Peter Zak
{{short description|American jazz pianist and composer (born 1965)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Peter Zak
| image =
| caption =
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| birth_name =
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| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|5|13|mf=y}}
| death_place =
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| instrument = Piano
| genre = Jazz
| occupation = Musician, composer
| years_active = Late 1980s–present
| label =
| associated_acts =
| website = [http://www.peterzakmusic.com peterzakmusic.com]
| current_members =
| past_members =
}}
Peter Zak (born May 13, 1965) is an American jazz pianist and composer.
Life and career
Zak grew up in Ohio.{{cite book|last1=Cook|first1=Richard|authorlink1=Richard Cook (journalist)|last2=Morton|first2=Brian|authorlink2=Brian Morton (Scottish writer)|year=2008|title=The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings|edition=9th|publisher=Penguin|page=1538|isbn=0141034017}} He studied classical piano between the ages of six and 20.Panken, Ted (September 2011) "Peter Zak – Melodic Intention". Down Beat. p. 20. He moved to Oakland, California with his parents at the age of 16. He studied history at the University of California, Berkeley, by the end of which he had local jazz gigs. He moved to New York City in 1989. There, he played with mainstream musicians including Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein, Joe Farnsworth, and Ryan Kisor. Zak began recording for SteepleChase Records in 2004.
Zak's playing was influenced by McCoy Tyner and Cedar Walton.
Discography
An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
=As leader/co-leader=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year recorded
!Title !Label !Personnel/Notes |
|---|
| 1989*
|More Than Love |Giana | |
| 1991*
|Purple Refrain |Giana | |
| 2004
|Peter Zak Trio |Trio, with Paul Gill (bass), Al Foster (drums) |
| 2005
|For Tomorrow |SteepleChase |Trio, with Paul Gill (bass), Willie Jones, III (drums) |
| 2007
|My Conception |SteepleChase |Solo piano |
| 2007
|Seed of Sin |SteepleChase |Trio, with Paul Gill (bass), Quincy Davis (drums) |
| 2007
|Blues on the Corner: The Music of McCoy Tyner |SteepleChase |Trio, with Paul Gill (bass), Quincy Davis (drums) |
| 2009
|The Decider |SteepleChase |Quartet, with Walt Weiskopf (tenor sax, soprano sax), Ugonna Okegwo (bass), Billy Drummond (drums) |
| 2010
|Down East |SteepleChase |Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Rodney Green (drums) |
| 2011
|Nordic Noon |SteepleChase |Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Billy Drummond (drums) |
| 2012
|The Eternal Triangle |SteepleChase |Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Billy Drummond (drums) |
| 2013
|The Disciple |SteepleChase |Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Willie Jones, III (drums) |
| 2014
|Standards |SteepleChase |Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Billy Drummond (drums) |
| 2017
|One Mind |Quartet, with Seamus Blake (tenor sax), Marcos Varela (bass), Billy Drummond (drums){{cite web |title=Peter Zak: One Mind Feat. Marcos Varela |url=https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/peter-zak-albums/6701-one-mind-feat-marcos-varela.html |website=Fresh Sounds Records |access-date=November 6, 2022}} |
=As sideman=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year recorded
!Leader !Title !Label |
|---|
| 1998
|{{sortname|Ryan|Kisor}} |The Usual Suspects |Fable |
| 1998
|{{sortname|Ryan|Kisor|nolink="1"}} |Point of Arrival |Criss Cross |
| 2001
|{{sortname|Ryan|Kisor|nolink="1"}} |The Dream |Criss Cross |
References
{{reflist}}
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Category:American jazz pianists
Category:American male jazz pianists
Category:20th-century American pianists
Category:21st-century American pianists