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Michael Kaeshammer
Michael Kaeshammer has invested a lot – countless hours at the keyboard, hundreds of recordings, thousands of live performances, millions of miles in the air and on the road – all in pursuit of a mastery of 12 notes across 88 keys. But for the acclaimed Canadian pianist and singer, there is no set destination, no achievable end point on his path; it’s all about the journey itself, and that journey will always be ongoing.
Over the course of decades as a professional performer, Kaeshammer has developed a style that weaves threads of classical, jazz, blues, boogie-woogie, stride, and even pop into a signature and sought-after sonic tapestry.
“When I play, I don’t worry about if it’s jazz or pop or classical or whatever; I just play what I hear and let the music decide what it wants to be,” begins Kaeshammer. “Sure, there are different styles, different eras, different approaches, but when you really look at it, it’s all just music based on 12 notes.”
Born and bred in Germany, Kaeshammer began performing club, theatre, and festival stages throughout Europe in his early teens and continued on that trajectory after emigrating to Canada’s West Coast with his family in the mid-‘90s. His first studio album, Blue Keys, dropped in 1996 and spurred a consistent sequence of heralded releases and high-profile international performances. Through it all, the world watched as he grew from child prodigy to full-fledged phenom; from unparalleled pianist to virtuosic songwriter.
“I do listen to a lot of music, but I’m not overly influenced by other people; it’s more about trying to learn something new every day,” muses Kaeshammer about his musical evolution. “I’ll take pretty much any opportunity if it’s going to help me discover new things and help me progress.”
Those opportunities have been as wide-reaching as the artist’s subsequent breadth of style, and include: opening slots for the likes of Ray Charles and Anne Murray; stints backing singers like Marva Wright, the late blues queen of New Orleans; co-writing sessions with rockers Randy Bachman and Colin James; official Olympic Games performances in several world cities; and TV specials on numerous networks – including one set to premiere on PBS in March 2020.
Many of those experiences have also helped to hone his skills as a vocalist and lyricist to the point that Kaeshammer is equally at home when he takes the mic as he is letting his fingers lead the melody, as perfectly showcased on his latest LP via True North Records, 2018’s Something New.
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Michael Kaeshammer: Kaeshammer
by C. Michael Bailey
It doesn't take a Charles Darwin to realize that the true evolutionary inheritors of Frank Sinatra's and Peggy Lee's brand of popular" music were Elton John and Billy Joel, and not Harry Connick, Jr. or Michael Buble, the latter being more keepers of the flame than the former innovators. Had popular music not dissembled into the current confused concoction of country, rock and hip-hop, where might it have ended up? At the door of German/Canadian Michael Kaeshammer, that's where.
read moreMichael Kaeshammer: Lovelight
by Raul d'Gama Rose
Michael Kaeshammer is an artist brimful with talent. Not only can he hold is own with some first-call pianists, but he can also play in a variety of styles and is well versed in the history of popular 20th century music. He is also a fine vocalist, with a slightly gravelly voice. He is well aware of his limited range, making use of it to squeeze emotion out of a song when required. He can also cast caution to the ...
read moreMichael Kaeshammer: Strut
by Jerry D'Souza
Michael Kaeshammer studied classical piano when he was a child. By the time he entered his teens, he fell in love with boogie-woogie piano. Form then on, jazz and its diverse extensions captured his muse, and his first recording, 1996's Blue Skies, showcased that proclivity. Time saw the release of two more albums and now, with his fourth, Kaeshammer shows a compact feel for mood and dynamics.
Kaeshammer and his band converse fluidly and bring in an ...
read moreMichael Kaeshammer: No Strings Attatched
by AAJ Staff
Categorizing this album as Mainstream was the best middle ground I could find for this collection of fantastic piano playing backed with talented accompanyists. Singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist Michael Kaeshammer (pronounced Case-Hammer) has brought boogie woogie back to the fore with a rousing collection of original tunes and a few from the respected and treasured past.
The fantastic solo rendering of Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag" is alone worth the price of admission. With the first cut ... read moreMichael Kaeshammer: No Strings Attatched
by AAJ Staff
Categorizing this album as Mainstream was the best middle ground I could find for this collection of fantastic piano playing backed with talented accompanyists. Singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist Michael Kaeshammer (pronounced Case-Hammer) has brought boogie woogie back to the fore with a rousing collection of original tunes and a few from the respected and treasured past.
The fantastic solo rendering of Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag" is alone worth the price of admission. With the first cut starting rather ... read moreMichael Kaeshammer: Tell You How I Feel
by John Sharpe
What sort of strange, cross-cultural jazz hybrid do we have here? This twenty-one-year-old whiz kid was born in Germany, moved to Vancouver and tickles the ivories like old time stride/boogie-woogie legends Fats Waller, Pete Johnson and Meade Lux" Lewis! The eleven tracks on Tell You How I Feel, Michael's second release, run the stylistic gamut from Horace Silver (Doodlin'), Duke Ellington (Caravan), Benny Goodman (Airmail Special), to country legend Hank Williams (Move It On Over). Michael has enlisted the aid ...
read moreGenre-Busting Pianist Michael Kaeshammer Announces 15th Studio Album 'Turn It Up' Out March 17
Source:
Collabo PR
Michael Kaeshammer isn’t so much a pianist as a piano whisperer, a master musician and songwriter able to coax dazzling, kaleidoscopic sounds from his instrument in a way few can rival. That gift powers Kaeshammer’s upcoming 15th album, Turn It Up, due out March 17. The new single “Never Knew What Love Was,” which showcases Kaeshammer’s pure-pop style, was released last week at all streaming services and digital retailers (Listen Here). The song follows the release of the title track, ...
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The Jazz Session #133: Michael Kaeshammer
Source:
Michael Ricci
Pianist and vocalist Michael Kaeshammer has spent more than a decade making music thats both fun and smart. He draws on everything from James P. Johnson and Fats Waller to contemporary pop music on his new album, Lovelight (Alert Music, 2009). In this interview, recorded at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, Kaeshammer talks about the nature of showmanship; how he came to love the early stride piano masters; and why New Orleans has become an important source of inspiration for ...
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Love Me Or Leave Me
From: KaeshammerBy Michael Kaeshammer