As an infant, her grandpa Sam sang to her in his native Ladino. When she was three she taught herself to play the piano. At 7 she wrote her first song. And by the time she was ten, she was exploring Latin rhythms with her Flamenco dancing Aunt.
. . . But that was just the beginning of Jill Talvé's lifelong journey through music.
Born into a Sephardic family, Jill has always been influenced by traditional jewish music from Spain, Turkey , and Greece. But that’s not her only inspiration. She also studied classical music at Manhattan School of Music and at Tanglewood Music Center. She was moved by opera and was deeply influenced by songwriters like Carole King and Karla Bonoff .Passionate about music, Jill learned to listen to her favorite pieces and play them back almost immediately- by ear.
So how did this musical prodigy end up as an executive in the Stainless Steel industry? After a brief period in the music business in her early 20’s, Jill went into the family business. She imported and exported stainless steel for more than 20 years. Her job, though not a creative one, inspired her artistically in ways she never imagined.
She frequently traveled to China, India, and other points around the globe. Along the way, she gained insight into other cultures and religions, insight that already added to her well-honed songwriting skills. As the years passed, Jill wrote dozens of songs with themes ranging from the River Ganges to the Garden of Eden. Currently, Jill is spending her time and energy on her music. She released her first CD “Take a walk with me” in 2007 to rave reviews. Presently she is recording a collection of songs co-written with songwriter Dean Panagot on a project titled “Out of the Blue”, scheduled for release sometime in 2012. Jill is currently performing these songs and others with her Trio “Jilly Live” to receptive audiences all over.
In addition to her CD, Jill has been in the studio with Tom Manoff on a collection of original songs titled”Naked in the Park” and is also working on a documentary titled ”Sephardic Lullaby” that will trace her family’s history through music from Spain to Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.