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Naim Label


Laurence Hobgood

Laurence Hobgood

Website

www.laurencehobgood.com

Description

Described by Dave Brubeck as "one of the most incredible pianists I have ever heard", Laurence Hobgood is American jazz's unsung hero of the decade.

Biography

Laurence Hobgood began formal piano study at age 6 in Dallas, TX where his father was chairman of the SMU theatre program. At age 12 he was introduced to Blues music through his family's church. Several years later, after moving to Illinois, he began formal training in Jazz music. He attended the University of Illinois where he played for three years in the "A" jazz ensemble led by John Garvey. During that time his classical study continued with Ian Hobson.

After moving to Chicago in 1988, he established a local presence leading his own quintet and joining forces with some of Chicago's premier players like Ed Peterson, Fareed Haque, and most importantly Paul Wertico. The group, Trio New, with Hobgood, Wertico, and bassist Eric Hochberg, played to critical acclaim and established a serious connection with Wertico that spans many projects and ensembles.

Hobgood received three consecutive fellowships to perform in the Aspen Music Festival's 90, 91 and 92 seasons. There he played with Clark Terry, Gary Burton, Eddie Daniels, Sheila Jordon, Bob Mintzer, and Mark Whitfield among others.

In 1993 Hobgood met vocalist Kurt Elling and began a collaboration that resulted in Elling's signing with the storied Blue Note label; with Hobgood as his co-producer and musical director Elling received Grammy nominations for each of his first three Blue Note releases. The two became great friends and were named 1995 Chicagoans of The Year in the Arts by the Chicago Tribune. They've toured the world several times and achieved climbed both the Billboard Jazz and airplay charts.

In 1996 Hobgood joined with Wertico and bassist Brian Torff to form a new trio called Union, who enjoyed a duo of releases on Naim Label in the 90s.

Since then, Hobgood has made taken time out from busy touring, writing and recording schedules with Elling to record three further headlining projects for Naim. Everybody who witnesses the Laurence Hobgood Trio supporting Kurt Elling live, agree, that Laurence Hobgood is the single most under-rated and ridiculously talented US jazz musician of his generation. All About Jazz describe Hobgood as "one of the finest pianists out there. Period."

Management

info@thenaimlabel.com

Discography

When The Heart Dances
When The Heart Dances (2009)

naimcd112

A gigantic jazz duo encounter with a touch of Grammy award winning jazz vocals for good measure

Crazy World
Crazy World (2005)

naimcd084

Hobgood's beautifully light touch in a piano trio format

Left To My Own Devices
Left To My Own Devices (2000)

naimcd049

Hobgood's first ever solo pinao recording and a fine one at that

Reviews | all reviews >>

When The Heart Dances in the Berman Music Foundation
"Just the right emotion-laden treatment from Hobgood and Haden...exquisitely beautiful"
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When The Heart Dances in LA Weekly
"hard to surpass"
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When The Heart Dances in Jazz Weekly
"...a richness and reflective pensativity. Evocative like few other discs in recent memory"
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When The Heart Dances in Pasadena Weekly
"fearsome technical facility but a quiet emotional core"
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When The Heart Dances in Cadence
"Laurence Hobgood finally gets a spotlight here to show what a fine pianist he can be."
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When The Heart Dances in Oakland Examiner
Top Jazz Album of 2009
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When The Heart Dances in Downbeat Magazine
4 Stars

"these performances are masterpieces in themselves."
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When the Heart Dances in JazzReview
"The result certainly could be described as elegant, elevating and even at times stately"
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When The Heart Dances in Jazz Times
"transcendent pleasures... harmonically orchestrated and ultimately stirring"
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When the Heart Dances on O's Place Magazine
5 Stars

" a joy to listen to"
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When The Heart Dances in Audiophile Audition
4 Stars

"It is comforting to know that players of the of Hobgood ‘s caliber are around keeping the art of jazz piano alive and well."
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When The Heart Dances in Santa Fe new Mexican
"a beautifully recorded no-nonsense outing....perfection"
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When The Heart Dances in Record Collector
3 Stars

