Having first come to prominence as a member of the funk-jazz collective Fat Mama, pianist/composer Erik has taken his talents across the globe to play with some of the finest musicians alive. Born in Washington D.C. and currently a 13+ year resident of Brooklyn, NY, Erik exists in many musical worlds, performing and recording with jazz, pop, rock, bluegrass and country artists like Norah Jones, Rosanne Cash, Citizen Cope, Charlie Hunter, Leftover Salmon, Shooter Jennings, Alice Smith, Shelby Lynne, Theo Bleckmann, Jessi Coulter, Allison Moorer, Phillip Phillips, Dori Freeman, Joey Arias, Devotchka, Erin McKeown, Teddy Thompson, Ben Allison, Steven Bernstein, Ellery Eskelin, Jim Campilongo, Nels Cline, Jenny Scheinman, Elvis Perkins, Allison Miller, Ron Miles, Todd Sickafoose, and Art Lande.
In 2016, Erik joined forces with Colorado polyethnic-cajun-slamgrass legendary bandLeftover Salmon and has been a full-time member ever since. In 2011 Erik teamed with Shooter Jennings to tour and record two acclaimed records, Family Man and The Other Life. Since 2012, Erik has played hunreds of shows with pop artist Citizen Cope and Deutsch’s collaboration with his wife, Victoria Reed, including her debut 2016 album Chariot, is ongoing and expanding.
Deutsch holds the distinction of being the only keyboardist to tour regularly with 7-string guitar master Charlie Hunter, touring from 2007 to 2009 and recording Mistico (2008) and Baboon Strength (2009).
2018 marked the release of Erik’s 6th album, Falling Flowers. His previous records include Creatures (2016), Outlaw Jazz (2015) Demonio Teclado (2012), Hush Money (2009), and Fingerprint (2007).
THE HISTORY…
Erik was born in Washington D.C. in the fall of 1976. Influenced early by his grandfather (a professional musician), his father (a barroom pianist), and his opera-singing nanny, Erik headed to Vanderbilt University for Suzuki piano lessons at age 6 and never looked back. Upon arriving at the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1995, Erik began studies with pianists Art Lande, Greg Dyes, and Robert Spillman. It wasn’t long before he formed Fat Mama. Members Joe Russo, Jonathan Goldberger, Kevin Kendrick, Jonti Siman, Jon Gray, and Brett Joseph are still frequent collaborators.
After completing his degree from CU in piano performance, Erik stayed in Boulder, CO developing a busy career as a performer and teacher. He played frequently in an incredible variety of local musical situations spanning many genres and styles. County Road X, a cinematic Americana ensemble, formed by Deutsch in 2001 and released two records: Self-titled (2002) and From Seed to Stone (2004). Triangle, a piano trio feat. Erik’s mentor Art Lande on drums released Three Sides to a Question in 2004.
In the summer of 2005, Erik packed his things and moved shop to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he did everything you could possibly imagine and became a true New Yorker. Fast forward to 2019 for the biggest adventure yet: Erik and his wife Victoria Reed call the beautiful Colonia Roma Norte in Mexico City, MX their new home.
The Sounds Of Brooklyn & Beyond
104.3 Radio Universidad De Guadalajara
Hosted by Erik Deutsch
Airs every Thursday night as a segment on the legendary Guadalahara Jazz Show “Solo Jazz”