Dennis Hamm

Dennis Hamm is a Grammy Nominated jazz pianist, composer, and producer based in Los Angeles. He began playing professionally at age 18 and has since worked with a diverse mix of artists. Currently he can be seen performing internationally with Thundercat, Alice Smith, whom he is musical director for, Knower, and Flying Lotus. Past tours and performances include Kenny Loggins, Chris Cornell, Babyface, Rhye, Josh Groban, Larry Carlton, Allan Holdsworth, Bilal, Jonathan Butler, Virgil Donati, Ryan Leslie, John Densmore (The Doors), and Judith Hill.

The albums Hamm appears on are also a testament to his versatility. His playing and writing can be found on albums as varied as Thundercat’s “It Is What It Is”, “Drunk”, and “Where The Giant’s Roam”, Simon Phillips’ Grammy Nominated jazz fusion album “Protocol 4”, Janelle Monae’s “Dirty Computer”, India Arie's "SongVersation", Louis Cole’s “Time”, Virgil Donati's "In This Life", MTV's Rock the Cradle winner Crosby Loggins' Indy Pop/Rock album "We All Go Home" and “We All Go Home”, the Prog-Rock guitarist Greg Howe's "Sound Proof", Katisse Buckingham's genre bending mix of hip-hop and modern jazz albums "Lyrical Worker" and "A World To The Wise", and a modern country release by American Idol finalist Amy Adams, which Hamm also produced.

Other artists he has performed or recorded with are Michael McDonald, Pete Escovedo, Miya Folick, Will Kennedy & Jimmy Haslip (The Yellowjackets), Walter Smith III, Jojo Mayer, Ronald Bruner Jr., Cliff Almond, Frank Gambale, Hadrien Feraud, Vinnie Calaiuta, Jimmy Johnson, Janek Gwizdala, Bob Reynolds, Marcus Belgrave, Tony Macalpine, Mike Miller, Thomas Pridgen, Sheila E, Tony Royster Jr., Jimmy Branly, Brian Bromberg, Renee Olstead, Carlitos del Puerto, Buck Owens' "Buckaroos", Monty Byrom, The Smokin' Armadillos, and his own original projects including funk/jazz group Mother Funk Conspiracy featuring L.A. saxophonist Zane Musa.
Hamm began playing the piano at age four and by college he had developed a passion for Jazz and Latin music. He attended Citrus College in Glendora and California State University Bakersfield where he studied piano and composition under Dr. Doug Davis. He was twice a member of the best combo and twice won the top pianist award at the largest west coast college jazz competition, Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival at UC Berkley.

Discography

• Thundercat - "It Is What It Is" April 3, 2020 / Brainfeeder
• Flying Lotus - "Flamagra" May 24, 2019 / Brainfeeder
• Cherry Glazerr - "Daddi (Reggie Watts Remix)" (Single) May 23, 2019 / Secretly Canadian
• Miya Folick - "Thingamajig (Live)" (Single) November 14, 2018
• Thundercat - "King of the Hill" (Single) October 30, 2018 / Brainfeeder
• Miya Folick - "Premonitions" October 26, 2018
• Louis Cole - "Time" August 10, 2018 / Brainfeeder
• Janelle Monáe - "Dirty Computer" April 27, 2018 / Bad Boy
• Thundercat - "Final Fight" (Single) April 26, 2018 / Brainfeeder
• Simon Phillips - "Protocol IV" (Grammy Nominated) Oct 26, 2017
• Lawrence Rothman - "The Book Of Law" October 13, 2017 / Downtown/Interscope Records
• Thundercat - "Drunk" Feb 24, 2017 / Brainfeeder
• Thundercat - "The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam" Jun 22, 2015 / Brainfeeder
• Virgil Donati - "In This Life" August 27, 2013
• Katisse - "A World To The Wise" July 25, 2013
• India Arie - "SongVersation" June 25, 2013 / Motown
• Josh Smith - "Don't Give Up On Me" January 1, 2013 / Crosscut Records
• Amy Adams - "Never Looking Back" (Produced by Dennis Hamm) August 28, 2012
• Josh Baze - "Hi-Heels & Low-Lifes" March 20, 2012 / Cartel Records
• Cab - "Live On Sunset" May 17, 2011 / Brunel Music
• Rich McCulley - "Starting All Over Again" Mar 16, 2010
• Polly Segal - "I'm Fine" (Produced by Dennis Hamm) February 18, 2010 / There Wolf Music
• Tommy Rickard - "Dream California" February 2, 2010
• Erica Gimpel - "Spread Your Wings And Fly" January 16, 2010 / Womans Paradise Music
• Sarah Stanley - "Tuesday Girl" September 5, 2009 / RMC Records
• Mia Sable - "Light" August 1, 2009 / Moduristic Records
• Crosby Loggins - "Time To Move" July 14, 2009 / Jive/Sony
• Alaskan Summer - "Alaskan Summer EP" June 15, 2009
• Sweet Talk Radio - "My Hallelujah" February 12, 2009 / Twopop Music
• Todd Herfindal - "Collective" September 29, 2008
• Seo Young Do - "Bridge" August 18, 2008 / Kang & Music
• Greg Howe - "Sound Proof" June 24, 2008 / Tone Center
• Vahag Turgutyan - "Short Stories" March 11, 2008
• Katisse - "Lyrical Worker" December 14, 2007
• Duff Ferguson - "Good Things" November 20, 2007 / Single Recordings
• Crosby Loggins & The Light - "We All Go Home" September 25, 2007 / Premier Artists
• Rich McCulley - "Cerro Gordo" September 04, 2007 / RMc
• Melvin Lee Davis & The Security Council - "Home Land" December 05, 2006 / Bassment Productions
• The Mains - "The Higher You Get, The Higher You Get" January 16, 2006 / Rock Show Records
• The Jane Doe's - "You Bring The Devil" May 6, 2006
• Mother Funk Conspiracy - "The Mother Funk Conspiracy" December 01, 2004 / House Keeping
• The Smokin' Armadillos - "Strike the Match" August 19, 2003 / House Keeping
• Karin Konnoff - "Karin Konnoff" August 01, 2003 / Fusskonn Entertainment
• Mento Buru - "Mento Buru" January, 2001 / Park Way Records
• Mother Funk Conspiracy - "Heavy Junk" 1998
• Mento Buru - "No Dancing Please" July 22, 1997


Music Videos

• Thundercat - "Black Qualls" - Jimmy Kimmel Live, Mar 10, 2020 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=imu9AooxLSg
• Alice Smith: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, Jan 31, 2018 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZOW4CvYAZ4
• Thundercat: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, Oct 18, 2017 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhVgbZdMdb0
• Kenny Loggins: "Footloose" - AXS TV, Apr 3, 2017 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-mpotaw0AA
• Thundercat - "A Fan's Mail" - The Current, Mar 10, 2017 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vQKh52dcOs
• Thomas Pridgen - DrumChannel.com, Jan 7, 2014 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruLWFYww6xI
• Everest - "Into the Grey" - The Late Show with David Letterman, Jan 4, 2013 - www.vimeo.com/120719789
• Bilal - "Is This Love" - Aug 30, 2010 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcrTUuvcXvc
• Chris Cornell - "When I'm Down" - Troubadour, January 29, 2010 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZrvbZ7_CSk