Paul Sullivan (born July 31, 1955) is an American

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

winning

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

and composer whose music blends

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 m ...

and classical styles. He is a member of the

Paul Winter Consort The Paul Winter Consort is an American musical group. Bassist Eliot Wadopian has been a member. Discography Films *''Canyon Consort'' (1985) References External linksLiving Music- Paul Winter's record label {{Authority control American j ...

Early life, education and early career

Sullivan was born and grew up in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

. He attended St. Paul's Choir School from its founding in 1963 until 1969. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1973 and

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

in 1977. Sullivan began playing jazz in New Haven, and moved to New York City in 1978 where he performed at Bradley's and other major

jazz club A jazz club is a venue where the primary entertainment is the performance of live jazz music, although some jazz clubs primarily focus on the study and/or promotion of jazz-music. Jazz clubs are usually a type of nightclub or bar, which is licens ...

s. He had a variety of freelance jobs including playing for and conducting Broadway shows.

Starting a record company

In 1988 Sullivan moved to

Brooklin, Maine Brooklin is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 827 at the 2020 census. History Brooklin was originally part the larger town of Sedgwick. Brooklin broke off and formed its own town in 1849. A few weeks later, ...

to write music. He and his wife, Jillson Knowles, founded the record company River Music. Sullivan is co-creator of the performance piece ''A Terrible Beauty,'' which is based on '' The Law of Dreams'' by

Peter Behrens Peter Behrens (14 April 1868 – 27 February 1940) was a leading German architect, graphic and industrial designer, best known for his early pioneering AEG Turbine Hall in Berlin in 1909. He had a long career, designing objects, typefaces, and ...

. The piece was performed in Maine and off-Broadway in New York City in 2010. His jazz ballad "Whisper" was a finalist in the 2009 International Songwriting Competition. The song was recorded by

Theresa Thomason Theresa Thomason is an American Gospel music singer. Musical career Thomason reached the airwaves with ''Fresh Enuff'', a popular club single and a winning performance at the Apollo Theater in New York City. She toured Europe for over 10 year ...

, with whom he regularly performs, and appears on his album ''Break Away'' with his jazz ensemble PS Jazz. In the 1990s his record label published books on tape, which included ''White on White'', a selection of

E.B. White Elwyn Brooks White (July 11, 1899 – October 1, 1985) was an American writer. He was the author of several highly popular books for children, including ''Stuart Little'' (1945), '' Charlotte's Web'' (1952), and ''The Trumpet of the Swan'' ...

essays read by Joel White. Sullivan's first major choral work, River, premiered in 2010 by the Bagaduce Chorale of

Blue Hill, Maine Blue Hill is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,792 at the 2020 census. It is home to the Blue Hill Public Library, Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, George Stevens Academy, the Blue Hill Harbor School, The Bay Sch ...

. He has composed for the Pilobolus Dance Theater.

Writing

Sullivan is also known for his writing. In the spring of 1994 he attended the International Cello Festival in Manchester England with

Eugene Friesen Eugene Friesen (born 1952) is an American cellist and composer. Early life Friesen was born in 1952 to Russian Mennonite parents. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Music. Career Friesen has been a member of the Paul Winter Consort since ...

. Sullivan's story about this event called "The Cellist of Sarajevo" was published in ''Hope Magazine'', ''

Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wif ...

'', ''The Book of Hope'', ''Life Touched With Wonder: Windows of Hope'' and numerous blogs.

Awards

Sullivan received a Grammy Award as a member of the

for the 2006 album ''Silver Solstice''. He received two NAIRD Indie Awards. In 1992 he won in the category of Seasonal Music for ''Christmas in Maine'', and in 1997 he won in the category of Spoken Word for ''White on White''.

Discography

* 1987: ''Sketches of Maine'' * 1988: ''A Visit to the Rockies'' * 1990: ''Folk Art'' * 1991: ''Nights in the Gardens of Maine'' * 1992: ''Christmas in Maine'' * 1993: ''A Paul Sullivan Collection'' * 1993: ''Wild Fox'' - book on tape * 1995: ''Half Truths and Whole Lies'' - book on tape * 1996: ''Circle 'Round the Seasons'' * 1996: ''White on White'' - book on tape * 1996: ''50s Slow Dance'' * 1997: ''More 50s Slow Dances'' * 1998: ''60s Sweet and Bittersweet'' * 1998: ''Young at Heart'' * 1999: ''Slow Sweet Swing'' * 2002: ''Songs Without Words'' * 2003: ''Yuletide'' * 2005: ''Silver Solstice'' - Grammy Award winner * 2007: ''Christmas in Maine'' - guest appearance * 2007: ''My Irish Soul'' * 2008: ''Break Away'' * 2010: ''Amazing Music of Maine'' - guest appearance * 2010: ''Painters, Poets and Players'' - guest appearance * 2011: ''Christmas Pure and Simple'' - with Rosie Upton * 2011: ''Paul & Theresa: Favorite Duos, Vol. 1'' - with Theresa Thomason

References

External links

River Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Paul American male composers 20th-century American composers New-age pianists Chamber jazz pianists Windham Hill Records artists Grammy Award winners Smooth jazz pianists 1955 births Living people Musicians from Boston Phillips Exeter Academy alumni Yale University alumni American male writers People from Brooklin, Maine 20th-century American pianists American male pianists 21st-century American pianists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Paul Winter Consort members