Paul Hecht
pauljhecht.bsky.social
Paul Hecht
@pauljhecht.bsky.social
Pianist, composer, writer. Chicago & Eau Claire, WI. I write about jazz at pauljhecht.substack.com | Book on poetry in the late 16th century _What Rosalind Likes_ (OUP, 2022)
That piano post got more feedback than many I have written—not sure how to promote it, but people did find it interesting. I don't mind speaking into the void, of course :)
January 27, 2026 at 6:17 PM
How much does a Steinway cost these days anyway?
Piano shop
A dip into two sides of a strange economy
pauljhecht.substack.com
January 23, 2026 at 6:34 PM
My latest post, on jazz-poetry interactions by modern, existing musical organizations. It's fiery, thrilling stuff (not my writing, of course . . .).
Nothing lost, that may be found, if sought
Moten/López/Cleaver and Irreversible Entanglements
pauljhecht.substack.com
January 17, 2026 at 6:21 PM
"It's not super experimental, but it's also not *not* experimental."
I talked with Alta Vista about their new record Won't Believe in Dust—a Chicago trio blending free jazz, post-rock, and vintage Americana into something genuinely hard to categorize.
Alta Vista, or, A Country Band That Also Does Free Jazz
On their new record
open.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 10:22 PM
An amazing *Christmas* song if you don't know it, first recommended to me by Matt Gold and Jim Tashjian of Storm Jameson. pauljhecht.substack.com/p/arthur-mcb...
Arthur McBride
Paul Brady singing and self-accompanying
pauljhecht.substack.com
December 14, 2025 at 10:09 PM
"What does this music need from me? What do I feel is right to offer in this moment? Over and over again, regardless of what your instrument is."
What does the music want?
An interview with Stephan Crump
pauljhecht.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Thanksgiving post on two sets of fully improvised music at the Hungry Brain in Chicago. Just another Sunday in the long-running series . . . and stunning from first minute to last.
Extensions, Unexpected Grooves
Notes on a doubleheader from Nov 23 at the Hungry Brain
pauljhecht.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:46 PM
This went up last week: Caroline Davis's recent work using poetry in a variety of ways to create music was so fascinating to me, and I also had the great luck of hearing her in two very different performance situations a couple of weeks apart—which came with its own set of revelations . . .
At home and on the road
Reflecting on hearing Caroline Davis in NY and MSP
open.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:53 PM
This was a super-fun show to play, and it's delightful that WVPE devoted a show to it!
‘The Sauce Live’ EP 40 from Merrimans Playhouse featuring Paul Hecht's Pyrography Quintet Saturday November 15th at 12 noon
‘The Sauce Live' from Merrimans Playhouse in South Bend IN with host Dawn Burns Saturday November 15th at 12 noon Eastern.
www.wvpe.org
November 26, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Hello Bluesky! Apparently it's easier to share links here and chat with other folks interested in things like this—an amazing new album from Juan Pastor's Chinchano band—a jewel of the Chicago scene . . .
Memorias
Juan Pastor's new release
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:15 PM