Liz Story | |
---|---|
Cover of Story's self-titled album
|
|
Background information | |
Born |
San Diego, California, U.S. |
October 28, 1956
Genres | New-age |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
Instruments | Piano |
Years active | 1983–present |
Labels | Windham Hill, Novus, DMI |
Website | www |
Liz Story (born October 28, 1956) is an American pianist.
Story was born in San Diego, California and played classical music as a child. She studied at Juilliard School and was a student at Hunter College when she saw jazz pianist Bill Evans perform at a club in New York City. She dropped out of Hunter and studied jazz piano with Sanford Gold, whom Evans recommended.
Story returned to California, studying music at UCLA and at the Dick Grove Music Workshops. She took a job playing piano at a French restaurant, but the piano lacked a stand for holding up sheet music, so she was compelled to improvise. She sent some tapes of her work to William Ackerman of Windham Hill Records, and he signed her to the label.
For the 1989 film Worth Winning, Story composed and performed "Forgiveness" and "Worth Winning". Her hands were used in the film to simulate the piano playing by actress Madeline Stowe.
Two of Story's compositions, "Wedding Rain" and "Things With Wings" have been covered by pianist Isadar. He also based a "Greensleeves" arrangement (as a homage) on Story's original version which appeared on Windham Hill's compilation, A Winter's Solstice (1986).