Grammy Award-winning pianist and composer Geoffrey Keezer issues his first live trio record in more than 15 years with Geoffrey Keezer Live at Birdland. Uniting colossal improvisers and masters of fluid foundation John Patitucci and Clarence Penn, Geoffrey Keezer Live at Birdland presents an album-length gesture that reinvigorates the soul of live releases from the heart of New York City.
Committed to the same ethos of joy and defiant creativity as his heroes Wayne Shorter and Chick Corea, Keezer transmits the enormity of their contributions across Live at Birdland, sharing his reverence for the impact they’ve had on his music, his career, and the way he seeks to live day to day. “They are two of my musical heroes and kind of also human heroes,” says Keezer, who had the honor of recording with Chick earlier in his career and subbing in Wayne’s quartet for several dates in 2009. “I loved that both of them were youthful, almost childlike, in how they approached life. Even though they were doing incredible works of art and creating very complex music, they never took themselves too seriously. They always had a great sense of humor.”
Featuring three compositions from Corea and three from Shorter (four on its digital release), Live at Birdland also spotlights two originals from Keezer. “Both Wayne and Chick really encouraged me to compose,” he says. “They were always asking, ‘Are you writing something?’ and Chick especially would get annoyed if I wasn’t. So I really wanted to honor their wishes by including these two tunes on the record.”
Geoffrey Keezer Live at Birdland presents three artists who tessellate through the music, signaling commitment and intention at every moment. Together, they encourage melodic ideas to develop, arc and expand into new universes. Sharing stories through syncopation, brilliant colors and changing hues, Keezer and his collaborators pay homage to Wayne Shorter and Chick Corea and the deeply personal artistries they continue to influence generation after generation.
