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Jazz Articles about Geoffrey Keezer
Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trios: Songs from My Father
by Jack Bowers
Songs from My Father. What a marvelous idea!—and not simply for the sentiment. Drummer Gerry Gibbs' father happens to be Hall of Fame vibraphonist (and sometime song writer) Terry Gibbs, who is still on the scene at ninety-seven (and, in fact, making a guest appearance on the first disc of this superlative two-CD set). Eighteen of the elder Gibbs' songs, written between 1949 and 1985 (and one more, “Tango for Terry," by the late Chick Corea) are performed by four ...
Continue ReadingGeoffrey Keezer: On His Way to You
by David Bixler
As an 18 year-old, pianist Geoffrey Keezer wowed audiences as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with his prodigious technique and improvisations. Describing his own playing, Keezer says that his natural tendency is to “throw in everything but the kitchen sink... all the time." In this episode of LINER NOTES, Keezer talks about his development as a musician over the span of his career as well as the teaching and writing that are occupying his time while he waits ...
Continue ReadingChristian McBride: The Movement Revisited
by Chris May
The spring 2020 release of The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait Of Four Icons is the latest chapter in Christian McBride's inspirational salute to the African American civil rights movement and to four of its heroes: Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali. Embracing big band jazz, small group jazz, gospel, funk and chorale musics, together with spoken word passages, the suite employs an eighteen-piece band, the ten-piece Voices Of The Flame gospel choir, two lead ...
Continue ReadingGeoffrey Keezer at South Jazz Parlor
by Victor L. Schermer
Geoffrey Keezer Trio South Kitchen and Jazz Parlor Philadelphia, PA July 8, 2018 Pianist Geoffrey Keezer is a jazz master who has worked with many of the greats since 1989 when he briefly joined the end game of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He has recorded and played with numerous jazz luminaries including Ray Brown, Art Farmer, Diana Krall, Joshua Redman, and Christian McBride. Recently, he's had signficiant encounters with the likes ...
Continue ReadingGeoffrey Keezer and Joe Locke Duo: Half Moon Bay, CA, March 13, 2011
by Bill Leikam
Geoffrey Keezer/Joe Locke Duo Douglas Beach House Half Moon Bay, CA March 13, 2011 There are wonderful, well-produced, rehearsed bands that play the Douglas Beach House (aka Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society), but on occasion, within those gems, a high-caret diamond arrives and astonishes the audience. That's what came down when pianist Geoffrey Keezer and vibraphonist Joe Locke teamed up and landed at the Douglas Beach House on March 13, 2011. The audience was more ...
Continue ReadingGeoffrey Keezer / Peter Sprague Band: Mill Creek Road
by Robert Bush
Geoffrey Keezer / Peter Sprague BandMill Creek RoadSBE Records2011 Pianist Geoffrey Keezer and guitarist Peter Sprague have combined their considerable musical forces in forming this band, the first fruits of which are available now as Mill Creek Road on Sprague's own SBE Records. They are joined in this effort by the up and coming Los Angeles double bass virtuoso Hamilton Price and the ubiquitous Duncan Moore on drums for this (mostly) quartet ...
Continue ReadingGeoffrey Keezer: Making, And Controlling, His New Music
by R.J. DeLuke
Pianist/composer Geoffrey Keezer has been playing piano since age three and has been on the road since 1989 when he joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers after a year at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Over the years, he's recorded steadily and played with numerous jazz luminaries including Ray Brown, Diana Krall, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride, Kenny Barron, Chick Corea, Benny Green, and Mulgrew Miller.But of late, things have changed for Keezer. In a few different ways.
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