I had the pleasure of talking to the multifaceted artist Aimee Nolte - pianist, singer, songwriter, educator - for a conversation that was especially meaningful to me. Not only have I been a longtime fan of Aimee’s music, but her YouTube videos were where I first truly learned jazz. Her way of teaching, breaking down complex concepts with clarity and warmth, was my entry point into a whole world of musical understanding. So getting the chance to talk with her wasn’t just exciting - it felt like coming full circle. And Aimee was everything I hoped she would be: open, friendly, thoughtful, and endlessly inspiring.
The aimee nolte Soundcheck
Growing Up With Music
Aimee’s journey with music started in the most organic way - singing in the car with her family during long drives through remote Northern California. Although her family wasn’t formally musical, her mother and grandparents loved to sing. Early on, they taught her songs and, importantly, how to harmonize. It didn’t take long for Aimee’s musical instincts to shine through: she picked out melodies by ear on the piano at a very young age.
Recognizing her talent, her mother enrolled her in classical piano lessons. But even as she practiced an hour of classical repertoire each day, Aimee’s true love was what happened afterward - spending the rest of the day figuring out pop songs by ear, blending melody and chords intuitively. The seeds of her future jazz path were already there.
Falling for Jazz: Discovery Through Improvisation
It wasn’t until middle school that Aimee discovered jazz - and with it, improvisation. Joining the jazz band and choir introduced her to a world where she could play by ear, make up melodies on the spot, and step outside the rigid structures of classical music.
“It was special to me right from the beginning,” she recalls. By 15, she had fully transitioned her focus from classical training to jazz, buying CDs, real books, and diving headfirst into the art of improvisation.
Quick Dive: What Are Real Books?
A "Real Book" is a collection of lead sheets for jazz standards - simple music charts that include melody lines, chord symbols, and sometimes lyrics. The original Real Book, rumored to have been compiled by Berklee College of Music students in the 1970s, was an unofficial and illegal publication filled with handwritten charts of essential jazz tunes. Despite its gray-market origins, it became the go-to resource for jazz musicians everywhere. Later, legal versions were published, but the spirit of the original — a practical, working musician's bible - lives on. Real Books allow players to quickly learn and perform a massive repertoire, fueling countless jam sessions and gigs. headfirst into the art of improvisation.
Transitioning From Education to the Real World
After studying jazz in university, Aimee faced the reality that many musicians do: leaving the academic bubble and building a career from scratch. She moved to New York with her husband and newborn son, balancing new motherhood with her passion for music.
Later, in Los Angeles, she realized the advantage that local music school graduates had in terms of connections. Having to start from zero, she hit the jam sessions hard, armed with business cards and a willingness to hustle. “Any gig I got, I called the players I met at jam sessions,” she says. Over time, her network grew organically.
It’s a lesson she now shares with young musicians: stay close to the community you build during your studies - it's often your strongest foundation.
Crafting a Personal Voice With Standards
Learning jazz standards wasn’t something Aimee left to chance. Feeling behind her peers in college, she committed to a strict "tune a week" routine: listening to multiple recordings of a song, memorizing its melody and changes by ear, and working through exercises like playing thirds, sevenths, and rootless voicings to internalize its structure.
Today, her approach is less mechanical and more emotional. She focuses on the personal meaning of each tune - asking herself, "Why do I even want to add something to this song’s history?" On her album Lighten Up, each arrangement began from a different creative spark: a drumbeat, an ostinato pattern, a tempo shift - always finding a fresh perspective rooted in emotional connection.
Writing Originals: Therapy Through Song
When it comes to writing her own songs, Aimee often draws from deeply personal experiences. Sometimes a casual moment sparks a flood of creativity, like the mother yelling “Let’s go” to her child on an airplane, which led Aimee to write the touching song Emma, Let’s Go about her sister. By the time the plane landed, she had the full lyrics and melody in her head.
