Geoff Keezer

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Geoffrey "Geoff" Keezer (born November 20, 1970 in Eau Claire , Wisconsin ) is an American jazz pianist and composer.

biography

Keezer is a child of musicians and music teachers and was suggested by James Williams at the age of 17 as the pianist Art Blakey for his Jazz Messengers ; between 1988 and 1990 he was the last pianist of the formation. About it he says: "He (Blakey) has a way of unlocking your sound, no matter what instrument you play. He was three times my age, but it was hard to keep up with him." He then played live and recorded with Art Farmer and others. He composed Proclamation for Roy Hargrove and has recorded his own albums. He is the youngest member of the contemporary piano ensemble .

In his mid-twenties he played with the likes of Ray Brown , Benny Golson and Joshua Redman and accompanied the singers Diana Krall and Dianne Reeves .

He worked with Sting , Wayne Shorter and guitarist Jim Hall .

He toured with David Sanborn, Chris Botti , Joe Locke and Christian McBride ; with Denise Donatelli he received three Grammy nominations.

music

With Blakey, Keezer introduced a harder, youthful stiff sound, the technique of two-handed parallel octaves in the manner of Phineas Newborn , as a must for young pianists by James Williams. In solo or trio play he manages a full, sometimes rough piano sound. He uses Newborn's solo technique and plays Timmons' Moaning on a par with the composer and difficult, with rhythmically funny insertions together with Blakey, two-handed, parallel- vocal style, rhapsodic falling at double speed and a good feeling for blues. As a companion, he has an accentuated easy game.

In September / October 2005 he toured Germany with Lizz Wright and David Sanborn . He accompanied the singer Lizz Wright unobtrusively, in the band of saxophonist David Sanborn he had funny duels with the drummer.

With lyrical melodies, complex rhythms and harmonies, he turned to the renewal of the jazz piano and integrated ethnic rhythms.

Discography

  • With Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers 1988–90.
  • The Art of Jazz , recorded in 1989, in + out. ZDF birthday party for Blakey with his oldsters
  • Here And Now , 1990 Blue Note. Quartet with Steve Nelson , Billy Higgins , Donald Harrison and own compositions
  • Heart of the Piano , 2013 Motéma

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Keezer, Geoff
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Keezer, Geoffrey (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz pianist and composer
DATE OF BIRTH November 20, 1970
PLACE OF BIRTH Eau Claire , Wisconsin