On the throes of her latest album Nocturnal, pianist Lisa Hilton delivered material from the quartet recording and brought it down to its essence in an intimate solo performance at Pepperdine’s Wengler Center for the Arts.
Seated at the piano on stage Ms Hilton displayed a personal touch and approach in both composition and delivery. Her pieces such as “Nocturnal,” “Seduction” and “Spark in the Night” display a flowing romantic dance, using space and a confident yet intimate use of mixing improvisation with melody, almost like Satie with the blues. Her “Whirlwind” was a chase scene between the chords and single note runs with hints of a saloon in Kansas City, while “Twilight” featured sparkles like a sonic Monet.
What’s alluring about Hilton’s approach to performance is that between each song she would describe the inspiration for each piece. This, combined with her personal buoyantly romantic style and touch, makes the listener feel as if she is letting you into her world view and essence of her being. Her “Midnight Sonata” includes moments of Beethoven at the bar, yet with personal pleadings with the ivories, thinking deeply about each note without a tad of glibness delivered the entire evening.
Closing with “Stepping Into Paradise” and an encore of “So This Is Paradise,” Hilton’s touch and style reflects moods of both tranquility and passion. Each piece presented by her told a story; isn’t that what songs are for?
Upcoming shows at the Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine include Johnny Clegg Apr 23 and Take 6 May 4