TODD HILDRETH BIOGRAPHY
Todd's first instrument was the accordion at age 10. He took to the instrument well, but found himself switching to piano after seeing a performance by Jerry Lee Lewis at age twelve. Todd found a gift for improvisation, but didn't take his talents seriously through high school.
Todd enrolled in Bellarmine College (now Bellarmine University) in 1985 with the intention of becoming a high school English teacher. As he roamed the campus and found empty practice rooms to play around in, he began to befriend students and faculty at Bellarmine. By the end of his first semester, he switched his major to Music with a Jazz Emphasis (though he would go on to earn an additional BA in English from Bellarmine).
For the next ten years, Todd would make his living as a freelance jazz, commercial, and liturgical musician, quickly gaining the reputation as a creative and versatile improvising musician. In 1992, he founded the Java Men, an all-original jazz unit that won the LEO poll's "Best Jazz Band" four consecutive times. Java Men released four CDs in their 12-year existence, and toured the country several times, making several appearances at The Knitting Factory in New York City.
In the year 1999, Todd was invited to join the faculty of Jamey Aebersold's Summer Jazz Camps. The faculty has boasted such luminaries as David Baker, Kenny Werner, Eric Alexander and Lynne Arriale.
Shortly afterward, he was asked to become the music director for Ascension Lutheran Church in Louisville, and was hired by Bellarmine University to join their Jazz and Music Technology faculty.
In the course of his career, Todd has performed with, recorded with, or opened for The Coasters, The Platters, Martha and The Vandellas, Eugene Chadbourne, Jimmy Raney, Conrad Herwig, Buckwheat Zydeco, The Monkees, Liberation Prophecy, Love Jones, King Kong (at Lollapalooza), Dave Stryker, Victor Wooten, The Shangri-Las, Brian Setzer, Liz Phair, Aretha Franklin and Nora Jones. He has performed at NYC’s Knitting Factory, Lollapalooza and the Blue Note.
In 2005, Todd started his own record label. His first release, From The Hip, has been a featured recording on Pandora.com. He continues to be involved in Louisville’s most creative ensembles, including Liberation Prophecy, Squeeze-bot and the Todd Hildreth Trio. Squeeze-bot’s first self-titled effort was released in the fall of 2008.
In 2007, Todd was asked to lead the orchestra for the Louisville’s yearly telethon-The Crusade For Children and has since become the musical director for the yearly event.
