Geoffrey Keezer

[Tom 1960]

While getting dinner together tonight, I had the radio on KSDS in San Diego and they played a track by pianist Geoffrey Keezer. Not familiar with the guy, but from I heard, he might be someone I would like to further explore. Any other fans here? Any albums I should be checking out?

[Ken Dryden]

Keezer worked in Art Blakey's final band as a teenager. He first recorded for Sunnyside and has a number of CDs out on Blue Note and a few other labels. Check out recent CDs like Aurea (ArtistShare), Wildcrafted and Falling Up (both on Mazjazz). He also served as music director for both of vocalist Denise Donatelli's Savant CDs.

[marcello]

I'm a huge Keezer fan (and a friend).

All of the leader suggestion that Ken recommends above are well worth owning and repeated listening.

Here a photo of Geoffrey, Yours Truly and Joe Locke at the recording session that produced this one for the Japanese market:

Ken's review, by the way is here

[Aggie87]

His album with Jim Hall, "Free Association", is very nice.

I also like the Locke/Keezer "Live in Seattle" recording, as well as Christian McBride's funky "Vertical Vision", both of which also include Terreon Gully.

[Justin V]

I enjoy Here and Now, a Blue Note date with Steve Nelson, Donald Harrison (on a few tracks), Peter Washington and Billy Higgins.

[Christiern]

This is a 1989 Stereo Review I wrote:

GEOFF KEEZER: Waiting In the Wings. Geoff Keezer (piano); Bill Mobley (trumpet); Billy Pierce (soprano and tenor saxophones); Steve Nelson (vibraphone); Rufus Reid (bass); others. The Drawing Board; Accra; Pierce On Earth; Who Cares?; Waiting In the Wings; Personal Space; and five others. SUNNYSIDE xxx xxx-x $ . , © xxx xxx-x $ . , D SSC-1035D (70 min).

Performance: Potent debut

Recording: Very good

Acoustic jazz is enjoying a healthy resurgence these days, and the remarkable thing is that much of the impetus comes from very young players who easily could have taken their career along a more lucrative pop path. One of the most recent arrivals on the serious jazz scene is Geoff Keezer, whose debut album, “Waiting In the Wings,” was recorded in 1988, when he was seventeen. The fact that Keezer grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin—off the beaten jazz path—rather than, say, New Orleans, Chicago nor New York, where jazz thrives, is perhaps an indication of how far the new jazz trend has reached.

With its deserved focus on the leader’s agile, surprisingly mature piano, “Waiting in the Wings” is a superb, generously long serving of sextet and trio recordings in the post-war jazz tradition. It contains excellent performances by trumpeter Bill Mobley and saxophonist Billy Pierce, who have been around a few days longer than their leader, and a rhythm section that reaps huge profits from the presence of Rufus Reid, one of the finest bassists around. Seven of the eleven tunes were written by Keezer, who is at least as interesting a composer as he is a pianist, so don’t expect this remarkable young man to be waiting in the wings for long. C.A.

[B. Goren.]

I like this one:

[CJ Shearn]

Geoff is excellent on the Christian McBride discs he's on.

[Peter Friedman]

Geoff Keezer was a member of the Ray Brown Trio for a while and is on some of Ray Brown's CDs on Telarc.

My favorite playing by Keezer is on this one:

Ray Brown Trio - Live At Starbucks

Keezer is also on these three.

Ray Brown Trio with Ulf Wakenius - Summertime

Ray Brown - Some Of my best Friends Are ...The Piano Players

Ray Brown - Walk On

[marcello]

Edited September 4, 2010 by marcello

[marcello]

[Ted O'Reilly]

I like this one:

Hey, thanks! I recorded that session.

You might also like another one I recorded for radio originally: "Trio" (Sackville SKCD2-2039) that has Keezer with Steve Nelson on vibes, and Neil Swainson on bass. (Montreal Bistro, Toronto, 1993/11/17)

Geoff is an amazing musician, and a very bright man...he has deep understanding of what he's doing, on all levels.

[Tom 1960]

Great to see the many recommendations here and the many fans of Geoffrey Keezer. Special thanks to Marcello for providing those excellent videos. Man, that was great! Looks like Live In Seattle with Joe Locke and Geoffrey Keezer may be my first purchase. Those guys really cook together. Please continue to add your input fellas. It's much appreciated.

[Free For All]

Looks like Live In Seattle with Joe Locke and Geoffrey Keezer may be my first purchase.

Good choice. I really like that one.

[marcello]

By the way Tom, Geoffrey lives in San Diego with his wifeSusan Wulff ( who is a bassist with the S.D. Symphony) and their young son Cameron.

Another recording that I can recommend is "Wildcrafted".

[Ted O'Reilly]

By the way Tom, Geoffrey lives in San Diego with his wifeSusan Wulff ( who is a bassist with the S.D. Symphony) and their young son Cameron.

It must be a second marriage, and second child... Wasn't Geoff married to a Japanese woman (and had a daughter) a few years back?

[marcello]

Yes, it's a new wife and child.

He's happy.

[Uncle Skid]

Check out his work with Ingrid Jensen... some very memorable moments on "At Sea".

[B. Goren.]

I like this one:

Hey, thanks! I recorded that session.

You might also like another one I recorded for radio originally: "Trio" (Sackville SKCD2-2039) that has Keezer with Steve Nelson on vibes, and Neil Swainson on bass. (Montreal Bistro, Toronto, 1993/11/17)

Geoff is an amazing musician, and a very bright man...he has deep understanding of what he's doing, on all levels.

Thanks Ted, I'll look for it.

[marcello]

Skid, the original "Captain Jon" that is on "At Sea" is on this one by the Japanese named "New Sound Quartet" aka: The Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group

Album Information

*1. "Concierto De Aranjuez" "(Rodrigo)"

*2. "Captain Jon" "(Keezer)"

*3. "Snowfall In Central Park" "(Locke)"

*4. "Summertime" "(Gershwin / Heyward / Gershwin)"

*5. "Blame It On My Youth" "(Levant / Heyman)"

*6. "´Round Midnight" "(Hanighen / Monk / Williams)"

*7. "Port Alexander Moon" "(Keezer)"

*8. "Last Ditch Wisdom" "(Locke)"

*9. "Bibo No Aozora" "(Sakamoto)"

Original release year: 2005 - Label: Eighty Eights. (only available in Japan)

Personnel

*Joe Locke - vibes

*Geoffrey Keezer - piano

*Bob Hurst - bass

*Billy Kilson - drums

*Eddie Henderson "(guest)" - trumpet

One of my favorites by the boys.

You can by it from Eastwind Imports

Edited September 6, 2010 by marcello

[mikeweil]

I think I have about 95% of all of Geoffrey's albums, so consider me a big fan. I'd buy any album just for him. He's amazing! Of all the players that were with Blakey or Ray Brown during their last years, he was the most inspired. 

p.s. I wrote reviews of the two Locke/Keezer CDs, i.e. The New Sound Quartet, for www.sa-cd.net

http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/2600

http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/3277

[Justin V]

Any opinions on the album with Jim Hall that came out on ArtistShare a couple of years back?

[mikeweil]

It's very nice, IMHO - rather loose, but not formless improvisations over a varied choice of tunes. Their interaction is great, Keezer has lightning reflexes. 

It's a bit short, but you get plenty of bonus material as downloads, live tracks etc., incl. a MP3 version of the CD - that more than double the length of the CD

[Bright Moments]

I like this one:

me too!