Results for "Keyboard"

Jeff Lorber

Born: November 4, 1952

Over three decades after breaking ground as leader of the pioneering Jeff Lorber Fusion, the Philly-born and bred composer, producer and keyboard legend is still keeping the vibes fresh and the grooves funky. On Heard That, his Peak Records debut, Lorber keeps the soulful momentum going, collaborafting brilliantly on pop, jazz, R&B and blues-influenced tracks–and even harkening back a bit to his early 80s Fusion heyday–with one of urban jazz’s top hit makers and sonic architects, Rex Rideout. Highlighted by the first single, a swinging, bluesy-brass twist on Amy Winehouse’s Grammy winning “Rehab,” Heard That features a typically vibrant Lorber all-star guest list, including trumpet great Rick Braun, guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr., saxman Gary Meek, bassist Alex Al, trumpeter Ron King, guitarist Darrell Crooks and Peak labelmates, saxman Gerald Albright

Pete Levin

Born: December 20, 1942

In a diverse music career spanning several decades, keyboardist/arranger Pete Levin has performed and recorded with hundreds of Jazz and Pop artists - including Paul Simon, Annie Lennox, Miles Davis, David Sanborn, Lenny White, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Robbie Robertson and John Scofield - receiving critical accolades for his work during a 15 year association with the legendary Gil Evans, and his 8 year stint with jazz icon Jimmy Giuffre. Says Levin, “What I got from Gil was the unshakable notion that playing music was to create from a place where there are no boundaries. If it can be imagined then it can be done.” With “DEACON BLUES,” for Motema Music, Pete re-emerged in 2007 as a band leader and master of reinvention, embracing his roots and first love, the Hammond Organ

Lisa LaRue

Born: December 27, 1962

Lisa LaRue grew up in Topeka, Kansas, but now resides in her native Oklahoma. She is a tribal member of the federally-recognized United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma, where she also serves as Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. She began playing keyboards as a small child, her grandmother noticing she was playing "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" on her Magnus Chord organ. Sought out by shopping malls and department malls as a young girl, she started writing her own songs and designing her own 'album covers.' This led and inspired her for her future career. A composer and keyboardist, LaRue became the first female artist signed to the Sound of American Records label (SOAR0 Natural Visions sublabel

Geoffrey Keezer

Born: November 20, 1970

With his highly regarded discography, unique compositions, and acclaimed performances in a variety of configurations, multiple GRAMMY®-nominated pianist Geoffrey Keezer commands the attention typically reserved for the living legends of jazz. A native of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Keezer was playing in jazz clubs as a teenager, holding down the piano chair for Art Blakey at age 18, and touring in the company of Ray Brown, Joshua Redman, Diana Krall, Art Farmer, Benny Golson and Barbara Hendricks in his 20s. More recently he has toured with Wayne Shorter, Dianne Reeves, David Sanborn, Chris Botti, Sting, Joe Locke and Christian McBride; produced and arranged three GRAMMY®-nominated recordings with vocalist Denise Donatelli, and released a series of albums drawing influences from Hawaiian, Okinawan and Afro-Peruvian folk traditions

Gregg Karukas

One of urban contemporary jazz’s most versatile and acclaimed artists over the past 25 years, keyboardist/composer Gregg Karukas is now a Grammy Award winner for producing, engineering, co-writing and arranging Omar Akram’s Echoes of Love, which won Best New Age Album at the 55th Grammy Awards in February 2013. As a solo artist, Gregg's 11 CDs have garnered consistently solid reviews for his signature piano touch, pristine production, and melodies that are both soulful and sophisticated. Always in demand as a musical director and keyboardist, Gregg has received multiple Best Keyboardist nominations at the Oasis and National Smooth Jazz Awards

Robert Irving III

Born: 1953

There is a distinguished lineage of post-bop pianists who collaborated with the legendary Miles Davis: Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul. Add to that list of superb artists Robert Irving III, who served as Miles’ last pianist/keyboardist and who proved to be his longest collaborator and musical director. After nearly twenty years since his last outing as a leader, Irving returns with his remarkable new recording, New Momentum, a largely acoustic piano trio CD that is the premiere album for the new label Sonic Portraits.

Irving’s career as a musician began as a brass player at the age of 10. His first instrument was the bugle, followed by a range of brass instruments including coronet, French horn and valve and slide trombone. While he was a brass player, Irving also studied piano to further his knowledge of musical theory, mentored by his high school jazz band teacher.

Kevin Hays

Born: May 1, 1968

Pianist/Composer Kevin Hays has recorded 10 CDs as a leader and is featured on dozens of recordings with a variety of leading Jazz artists. Included in his leader discography are 3 critically acclaimed recordings for Blue Note Records. His 'Seventh Sense' was praised by The New York Times and recognized as one of the "Top 40 Jazz Releases of the Year" by Musician Magazine. Kevin has performed and recorded with some of the most prominent and influential musicians in Jazz. These include Sonny Rollins, John Scofield, Benny Golson, Roy Haynes, Chris Potter, Al Foster, Joe Henderson, Buster Williams, Art Farmer and Joshua Redman. Born May 1st of 1968 in New York City and raised in Connecticut, he began studying piano at the age of 6 and was playing professionally by 15

Larry Goldings

Born: August 28, 1968

With his signature Hammond organ style and versatility onmany keyboards, Boston native Larry Goldings hastraversed not only the wide spectrum of jazz where he isperhaps best known, but also the worlds of funk, pop, andelectronic/alternative music.  High in demand as a sideman,Goldings' sound can be heard on scores of albums byartists in virtually every musical genre.  Some of his morenotable collaborations include tours and recordings withCarla Bley, Michael Brecker, Jack DeJohnette, Jim Hall,Jon Hendricks, Pat Metheny, Maceo Parker, MadeleinePeyroux, John Pizzarelli, John Scofield, Curtis Stigers, andJames Taylor.

Rodney Franklin

Born: September 16, 1958

Rodney Franklin was something of a child prodigy while growing up in his hometown of Berkeley, Ca. taking piano lessons at the age of 6 at the Washington Elementary School. Upon graduation he worked extensively with John Handy in San Francisco and subsequently toured with Bill Summers, Freddie Hubbard and Marlena Shaw.

In 1978 he signed with Columbia Records and recorded his debut album for the label, “In The Center,” a jazz-fusion workout. His second album, “You'll Never Know,” aided by the hit single, "The Groove" which sparked a popular dance craze (dancers had to "freeze" in time with the track's breaks), Rodney hit the Top 10 of the singles charts and saw “You'll Never Know” rise in the album listings.

Ronnie Foster

Born: May 13, 1950

Ronnie Foster began playing piano at the age of 4. By age 12 he had switched to Hammond organ and became a student of the jazz great Jimmy Smith. At age 15, Ronnie started playing with George Benson on weekends, while still in school. After graduating from high school Ronnie began a two-year stint with The Billy Wooten Trio. Eventually, Ronnie began playing New York clubs. At 20 he got a call from New York that Saxophonist great Stanley Turrentine was looking for a new organist. He did one gig with Stanley. Word of Ronnie was traveling fast. While he waited for the call about the next Turrentine gig, guitar legend Grant Green heard that Ronnie was in New York