three Musicians" is New CD from Pianist/Arranger Joan Stiles, Featuring Joel Frahm & Matt Wilson](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/3fe898fd5a54787ec1588f0cdb21ce02.jpg)
Source:
Terri Hinte Publicity
Pianist Joan Stiles's first two CDsLove Call (Zoho, 2004) and Hurly-Burly (Oo-Bla-Dee, 2007)showcased Stiles the resourceful and inventive arranger for octet and sextet. Her new album, Three Musicians, on which Stiles arranges for an unusual trio with saxophonist Joel Frahm and drummer Matt Wilson, reveals the pianist as a fearless improviser who combines harmonic gifts and rhythmic acuity with a pleasingly sharp sense of humor. The album is due for Oct. 25 release on her Oo-Bla-Dee label. Three Musicians is ...
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Weekend Extra: Joan Stiles
![Weekend Extra: Joan Stiles](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/logo/dougramsey100.jpeg)
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Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
The pianist, composer and teacher Joan Stiles runs one of the hippest sextets in New York. Her circle of insider admirers encompasses many of the best-known musicians injazz today and is widening to include a substantial number of listeners in the general audience. Stiles achieves identifiable individuality in her own compositions and in her arrangements of songbook standards and pieces by Mary Lou Williams, Thelonious Monk, Fats Waller, Jimmy Rowles and Duke Ellington, among others. Stiles was the most recent ...
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Joan Stiles Sextet at Sweet Rhythm/NYC - January 7th, 2008
![Joan Stiles Sextet at Sweet Rhythm/NYC - January 7th, 2008](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/3fe898fd5a54787ec1588f0cdb21ce02.jpg)
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Two for the Show Media
Pianist, Composer, & Bandleader Joan Stiles will be performing with her Sextet at Sweet Rhythm in NYC Monday, January 7th, 2008 in celebration of her new release Hurly-Burly. Set Times 8:00 & 10:00 PM. Joan Stiles Sextet Joan Stiles, piano Mike Rodriguez, trumpet Steve Wilson, alto sax Joel Frahm, tenor sax David Wong, bass Matt Wilson, drums Each track of Hurly-Burly is its own small event, immaculately prepared ...
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Joan Stiles/Joel Frahm Duo Concert at the New School Jazz Performance Space
![Joan Stiles/Joel Frahm Duo Concert at the New School Jazz Performance Space](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/3fe898fd5a54787ec1588f0cdb21ce02.jpg)
Source:
Two for the Show Media
"With Stiles and Monk, wit and beauty are not mutually exclusive." Thomas Conrad, JazzTimes
"Joan Stiles writes and plays brilliantly with great respect for melody and clarity...She is an authentic original." Dave Frishberg
"Swings with wit and verve, brimming with the joyous flair of a Wynton Kelly or Erroll Garner...hauntingly beautiful arrangements." Bill Milkowski
Primary Instrument
Piano
Location
New York City
Willing to teach
Beginner to advanced
Credentials/Background
Instructor, Manhattan School of Music, NY, NY; Instructor, The New School Jazz Program, NY, NY; Private teaching studio, Upper West side, Manhattan, NY, NY.
Photos
Music
West End Boogie
From: Three MusiciansBy Joan Stiles