Search - Geoff Keezer :: Turn Up the Quiet

Turn Up the Quiet---Keezer Wants to Dance

Samuel Schreiber | Oberlin, OH USA | 12/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As much as I love this CD, I strongly recomend listening to Geoff Keezer's takes with Art Blakey and Ray Brown before tackling this CD. Believe me, it will heighten the sensation. If you are exceptionally devoted(and a newcomer to Jazz), you will want to listen to a few select tracks of Oscar Peterson and James Williams to gain a sense of Keezer's roots. I first heard Mr. Keezer live at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival with Ray Brown and Karriem Riggins and was blown away by his incredible virtuosity.
Keezer displays mastery of his instrument (as you will see, there is more than one way to make music using a piano.) Mr. Keezer runs an incredibly tight ship with Christian McBride and Joshua Redman in each of their numbers together. Diana Krall handles each of her songs with the sultry perfection that we've come to expect of her, and puts in an appearance in "Bibo no Azora." As a jazz pianist I have found this CD extremely inspiring, and I have to honestly say I have not gotten to the bottom of it yet, and probably never will.
My sole disappointment with this CD is that Mr. Keezer chose not to share a blues with the listener. Don't be fooled by the gorgeous sensitivity that emanates from the tracks of this CD. The man can get down home and dirty when he wants to. If you don't believe me, pick up a copy of "The Ray Brown Trio: Live from Starbucks." and sink your chops into the final track."