Biography
Pianist Kent Hewitt has been a mainstay of jazz and popular piano in Southern New England for many years.
A consummate soloist and accompanist, he has been musical director for numerous popular Connecticut jazz clubs. Kent leads his own trio which features a “Tribute to the Great Pianists” of the Golden Era of Jazz.
He has recorded TV jingles for Don Elliott Productions and also recorded for Playscape Records with Michael Mussilami, Randy Brecker, Ray Drummond, Claudio Roditi, Ralph Moore, Thomas Chapin, as well as for Janet Marlow and Phyllis Hyman. He has performed in concert with jazz legends Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Kenny Burrell, Chet Baker, Jackie McLean, Steve Rossi, Jon Hendricks, Cassandra Wilson, among many others. (See List ) In 2005 Kent released a CD of his own compositions called Little Town by the Sea, a tribute to Noank, a maritime village in his hometown of Groton, CT. The CD was commissioned by the Noank Historical Society and the Groton Tercentennial Committee for Groton’s 300th anniversary. His original compositions were featured in the documentary film: Groton, Connecticut, Past, Present, and Future, 1705-2005.
Kent Hewitt at
Hartford Jazz Society Cruise
Kent was the first pianist to open at the famous Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City. He has been solo pianist at the Atrium Hotel in the World Trade Center, NYC and house pianist at the noted New York jazz club- Jimmy Ryan’s and has toured Europe with Czech trumpeter Laco Deczi. He has collaborated with writer Melanie Greenhouse and composed music for her popular theatrical productions: Point of Land and The Duchess. He has also collaborated with Connecticut Poet Laureate Marilyn Nelson for the prestigious Sunken Gardens poetry festival and recorded a CD: Poems to Music.
He recently composed and performed music for a spoken word CD for the children’s book, The Ladder.
International Teaching
Kent started his international teaching instruction on YouTube in 2015, and currently has 144,000 subscribers, and 16 million views, with over 500 video tutorials and more than 100 free music scores.
Kent holds a music degree in Theory and Composition from the University of Connecticut, a business degree from Boston University, and a holistic science degree from The American College of Nutripathy, Scottsdale, AZ.
He has studied piano and theory with Ray Santisi, Charlie Mariano, Hal Galper, Fred Hersch, Ron Brown, and Hale Smith. He has taught for Berklee College of Music, Trinity College, The Hartford Conservatory, The Music School of the Rhode Island Philharmonic as well as Summerkeys in Maine. He also has been active as a performer and clinician for the Hartford Jazz Society.
Additional highlights
Kent has performed in concert as an opening act for Ray Charles, Roberta Flack, Cab Calloway, Diana Krall, Thelonious Monk, and Bill Evans. He performed with the famous Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra at the Ritz-Carlton in Palm Beach. Kent played at New York’s noted jazz club Birdland with Giacomo Gates. He performed at the Clearwater Jazz Festival with Shawnn Monteiro. He is a featured jazz pianist with top R&B artist, Phyllis Hyman on her best- selling recording, Prime Of My Life. His trio has been a headliner at Foxwoods Casino on numerous occasions.
