Pablo Held (born 27 December 1986) is a German

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

pianist and composer.

Life and career

Held was born on 27 December 1986. He is from

Hagen Hagen () is the Largest cities in Germany, 41st-largest List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany. The municipality is located in the States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the south eastern edge of the R ...

. His father played the piano and introduced him to the music of

Federico Mompou Frederic Mompou Dencausse (; alternatively Federico Mompou; 16 April 189330 June 1987) was a Spanish and Catalan composer and pianist. He is remembered for his solo piano music and songs. Life Early years Mompou was born in Barcelona to the ...

. Held was also influenced and taught by pianist John Taylor. Held won the WDR Improvisation Prize in 2011."Postcards from Cologne (2). The WDR Jazz Prizewinners Concert"
(31 October 2011) London Jazz News. Parts of a concert with guitarist

John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951), sometimes referred to as "Sco", is an American guitarist and composer whose music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention in the ...

in Cologne in January 2014 were released as ''The Trio Meets John Scofield''. Held's album ''Recondita Armonia'' was reviewed by ''

Down Beat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...

'': "Held puts an individual spin on the typical ballad album by drawing on all classical themes."Bambarger, Bradley (January 2016) "Pablo Held Trio – Recondita Armonia". ''Down Beat''. p. 66.

Playing and composing style

Pianist

Kit Downes Kit Downes is a BBC Jazz Award winning, Mercury Music Award nominated, solo recording artist for ECM Records. He has toured the world playing piano, church organ and harmonium with his own bands ('ENEMY', 'Troyka', 'Elt' and 'Vyamanikal') a ...

observed that Held "has developed a way of performing with his trio where all 3 of them know each others parts for every tune – so anyone can cue any part of any tune by just playing a small part of it (even if it's in the middle of another tune) – so that they then seamlessly link in other material to the mix".Downes, Kit (28 November 2013
"Preview: Kit Downes Writes About Pablo Held. Double Bill with Both Trios – Pizza Express. 5th December"
London Jazz News.

Discography

An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.

As leader/co-leader

As sideman

Gallery

Image:Pablo-Held.jpg, Held at the

Aarhus Jazz Festival Aarhus Jazz Festival (formerly Aarhus International Jazz Festival) is an eight-day jazz festival in Aarhus, Denmark. It is held every year in July, August or September. The festival performs at the Aarhus Concert Hall, as well as many different ...

, Denmark, 2014

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Held, Pablo German jazz pianists Living people 1986 births 21st-century pianists Edition Records artists Pirouet Records artists