(pianists:) Phineas Newborn, Jr., Hank Jones, Buddy Montgomery, Chick Corea, Ahmad Jamal, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Joe Zawinul, Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Martha Argerich, Mulgrew Miller, Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, Danilo Perez; (non-pianists:) Allan Holdsworth, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Woody Shaw, Wayne Shorter, Charlie Parker, Jaco Pastorius, Bobby Hutcherson, Jim Hall, Keola Beamer; (composers, bands and conceptualists:) Ellington/Strayhorn, Shorter, Thad Jones, Maria Schneider, Billy Childs, Donald Brown; 80's Metal Bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Ozzy; The Dead Kennedys, Arvo Part, Bach, Brahms, Ravel, Faure, My Bloody Valentine, Indonesian Gamelan, Okinawan music, Japanese traditional music, Zakir Hussain, Indian music, Eva Allyon, Bjork, Christine Jensen, other stuff.
Geoffrey, or Geoff, (whichever you prefer), plays piano and keyboards. In fact, the more keyboards the better. Piles and piles of keyboards stacked up all over the place. It's fun for him...he feels like the captain at the controls of a spaceship. He grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in the 70's listening to and loving Weather Report and Return to Forever, before he ever heard "swing" or "bebop" (whatever the hell that is). Thanks to relaxed child labor laws, he was "hired" by his father, the percussion teacher at the local university, to shlep around marimbas, tympani, and pack up drum hardware with sharp things poking out. Understandably, Geoffrey chose an easier instrument to carry, the piano, and nerdily practiced for years in his basement without food, water, or a normal teenage social life, into the wee hours of the night until his mother begged him to please go to bed. Since moving to New York in 1989, he has been blessed with experiences playing with most of his heroes and friends, generally nice people, including Art Blakey, Ray Brown, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, and more recently David Sanborn, Christian McBride, Ingrid Jensen and Jim Hall. He also leads his own trio (creatively named the Geoffrey Keezer Trio) and has started a new project called Aurea with some amazing South American musicians...check his real website, www.geoffreykeezer.com for updates.
Geoffrey is married to Susan Ann Wulff, the reigning bass goddess of the San Diego symphony. They live in San Diego, CA with their baby son Cameron, and have a nice collection of single malt scotch under the counter. They can frequently be spotted late at night at La Fachada, the local gourmet taco truck, hovering over the onion grill (saves on the heating bill at home).
Okay, now you've outdone yourself. "The Promise" is stunning. I remember freaking out about her earlier recording of that tune, and I couldn't have imagined an even cooler presentation was possible. Wow, you have to tell me all about this!!
Wonderful track " The Promise". The strings writing, Dianne Reeves's gentle voice, the soprano sax and of course the piano holding this whole unusual composition.
Plus the soft breeze coming through the open window...
Geoff, thanks so much for the add. Your music is trully exhilarating, and liberating. And, above all, just plain fun. Look forward to lots more from you!
there are no words to accurately compliment what you do.. AMAZING show last night! And your wife not only looks fantastic.. she is an INCREDIBLE musician as well! Thank you for sharing your blessings with the us and the whole world.. have a great weekend. love, light, & blessings..
I had the chance to watch (end record!) last Saturday your "Jazz Baltica" gig with Joe Locke on the German channel "3Sat"...
Well it was really worth waking up at 2:30 in the morning! I particularly remember the end of Miramar, when your "waves" join Joe Locke's in such a beautiful way!
did some shows with tereon last fall while with queen latifah. was telling him about that festival in peru we did a few years back. hope you're doing well.
