Pair of pianists with history in town return in separate shows
News flash from the department of changing keys ...
It will be 20 years ago next October that four killer piano players came to town as a Boogie Woogie Piano Festival. Coincidentally, two of those players return this week in separate shows: Michael Kaeshammer at Festival Place on Thursday, and Kenny (Blues Boss) Wayne at Blues On Whyte from Wednesday through Sunday. (Curious? The other two pianists were Willie MacCalder and the late Joe Duskin.)
Back then, German-born Kaeshammer (living in Sydney, B.C.) and American-born Wayne (in Vancouver) were relatively new Canadians, novel additions to the nation’s blues and jazz scene. Times change and careers evolve. Wayne, a generation older and already an established artist at the time, has continued to show his expertise in varied blues styles since, winning the Living Blues Award for Outstanding Keyboard Musician in 2015. His latest Stony Plain Records release, Jumpin’ & Boppin’, offers a splendid look back to how jump and boogie woogie set the stage for rhythm and blues with original tunes that pay a fond tip of the hat to greats like Amos Milburn, Ray Charles and Louis Jordan.
Notably, Jumpin’ & Boppin’ was lovingly recorded at Dan Sinasac’s Danlyn Studio in Sherwood Park, with guitarist Duke Robillard leading a list of Wayne’s friends and guests including Russell Jackson, Sherman Doucette, Charlie Jacobson and Dave Babcock. Listen up and just try not to nod your head or tap your foot. It’s impossible. At 72, Wayne shows no sign of slowing down.
Classically-trained Kaeshammer was just 20 on that first visit in 1997, then becoming known as a “wunderkind” or child prodigy of the piano for his hard-swinging, high-energy pursuit of boogie woogie, a vintage piano style rooted in the early 20th century that he had become fascinated with back in Germany at 13. He was 19 when he made his impressive solo piano debut album, Blue Keys, and a beneficiary of the retro-swing craze of the 1990s.
Somewhere along the way, the rising young star also felt manipulated by the business side of music, music trends and pigeonholing. Two decades, eight albums, two Juno Awards and many tours later across North America, Europe and China, Kaeshammer is still a great piano man, but probably better known for his singing and songwriting, and he’s more comfortable for that.
“I’m loving music more than ever,” he offered recently. “For me, it was always just about wanting to play piano, but the business side of it was starting to make me think more about my career. Over the last few years, I’ve come to see things differently.”
Weary of creative burnout, Kaeshammer trimmed his touring down from over 200 dates a year, left Toronto to move back to a quiet corner of Vancouver Island and even ditched his cellphone. He added several horns to a now sixmember band and re-focused on the writing.
It’s all reflected in the title of his latest album, No Filter (eOne Music), a hip set of original songs that blurs the lines between jazz, pop and soul. Randy Bachman and Denzal Sinclaire put in cameos on the disc, which still offers lots of piano, along with the band effort and his casual vocal presence.
“Your interests change as you hear and explore and somehow that ends up in your writing and playing. I love to write for the horns, and to hear them in concert. Now, when it’s just the trio, I feel like something’s missing. To put on my first album next to this last one would sound like day and night, but I feel like I’m doing just what I want to do and I have no deadlines.”
And Kaeshammer’s musical interests continue to expand. He often plays classical piano works at home and very occasionally on stage. A curiosity for the methods of John Cage has prompted him to experiment with prepared piano and electronic music. His last record, The Pianist, was a return to reflecting on solo piano sounds, even standards, and he’s working on three different albums right now.
Six tours of China brought a revelation. Kaeshammer found himself playing to large concert audiences who have no familiarity with his past and hence, no particular expectations. Now he’s considering holding workshops there for music students.
At 40, Kaeshammer remains young at heart and loves the camaraderie of making music with good friends on stage, along with a fresh hit of creative juices at home. Last week, he was at home playing a Chopin etude when the last couple of chords inspired him to write a whole new tune in a jazz style.
“I still draw inspiration from being a piano player, just looking at things harmonically and technically. I love to play and write every day and I feel like I’m just starting out.”
He promises a mix of old and new material with his band Thursday, but can’t say more because he doesn’t work with a set list.
Kaeshammer brings his band to Sherwood Park’s Festival Place 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $41 to $51 from the box office (780449-3378 or at festivalplace.ab.ca).
Wayne plays Blues On Whyte at 9 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday, and at 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with a $7 cover Friday and Saturday only.