David Hazeltine & Willard "Billy" Peterson

Pianist David Hazeltine remains a major figure in contemporary jazz as a composer, arranger and player, with an impressive discography as a leader and sideman and years of experience as an educator. Bassist Billy Peterson has played with everyone from Lawrence Welk to Les Paul, as well as a long musical partnership with Ben Sidran (Peterson is in the band for Sidran's just-released album, Rainmaker). Both have roots in the Midwest; Hazeltine is a Milwaukee native, and Peterson a member of a musical Minnesota family (his brother is St. Paul of The Family/The Time). What will these music masters come up with for this duo show?

media release: After playing together for 45 years, Willard "Billy" Peterson (bassist) and David Hazeltine (pianist) are touring again!Billy Peterson is one of the premier, most celebrated bass players in the world. His uncompromising talents as a performer have brought him widespread recognition, as well as his plenty credits as a composer, arranger and producer. So it is no surprise that the world-renowned bassist is quite often also compared with a chameleon, but not only as he can fill many positions, but also as he is at home in several genres of music weather it be rock, pop, R&B, soul, jazz, folk or country.Peterson´s contributions to the music scene are inestimable and his imagination and boundless enthusiasm behind the bass are singular and stunning. During his extensive musical career, the permanently in-demand bassist has worked with many internationally famous, acclaimed artists, among them Carlos Santana, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Prince, Les Paul or Steve Miller, just to name a few.

Hazeltine is one of the most sought-after pianists today. He has worked with some of the world’s most respected jazz legends including James Moody, Eddie Harris, Jon Faddis, Joe Henderson, Pepper Adams, Jon Hendricks, and Marlena Shaw. David is known for taking a familiar or unexpected song and making it new, making it his own. He effortlessly transfers this skill from song to stage. Whether he’s composing or interpreting, accompanying or leading, you are certain to end the set remembering the sounds of David Hazeltine.A brilliant teacher, David is also determined to carry the art forward to the next generation. Formerly an Associate Professor at Berklee, he currently teaches at SUNY-Purchase in New York. David is also a highly skilled clinician and has served on the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Camp faculty for the past 15 years.