Other songs, like Young Again, took years to emerge, helping her process profound grief over her brother’s passing. “Writing is therapeutic for me," she says. "It’s like a diary that everyone can read.”
Sometimes melodies come first and linger for years until the right lyrics arrive; sometimes it’s the other way around. Either way, the writing process is always deeply tied to emotional truth.
Vulnerability in Music: Opening Up to the World
Sharing such personal songs with the world isn't always easy. Aimee admits it’s sometimes difficult to decide how much of herself to reveal. But she believes that vulnerability is what creates the deepest human connections.
"When someone is brave enough to open up to you, that’s when you truly know them," she says. “I hope people hear my songs and connect them to their own lives, not necessarily mine.”
Rather than trying to force universality, Aimee trusts that the personal, when expressed authentically, becomes universal on its own.
"When I hear someone else's vulnerable song, I don't wonder about their life — I feel my own story reflected back at me," she says. "That's what I hope my music can do for others."
Singing and Finding Her Voice: A Unified Journey
Aimee approaches piano and voice not as separate entities, but as a unified instrument. “I want them to feel married, like two extensions of the same expression,” she says. Like many singers, she didn’t always like her voice. Growing up, she admired others in her school choirs but felt insecure about her own sound. It wasn’t until her mid-twenties, after beginning to write her own songs, that she embraced the unique quality of her voice.
Even now, she acknowledges that listening to old recordings can be uncomfortable - but she’s learned that authenticity and emotional resonance matter more than technical perfection.
Broadening Horizons: Influences Beyond Jazz
While jazz is Aimee’s foundation, her inspirations stretch far beyond it. She’s a passionate listener of 60s and 70s singer-songwriters like Billy Joel, Elton John, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, and bands like America and Heart.
“I’m constantly discovering old and new music,” she says. "It all cycles back into itself in beautiful ways."
Her music carries that open spirit - blending genres naturally rather than rigidly adhering to definitions.
The Sounds of the Ocean and the Mountains
Living in Los Angeles brought unexpected influences into Aimee’s music. The proximity to the beach, the vast hiking trails, the sunshine, and even learning to surf became subtle backdrops to her creative life.
"I don't think people realize how beautiful the mountains are here," she says. "All that soaks into you somehow, even if you don't realize it."
The environment has quietly shaped her sound - a blend of ease, reflection, and open-heartedness that feels distinctly Californian.
Dream Jam Session
Asked about her dream jam session, Aimee paints an irresistible picture:
Billy Higgins on drums.
James Garrison on bass.
Jimmy Raney on guitar.
Keith Jarrett on piano (if she could step aside for a moment).
A dream band of deep feel, creativity, and storytelling - much like Aimee’s own musical values.
Becoming a Voice in the Music Community
Beyond performing, Aimee has become an important voice in the online music world. Her YouTube journey began with encouragement from Rick Beato, who challenged her to post a video every day for six months. From there, her channel grew into a beloved resource for musicians around the world - myself included.
Along the way, she built friendships with fellow creators like Adam Neely, Charles Cornell, Mary Spender, and Ben Levin - relationships built not just on mutual admiration but also genuine support and inspiration.
Creating meaningful content and community has become as much a part of her mission as making music.
Final thoughts
Talking with Aimee Nolte felt like connecting with someone who lives at the intersection of deep craft and deep feeling. Her musical journey isn't just about mastering theory or perfecting technique - it's about finding meaning, embracing imperfections, and building bridges through honesty. Whether through her songs, her teaching, or her storytelling, Aimee invites listeners into a world that feels welcoming, genuine, and endlessly inspiring.
Artist's Toolkit: Swiss Army Triplet
Before we wrapped up, Aimee shared a little musical trick for fellow music nerds: the Swiss Army Triplet. A drumming technique adapted into her playing, it involves striking together, then alternating hits to create a rolling triplet feel - a small but powerful rhythmic texture.
Proof that sometimes, the tiniest musical details carry the biggest smiles.