"showcases Hobgood's Bill Evans-like piano prowess including an arresting version of Stairway To The Stars"
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When The Heart Dances in NJ Jazz Society
"an album that you would be wise to choose as an addition to your CD library."
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When The Heart Dances in Buffalo News
"a sweet piece of chamber jazz indeed"
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When The Heart Dances Album Launch Review
"Hobgood alluded to his three-year absence from live performances. Be assured it was as if he had never left."
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Laurence Hobgood in Time Out NY
"a beautiful new album...[from] quietly eloquent pianist Laurence Hobgood"
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When The Heart Dances in New York Times
"Laurence Hobgood shows off his romantic side"
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When The Heart Dances in All About Jazz Philadelphia
"it's no exaggeration to call the 49-year-old Chicago-based musician one of the most accomplished pianists of his generation"
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When The Heart Dances in Jazz Inside
"genuine...five star performances"
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When The Heart Dances in AAJ NY
"one of the most accomplished pianists of his generation"
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When The Heart Dances in Jazz Review
"If you never thought about playing the piano before, Laurence Hobgood will change your mind. His playing is inspiring, displaying how to channel your thoughts and emotions into the piano keys, forming lyrical and melodic patterns that are portraits of yourself and your surroundings."
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When The Heart Dances in Examiner
"the 11 tracks clearly demonstrating the pianist's deft touch and creative vision"
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When The Heart Dances in Jazz Police
"Hobgood and Haden glow brilliantly, hearts dancing"
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When The Heart Dances in Pittsburgh Tribune
"Albums don't come much simpler or with much more feeling than "When the Heart Dances."
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When The Heart Dances in Gapplegate Music Review
"[Hobgood's] playing is just plain lovely on When the Heart Dances. An incredibly lovely tone. An incredibly lovely note choice."
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When The Heart Dances in Hartford Courant
"When the Heart Dances is an appropriate title for this timeless recording, one worth finding and spending many hours absorbing the sounds into your mind and soul."
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When The Heart Dances in CLog
"a dark passionate tango, so deeply intense in its intimacy that one can easily imagine two dancers in the middle of the floor, frozen in mutual attraction and fascination, as the music plays on."
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When The Heart Dances in Sounds of Timeless Jazz
"Hobgood's choices are incredible and his piano finesse is even more beautiful now that he's in the spotlight as a leader of this splendid trio."
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When The Heart Dances in CD Hot List
"a lovely collection...very, very nice"
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When The Heart Dances in AllYourJazz.com
"sure to become a Naim Jazz classic"
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When The Heart Dances in Audiophile Audition
3½ Stars

"This recording flawlessly actualizes each artist's abundant gestures and slightest shading, revealing each musician's fullness and intensity"
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When The Heart Dances in The Skanner
5 Stars

"Laurence Hobgood, the man who has astonished world wide audiences with pianistic prowess...teams up with bassist Charlie Haden for this five star recording"
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When The Heart Dances in Jazz Notes
"This is one to savor"
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When The Heart Dances in Jazz Chicago
"a lovely production and a sheer delight for the ears"
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When The Heart Dances in All About Jazz...again!
"they pull beautiful music from thin air"
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When The Heart Dances in AAJ
"[a] quirky, beautiful recording that is delightfully off the beaten path."
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When The Heart Dances Review in Mojo Magazine
4 Stars

"a sumptuous, elegiac set of duets, beautifully played"
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When The Heart Dances Review in Huffington Post
"One of the true joys of music journalism is receiving that unexpected package, containing an artist I was unfamiliar with that blows my mind. Enter Laurence Hobgood."
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When The Heart Dances Review in Midwest Record
"Off the beaten path and well worth the journey."
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jazz.com WTHD Review
Rating: 91/100
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When The Heart Dances Reviewed in The List
"subtle and majestic"
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When The Heart Dances Reviewed on BBCi
"Hobgood and Haden were made for each other"
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When The Heart Dances Reviewed in the Independent Information
4 Stars

" this wonderfully simpatico duo epitomises the sound of a simpatico duo"
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When The Heart Dances Reviewed in BBC Music Magazine
4 Stars

"A match made in Californian jazz heaven"
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Laurence Hobgood w/ Charlie Haden & Kurt Elling-When The Heart Dances-Evening Standard review
4 Stars

"he produces a beautifully laid-back hour of music"
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Laurence Hobgood w/ Charlie Haden & Kurt Elling- When The Heart Dances-The Guardian review
4 Stars

"this album is a triumph"
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Laurence Hobgood w/ Charlie Haden & Kurt Elling- When The Heart Dances- The Independent on Sunday review
"Welcome to a new piano star." "Pick of the album: 'Que Sera Sera': with Haden's tender solo"
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Laurence Hobgood w/ Charlie Haden & Kurt Elling-When The Heart Dances-York press review
"This album is a slow burner, a quiet beast which creeps up on you with repeated listening"
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Laurence Hobgood with Charlie Haden & Kurt Elling- When The Heart Dances- All Music Guide
"An excellent recording from start to finish"
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Laurence Hobgood w/ Charlie Haden & Kurt Elling-When The Heart Dances-Jazz Breakfast Review
"There are many other delights here: the sound of the recording is as effortlessly natural [and] a disc which goes on revealing new insights and nuances with each listen."
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Laurence Hobgood w/ Charlie Haden & Kurt Elling-When The Heart Dances-jazzwise
"There's a wonderful, relaxed sympathy between Hobgood and Haden - when you're this good, you don't have to should about it"
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When The Heart Dances in Sunday Post
"a mix of joyful piano jazz frm one of the best in the business"
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