Danny Grissett, a pianist and composer originally from Los Angeles, California has been a part of the New York jazz scene since 2000. At age five, he began playing the piano and started studying classically at six years old. Danny earned his B.A. in Music Education through high school and college. In 1998, he earned his B.A. in Music Education. He also developed a passion for jazz. In graduate school, he earned his M.F.A. in Jazz Performance at Cal Arts in 2000 and completed studies at Thelonious Monk Institute 2001. He studied with jazz legends like Terence Blanchard and Terence Blanchard, Bobby Watson, Jimmy Heath, Jimmy Heath, Jimmy Heath, Carl Allen, and Terence Blanchard. He also began to make a name for himself in the LA Jazz scene under the guidance of Billy Higgins, one of his mentors. He started performing with notable local and touring artists like George Coleman, Jackie McLean and Ralph Moore. He joined Roy McCurdy, a drummer in the trio John Heard (bassist previously with the trios Ahmad Jamal and Oscar Peterson). Heard and McCurdy spent a lot of time together, going to clubs and talking about music, which helped Grissett develop his desire to move east. Danny arrived in New York the following summer and became a popular sideman for artists like Vincent Herring, Vanessa Rubin, and others. Danny can be heard on Vincent Herring’s Mr. Wizard and Ends and Means On High Note as well as Live at the Bird’s Eye. For the past eight years, Danny has been part of Tom Harrell’s quintet. He appeared on five highly acclaimed recordings by the great trumpeter. He made his debut in 2006 as a leader, recording Promise on Criss Cross Jazz. It was an Allmusic.com debut called exquisite and easily one the best debuts 2006.” Danny’s second trio album Encounters was released the next year, and continued to be a hit with music lovers, critics, and peers alike. “…he plays, he plays with an effortless brilliance which distinguishes him among the top three young pianists in the contemporary scene. Grissett was a member of the Buster Williams, Steve Wilson and Buster Williams bands. As a studio musician, Grissett has recorded with the aforementioned Pelt, Jimmy Green, Lage, Jim Rotundi and Tom Harrell on four Highnote releases. Form, Danny’s highly anticipated third recording as a leader, was released in May 2009. Danny continues to perform at international jazz festivals and clubs in Italy and Germany, South Africa, Colombia, Japan, South Africa and Japan. Other notables include Freddie Hubbard and The Mingus Big Band. He also performed with Roy Hargrove, Willie Jones III., Louis Hayes, and Marcus Strickland. Stride is his fourth album as a leader and features Vicente Archer, bassist, and Marcus Gilmore drummer. from www.dannygrissett.com
