David Hazeltine

The highly respected jazz pianist David Hazeltine was born in Milwaukee in 1958 and had his first professional engagement at the age of 13 working for the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery, a local musical institution which served as a springboard for a number of aspiring Wisconsin jazz men. He then began working with the legendary Chet Baker who mentored the young pianist and suggested he move to New York to take advantage of any opportunities which might arise in the city's burgeoning jazz scene. Hazeltine acted on Baker's advice, moved to New York in 1992 and formed a trio with the bassist Peter Washington and renowned drummer Louis Hayes. After the trio disbanded Hazeltine worked for a variety of artists including Slide Hampton and his big band, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and the acclaimed jazz sextet One for All, one of the most critically acclaimed jazz ensembles of the 1990s. In addition to his work with other artists, Hazeltine has recorded four solo albums, the first of which 'Four Flights Up' was released in 1995. Since 2015 he has run an online tutorial for jazz piano which he uses to pass on his considerable experience to students from all over the globe.