Hank Hehmsoth

Hank Hehmsoth is a pianist, composer, arranger, and educator based in Austin, Texas. He has been an active member of the jazz community for over 40 years and has performed and recorded with a variety of artists and ensembles. Hank Hehmsoth is known for his innovative approach to composition and improvisation. He draws inspiration from classical, world, and avant-garde jazz. In addition to his unique approach to jazz composition, Hehmsoth's works often include a visual aspect. He is also a painter of abstract artwork which accompanies his compositions, integrating large-scale art pieces that contribute to his creative vision. Notable works that showcase this combination of music and visual art include "Chernobyl Cha Cha" (2022), "Circling In" (2022), “Cabo” (2023), and "Code Blue" (2023).  

Hehmsoth has released several albums as a bandleader, including "Exits" (1997), "Exits 3" (2000), and "Night Rhythms" (2013). He has also collaborated with other jazz musicians, including saxophonists Bob Mintzer and Joe Henderson. He has received numerous awards for his work, including being named a MacDowell Norton Stevens Fellow, a NEA Fellow in Jazz, a Fulbright Senior Specialist in American Studies, and the ASCAP Plus Award for Jazz Composition.   
Hank has over 500 videos on his YouTube Official Artist Channel @HanksJazz  which includes major research contributions:  
Austin Jazz Composers Collective  
Just Jazz - rare performances from the 1970 TV broadcasts 
The History of Jazz Drums
Jerry Goldsmith Cinemagic retrospective  
In addition to his performance career, Hehmsoth is a respected educator and teaches jazz piano and composition at Texas State University. His students include international students from China, Serbia, Chile, Brazil, Ecuador, and Romania. He has also led workshops and master classes around the world as a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Jazz, sharing his knowledge and passion for jazz music with aspiring musicians. As a research scholar, Hank is a Jazz Research Fellow for the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University. He has produced the Dan Morgenstern Collection for the National Endowment for the Arts, and discovered rare performances from the 1970 TV broadcasts of "Just Jazz" presumed lost for 50 years.  

Hank's artistic works reflect a compelling consciousness for music to reflect positively on our place in a global community.  He is a Distinguished Academic Member of the International Conference on Visual and Performing Arts in Athens, Greece, and placed first in the 2010 National Association of Composers USA competition. Nominated five times for the Texas State University Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, Hank won the Dean's Seminar Award in 2015.