Dick Hyman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dick Hyman
Hyman (Eugene, Oregon, 2005)
Background information
Birth name	Richard Hyman
Born	(1927-03-08) March 8, 1927 (age 98) New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, swing, lounge, stride piano
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Piano, organ
Years active	1940s–present
Labels	MGM, Command, MCA, Concord Jazz, Chiaroscuro, Arbors
Associated acts	Ruby Braff, Bob Wilber

Richard Hyman (born March 8, 1927) is an American jazz pianist and composer. He has had a very long career, lasting over 70 years. During this time, he has been a pianist, organist, arranger, and music director. He also worked with electronic music and composed many pieces. In 2017, he was honored as a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters fellow. This is a very high award for jazz musicians.

People often praise Hyman for how many different styles he can play on the piano. DownBeat magazine called him a "pianist of longstanding grace and bountiful talent." They also said he could play almost any historical style. This includes stride piano, a lively jazz piano style, and even modern sounds.

His grandson, Adam Charlap Hyman, is a designer and artist.

Early Life and Music

Dick Hyman was born in New York City on March 8, 1927. He grew up in a town called Mount Vernon, New York. His older brother, Arthur, loved jazz music. He introduced Dick to famous jazz artists like Bix Beiderbecke and Art Tatum.

Dick Hyman also had classical music training. His uncle, Anton Rovinsky, was a concert pianist. Anton taught Dick how to play the piano. Dick learned about touch and classical pieces, especially by Beethoven. He also loved Chopin's music. Hyman said Chopin could take a melody and change it in many ways. This is very similar to how jazz musicians improvise.

In June 1945, Hyman joined the U.S. Army. He was then moved to the U.S. Navy band department. He worked with musicians who were more experienced than him. This helped him learn to read music better and play with other talented people. After leaving the Navy, he went to Columbia College. There, he won a piano contest. His prize was 12 free lessons with Teddy Wilson, a famous swing-era pianist. Hyman said this was when he "fell in love with jazz."

Music Career

Around 1950, Dick Hyman released his first solo piano songs. He also recorded albums using different names. For example, he was known as "Knuckles O'Toole" and "Willie the Rock Knox."

In the 1950s and early 1960s, Hyman worked as a studio musician. This meant he played music for many other artists. He performed with famous singers like Tony Bennett and Perry Como. He even played with Charlie Parker for Parker's only film appearance. From 1959 to 1961, he was the music director for Arthur Godfrey's television show.

Hyman has also worked on many films. He composed, arranged, and played music for several Woody Allen movies. These include Zelig and Radio Days. He also created music for other films like Moonstruck. He was the music director for a show called The Movie Music of Woody Allen. This show premiered at the Hollywood Bowl.

Beyond films, Hyman composed music for ballets. He wrote the score for Piano Man for the Cleveland/San Jose Ballet Company. He also worked with choreographer Twyla Tharp on several dance productions. In 2007, his musical Adventures of Tom Sawyer premiered in Eugene, Oregon.

In the 1960s, Hyman recorded pop albums using the Lowrey organ. Later, he started using the Moog synthesizer. He released albums like Moog: The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman. One of his songs, "The Minotaur," became a top 40 hit in 1969. This was the first Moog single to become a hit. Parts of his song "The Moog and Me" were even used by the artist Beck in his 1996 song "Sissyneck".

Hyman has performed at many jazz festivals and concert halls. Around 1995, he and his wife, Julia, moved to Venice, Florida.

Discography

As leader

See also

In Spanish: Dick Hyman para niños