1990-2000

1990-2000 with Gregory Hillman

Between the years of 1990 and 2000 Gregory Hillman was very involved with music education and performance. Starting in 1992 Greg was very active in the North Kitsap High School Jazz Choir and Jazz Band. He played piano for both classes and his class mates included Jazz vocalists Bub Pratt, Elaina Troadstead, Amy Shaw, and Christina (Stina) Hultin. He also played with Kyle Rowland on trumpet, and Kevin Blackwood on Drums. Most people would believe that playing with the Highschool Jazz Band before and after school would be enough but Greg Hillman formed small groups outside of school that would play at the local coffee shops, churches, and outside parks in the evenings and on weekends.

1990-2000 Education at North Kitsap

Gregory Hillman left High School in 1993 to home school so that he would have more time to practice piano under the supervision of Lei Lani and share musical study with the students at the Multi Dimensional Educational Resource Center in Port Townsend. Even though he did not join the High School for standard classes he still participated in the Jazz Band and Choir. Greg taught other students how to play piano at the resource center and went on to compete in the Washington State Classical Piano competitions.

Gregory Hillman Scholarship

In 1995 Gregory Hillman received a full ride scholarship after a brutal audition process at Olympic College in Bremerton Washington which would have been his last year at NKHS. He played in both the Jazz Band under Kent Curris and the Jazz Choir at the college. He received private instruction from Kent and played with Jazz Bands outside of the class including Dave Carson’s Quintet “Downbeat” and various other small groups. Through the college Gregory Hillman was able to join the Monterey Jazz Festival and play on the Cruise Boat leaving from Monterey California up to Canada. There he met and played with many other artists including Roy Hargrove who is the founder of “RH Factor.”

1990-2000 University of Washington including Marc Seales

Gregory attended the University of Washington where he studied Jazz under Marc Seales and met other Jazz artists such as Victor Noriega, Eric Verlinde, and Tadd Morris. He studied music theory, dictation, transcription, African Ethnomusicology, performance, composition, and Jazz History. Outside of the University he played in touring groups such as Third World County with Adrian Morris and performed live for College parties, sororities, fraternities, other Greek events, as well as other college functions. Gregory graduated the University of Washington in 2000 and received a B. A. In Political Science and Music.