Having earned his dues as a sideman for the likes of Art Blakey, Joshua Redman, Benny Golson and Christian McBride, pianist Geoffrey Keezer has staked his claim in Southern California, putting out some impressive music on his own as well as working with some of today’s up and coming vocalists. Here are two recent releases that demonstrate the width and height of his talents.
Keezer’s own album has him mix his own material with standards, teaming alongside Lee Pearson/dr, Mike Pope/b and Gillian Margot, who sings on half the tunes. Margot’s rich and alluring voice shows flexibility on the flowing “You Stay With Me” while going poetic on a pastoral Red Leaf” and telling stories with Keezer’s keyboards on a dramatic “On My Way to You.” The two give a tender duet read of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” while the team does a table dance to Pope’s bass on the enticing “Guanajurto.” In trio format, the team is fun and kinetic on a dark read of “Brilliant Corners” and gets creative on a Beatles medley. Swinging soul sounds.
Keezer plays piano and does the arrangements for vocalist Christine Hitt’s impressive release. The team of John Beasley/key, Eric Hitt/b, Jeff Hamilton-Gene Coye/dr, Leo Amuedo/g, Bob Sheppard/as and Walter Rodriguez/perc mix and match with Keezer and Hitt, bopping well with banter between Hitt and Sheppard on a clear toned “Yardbird Suite” while giving fragrant modern harmonies on “Smile.” Amuedo’s acoustic guitar and Rodriguez/s percussion give a rich tropical feel as Hitt saunters on “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” and Hitt gets gospely with Hamilton’s rich backbeat on “Wade in the Water.” Versatile and strong.