Author: ROBERTA PIKET

Posted on

I Won the DownBeat Critics’ Poll

Let’s cut to the chase. Most of you know me as a pianist. What am I doing in the picture above sitting at a Hammond B3 organ?

The fact is I’m celebrating. I was just named Rising Star Organist of the Year in the 2018 Downbeat Critics poll . I know people always say, “This is a great honor and I am humbled,”, butreally, this is a great honor and I am humbled!

I’ve actually been playing organ for quite some time. In fact, I play organ on several tracks on three CDs you can check out: Two are Billy Mintz CDs: Mintz Quartet(2013) and Ugly Beautiful (2017) . There’s also an organ burner duo with Billy on Relent , from my 2011 CD Sides, Colors . Check them out!

Note: In a nod to my occasional piano work 😉 , I came in at #16 in the Rising Star Piano category. Seriously I’m very pleased to receive this acknowledgement, especially given how many phenomenal pianists there are on the scene right now.

As always, thank you for your support, especially the poll participants!