Portfolio
Selected Works in Jazz Composition,
Performance, and Visual Art
This portfolio features selected works by Hank Hehmsoth, highlighting original jazz compositions, live performances, and interdisciplinary collaborations. From solo recordings to visual art projects, each piece reflects a commitment to creative expression across sound, form, and improvisation.
Jazz Shorts Video Highlights
🎶 Full playlist below. Use the selector to choose videos ⬇️.
A curated video showcase - handpicked collection of 30 second video shorts offers a fast-paced, visually engaging preview of Hank Hehmsoth and the Double Vision Jazz Ensemble in performance.
🔹 Live performance highlights
🔹 Track excerpts from the albums Blu-Escape and Exit
🔹 Original compositions and improvisational moments
🔹 Shot on stage at Monks Jazz, Elephant Room, and Supple Concert Series
This playlist gives you a quick, authentic glimpse of the artist’s dynamic style and creative range.
Blu-Escape
Medium: Jazz Composition / Album An exploration of lyrical abstraction in harmony and rhythm. Released: ©2024 Time Space Fabrics.
“Blu-Escape” - title cut featured as Song of the Day on All About Jazz.
"Cabo" - track from Blu-Escape featured on Bob Osborne's World of Jazz.
Media: Experience the full project through an immersive, interactive album page — featuring 9 original compositions and 9 corresponding artworks.
Click artwork to view full-screen while the music plays.
🎖️ Highlights & Achievements
• Founder HPPAA – non-profit arts association View Initiatives→
• Christopher Cross World Tour – Grammy Keyboardist View Tour →
• Fulbright Senior Scholar in Jazz – International residencies View Travels →
• Jazz Columnist – All About Jazz Read Articles →
• International Compilations – on Spotify, iHeart, Pandora View Compilations→
• Professor of Practice – Texas State University View Faculty Profile →
• Research Projects – NEA, PBS, View Projects →
• Highlights (PDFs) - Artist Bio →, Double Vision →, 100 Years @ Paramount →
Select Works
“The Way Up is a sonic journey unlike any other—an 8-minute odyssey of improvisation that evolves from serene tranquility to explosive energy. The trio’s interplay is seamless, a true musical conversation that captivates from start to finish. More than a song, it’s an experience—dynamic, alive, and impossible to ignore. It deserves to be heard.”
— Ron Murx – United Arab Emirates
Projects
Time Space Fabrics
Jazz-inspired abstractions woven through time, space, and sound
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The Reach for Innocence
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The Way Up
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Four Corners
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Hand Dances
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Sax Solo
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Cow Jumped over the Moon
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Chernobyl Cha Cha
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Dark Wing
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Double Vision
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Pulse Drive
Large-Scale Works
“Two Desert Dances”
Awarded a prestigious MacDowell Fellowship in 2011, Hank Hehmsoth’s “Two Desert Dances” merges jazz with rare Native American recordings from the 1950s. Inspired by archival field recordings from New Mexican Native Americans, the pieces reflect Hank’s deep research and creative integration of traditional melodies with contemporary jazz. Selected as the MacDowell Norton Stevens Fellow, one of the highest honors for U.S. artists, recognizing contributions to the global arts community.
"Three Shades of Blue," a unique chamber jazz composition by Hank Hehmsoth, commissioned by the renowned Kandinsky Trio. Premiered on April 16, 2013, this work blurs the lines between contemporary art music and jazz, capturing the essence of genre fusion. The piece was composed to celebrate the Kandinsky Trio’s 25th anniversary, a milestone for one of America’s longest-standing chamber ensembles, known for their dedication to both classical and modern repertoire.
Performed by the Kandinsky Trio—Elizabeth Bachelder on piano, Benedict Goodfriend on violin, and Alan Weinstein on cello—this composition was presented alongside Texas State University’s Common Experience theme, “A Global Odyssey: Exploring Our Connections to the Changing World.” Three Shades of Blue reflects the evolving landscape of music and our connections in an ever-changing world.
