Kaeshammer’s jazz, blues have global feel
Recording in New Orleans a treat for Canadian jazz and blues artist
The way he bangs a keyboard, you know Michael Kaeshammer ain’t no square. But when you talk to him, the four corners of the world come up. Those would be Germany, New Orleans, China and Saskatoon.
The Canadian jazz and blues piano player called from Germany, his country of birth, where he was visiting family and doing a photo shoot.
His 12th and latest album, Something New, came out this spring, which directs the conversation to New Orleans where it was recorded.
“For me, everything I grew up listening to came from there. My piano style is based in that and I lived there for a little while before Katrina. I have a lot of friends there, musicians. I just love it. I hear a second-line beat or I hear Longhair or James Booker and I’m a kid again.”
Kaeshammer wrote the 10 original songs on Something New over four weeks on what has become an annual tour of China. He knew he’d be spending hours on trains and planes and needed a project to keep him interested. Before he set off, he got drummer Johnny Vidacovich to track a selection of beats and grooves. Kaeshammer built the songs on that foundation. It worked so well, the keyboardist can see himself using it again.
“It was just an experiment, really. And if you have creative freedom, why not?”
The album started out as a trio project with Vidacovich and upright bassist David Piltch. But they started thinking about who might sound good on a given song, and ended up with an interesting guest list — names like Cyril Neville of the Neville Brothers, New Orleans Nightcrawlers Brass Band, Chuck Leavell (the Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones) and fellow Canucks Colin James and Randy Bachman.
Kaeshammer said the task of finding guests would have intimidated him 10 years ago — who to ask, how to reach them. But time and experience helped. And the Big Easy lived up to its name.
“If you are nice to people, it’s not that hard.”
And, in a city famous for its food, he gets to eat his cake and keep it at the same time; they recorded enough material during breaks for a trio album.
But back to China, where Kaeshammer will do his eighth fall tour this year. The roots go back to when he was a performer at Canada House during the Beijing Olympics.
“That was my first time being in a place that’s completely different from anywhere I’ve been.”
He’s been the first jazz musician to play in some cities, which have populations in the millions. But things change fast. One year, his iphone was exotic. A couple of years later, there were lines on the sidewalk for texters to stay on track.
Similarly, he used to have to play Beatles tunes or jazz versions of traditional Chinese songs. Now, audiences want originals.
“It is interesting to look out into the audience and see the mixture of complete, ‘What the hell’s going on’ and enjoyment. And a third of the audience is kids because piano is such a big thing in China.”
Which brings us to corner number four, the booming megapolis of Saskatoon, which happens to be one of Kaeshammer’s favourite places to play.
“Saskatoon — I’ve heard a lot of musicians say it — but it’s the best city on the Prairies, that’s for sure.
“It’s very artsy. That’s why I like the audience there. And the Broadway is always nice. I can’t remember how many times I’ve been at the Broadway, it’s kind of a home away from home.”
Kaeshammer will reunite with his six-piece band for the Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival show — no set list, just good times in The Little Easy.
“We just kind of go up there and do our thing but there’s definitely going to be some New Orleans stuff,” he says.