Pianist Richard "Tardo" Hammer was born in 1958 in Queens, N.Y. He took an interest in music as a small child, as both of his parents were amateur musicians. At age 5, Hammer began playing piano, and he went on to explore the clarinet and guitar before coming back to the piano by the time he was 13. As a teenager, Hammer was devouring the music of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. By age 15, he'd formed his own sextet. In 1999, Hammer signed with a label and released Hammer Time. His fourth and most recent album is Look Stop and Listen, an album of Tadd Dameron compositions.
Tardo Hammer - piano
Marian Mcpartland - piano