Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Kevin Hays was born in New York City on May 1, 1968 and was the youngest of four children. Raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, he began studying the piano at the age of six after hearing his amateur father play. He was initially interested in rock music and other things that he heard on the radio, and became more interested in jazz in his early teens. Initially self-taught, he later took lessons with Lou Stein, and attended several Interlochen Music Camps.

Hays played locally from 1982. He began playing in New York City  in 1985 while still in high school, then had a period in Nick Brignola’s band. He attended the Manhattan School of Music for a semester in 1986 before dropping out to concentrate on performing. His debut recording as a leader came in 1990 with the album El Matador on the Japanese label Jazz City.

He played regularly with a number of Bob Belden’s ensembles from the late 1980s, and in the 1990s he toured Japan and recorded with the Harper Brothers and worked with Steve Wilson, Benny Golson, Joshua Redman, Seamus Blake, and Eddie Henderson.

Between 1991 to 1993 he recorded three albums for SteepleChase Records. After SteepleChase, Kevin signed an album deal with Blue Note Records who initially released three of his albums as a leader. In 1995 he toured with saxophonist Sonny Rollins.

His trio with bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Bill Stewart have played together for 15 years. Hays also recorded under Stewart’s leadership, performed and recorded duets with pianist Brad Mehldau, released a duo album with Lionel Loueke and he has released a solo album. His New Day Trio, with Rob Jost on bass and Greg Joseph on drums, also finds Kevin singing on their first release, New Day.

Pianist Kevin Hays, who has more than twenty albums to his credit as leader or co-leader, continues to perform and record.

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