Brian Kelly is a Contemporary Instrumental composer, pianist, and producer. His latest release, Afterplay, was awarded second place in the “Best Instrumental Jazz Album” category in 2009 by the Just Plain Folks Music Awards, and ranked #3 on the NAR top 100 radio chart three months in a row. The album includes the world- renowned talents of Eric Crystal on sax (Boz Scaggs, Omar Sosa), David Rokeach on drums (Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles), Viviana Guzman on flute, James Robinson on guitar, and other fine musicians.
His debut album, Pools of Light, released in 2005 on his own Skylight Music label has received wide critical acclaim. The album charted at #1 for two months on the instrumental music radio chart in North America, was nominated for “Best New Artist 2005” (NAR Lifestyle Music Awards), and voted Top 10 Best New Age Albums of 2004 by Kathy Parsons of Solo Piano Publications.
In 2006 Brian published Pools of Light: The Solo Piano Songbook, a collection of 12 solo piano arrangements (sheet music) from the album. The songbook is available as a digital download in pdf format.
His music receives national and international airplay from radio stations and satellite music networks around the world.
Brian is a graduate of Hampshire College and a voting member of the Recording Academy. He resides in Northern California near San Francisco.
For more information, please visit www briankelly.com
”Pianist Brian Kelly continues his exploration of modern and smooth jazz
music
with a brilliant performance on Afterplay, a session of soft flowing grooves
and a
New Age sound culminating in one of the more unique jazz albums around.”
- eJazzNews.com
“the swing and complexity of melodic jazz and the studio precision of Steely
Dan...
make a confident statement.”
- East Bay Express
“Brian Kelly follows his brilliant debut release POOLS OF LIGHT with yet
another
outstanding, compelling collection of originals... The musical integrity and
lyrical
sensitivity that Mr. Kelly brings to the table for his projects is clearly evident
on this
release. At a time when commercial Smooth Jazz too often heads in the
direction of
cliché, Brian Kelly’s AFTERPLAY is a refreshing example of how we can keep
this
music genre exciting and vibrant!”
- SmoothJazz.com
“There is a sense of raw and unadulterated joy in the playing that escapes
many
artists. You'll definitely want to keep your ears on this gent. He'll be at the
top of
the charts before you know it ... Grand energy and style that gets a HIGHLY
RECOMMENDED from me - very impressive!”
- Improvijazzation
”A talent worth watching” - Keyboard Magazine
“...POOLS OF LIGHT is a lush, sparkling journey into a beautiful world of
elegant melodies and brilliant
artistry. The music rises and falls in powerful, yet gentle, waves of emotion...
a totally captivating
collection of original compositions…” - SmoothJazz.com
“Kelly's music has that wonderful dream-like quality that comes out of the
mist and pulls you towards
the light” - New Age Reporter
“The CD has a wonderful flow and cohesiveness, creating an uplifting and
relaxing musical experience...
Very highly recommended” - Kathy Parsons
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