“Scary Movie” (1991)
– A Cult Classic Scored by Hank Hehmsoth Decades before Scary Movie became a household name, the original 1991 Austin-filmed horror satire made its mark, featuring Academy Award nominee John Hawkes in his film debut. Hank crafted a chilling orchestral score that has since received renewed acclaim, accompanying the film’s limited re-release through the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA). His innovative soundtrack, created on a low budget with an Akai S1000 sampler, evokes suspense with eerie strings, inventive sound effects, and haunting percussion. Praised for its ahead-of-its-time sound, Hehmsoth’s score has garnered attention for its complex, atmospheric quality. Film critic James Jay Edwards noted the score’s eerie melodies and “ominous chord beds,” calling it one of the film’s standout elements. Scored in close collaboration with director Daniel Erickson, Hehmsoth’s work on Scary Movie was crafted to evoke classic horror soundscapes on a limited budget, showcasing his improvisational skill in blending orchestral elements with inventive sound effects.
View the film’s listing on IMDB: Scary Movie
“Freedom STOMP”
an original composition by jazz composer Hank Hehmsoth, performed live on April 12, 2012, at Mysterium for New Music. Freedom STOMP blends jazz with the spirit of the American Indian Stomp Dance, creating a rhythmic energy that invites listeners to consider the possibilities of self-expression and freedom in music. Listen closely, and you might even catch echoes of the Star-Spangled Banner woven into the improvisation. This piece is a tribute to the liberties protected by the First Amendment, using music to celebrate the right to create without limits.
"RITÚ DEL SOL ANDES: DIEM" (1996): This program cover commemorates Hank Hehmsoth's original ballet composition, "Ritú Del Sol Andes: Diem," a groundbreaking work of world music for Andean flutes and tribal drums. Commissioned by Ballet Austin and choreographed by director Toni Bravo for the Kinesis Dance/Theatre Project, the ballet premiered at the Mary Moody Northen Theatre in Austin, TX, on June 7–8, 1996.
Blending Hehmsoth’s signature jazz orchestration with Andean cultural themes, the piece celebrates the vitality of ritual and sunlight through its evocative fusion of jazz, world music, and contemporary dance. This preserved program cover showcases the artistic vision behind this dynamic collaboration, marking a significant milestone in Hehmsoth's career as a composer and cultural innovator.
“Carlos 'n Charlie's”
Dedicated to The Knights of Steel, this vibrant composition for steel band celebrates global rhythms and the spirit of unity. Inspired by the renowned South American club chain, Carlos 'n Charlie's combines Caribbean influences with jazz improvisation, creating a dynamic fusion that embodies the joy and energy of steel band music.
Commissioned by New Music USA and supported by the City of Austin’s Cultural Arts Division, Carlos 'n Charlie's premiered at the One World Theatre during the 15th Annual Inside Out Steelband Festival. Winner of the JCOI Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute Special Recognition Award in 2010, this work continues to resonate, blending traditional steel band sounds with contemporary jazz in a tribute to the vibrant spirit of international collaboration.
“X-trusions: A Déjà Vu in 4D” for String Quartet
a large-scale composition by Hank Hehmsoth that blends the improvisational spirit of jazz with the intricate precision of contemporary classical music. Written for string quartet, the work was inspired by a vivid dream and initially conceived as a jazz piece for the Hank Hehmsoth Trio. This piece was awarded First Place in the 2010 NACUSA Texas Composition Competition and was premiered at the International Joint Conference on Latin-American and Modern Music. Its fusion of styles and innovative structure reflect Hehmsoth's approach to merging genres and exploring new musical frontiers.
"Lady Bird Johnson: Legacy of a First Lady"
Hank Hehmsoth composed the original score for this 1999 documentary produced by the U.S. National Park Service, which chronicles the life, achievements, and lasting contributions of Lady Bird Johnson. The film celebrates her role as a pioneer in environmental conservation and her influence as First Lady of the United States. The documentary is screened hourly at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Johnson City, Texas.
Inscription: “for Hank Hehmsoth, whose talents added pleasure and charm to “my film” on this special day” – Lady Bird Johnson
View the film’s listing on IMDB: Lady Bird Johnson Documentary
"WALK WITH ME" (1996): Program cover from the premiere of "WALK WITH ME," an original musical play composed, directed, and performed by Hank Hehmsoth. Commissioned by St. Edward's University and presented at the Mary Moody Northern Theatre from April 16-28, 1996, this innovative work was directed by Melba Martinez with a script by David Kramer and story by Martinez. The musical explores themes of medieval spirituality, drawing on the ancient practice of contemplative labyrinth walking—a ritual meditation pathway walked by nuns to symbolize spiritual journeys. With music and lyrics by Hehmsoth and contributions from recording artists Hartt and Illuminada, the program cover serves as a rare artifact of this immersive work, which combined historical reverence and original jazz-infused composition to offer audiences a moving journey of reflection and prayer.