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Michael Kaeshammer: Kaeshammer

By C. Michael Bailey
October 14, 2011
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It doesn't take a Charles Darwin to realize that the true evolutionary inheritors of

Frank Sinatra

vocals
1915 - 1998

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Sinatra's and

Peggy Lee

vocals
1920 - 2002

" data-original-title="" title="">Peggy Lee's brand of "popular" music were

Elton John

piano
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Elton John and Billy Joel, and not

Harry Connick, Jr.

piano
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Harry Connick, Jr. or

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Buble, the latter being more keepers of the flame than the former innovators. Had popular music not dissembled into the current confused concoction of country, rock and hip-hop, where might it have ended up? At the door of German/Canadian Michael Kaeshammer, that's where.

Kaeshammer debuted with Blue Keys (Alma Records) in 1996. Since that time, he has released six more recordings, including this eponymous release. The staggering reality of Kaeshammer is the fact that so much talent—composing, singing, instrumental chops, and arranging—comes so densely packed in a single person. It seems inconceivable that with such a discography, including Kaeshammer in particular, the singer is not more widely known. Because this is music more infectious than the flu.

Kaeshammer's stylistic range is as deep as it is wide, ranging from the stride piano of the 1930s

Willie "The Lion" Smith

piano
1897 - 1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Willie "The Lion" Smith ("Tightrope") to the Fender Rhodes of the Faces' Ian McLagan ("Kisses in Zanzibar") and singing from 1920's show tunes (an inspired and revamped "Love Me or Leave Me") to the Christopher Cross-meets-Bruce Hornsby style on "Remedy."

Ray Charles

piano and vocals
1930 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Charles, Leon Russell, Lindsey Buckingham, Elton John, Don Henley, and so on are all here in a sound that can only be called Kaeshammer's own.

Kaeshammer's songwriting is evenly informed by the last 70 years of popular music. The disc opener, "Rendezvous," recalls Billy Joel's An Innocent Man (Columbia, 1983) period, where "Kisses in Zanzibar" and "Shalimar Wind" brilliantly mined the same stylistic vein tapped by Barry Manilow without that singer's Las Vegas baggage. Kaeshammer digs deep on the disc's spiritual center, a churchy,

Gene Harris

piano
1933 - 2000

" data-original-title="" title="">Gene Harris-inspired instrumental performance of

Curtis Mayfield

guitar and vocals
1942 - 1999

" data-original-title="" title="">Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready." The pianist shares solo space with bassist

Marc Rogers

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Marc Rogers, the two weaving a thoroughly modern cover of this already well-covered song. A master of drama, Kaeshammer tells a story with this old song.

Artists of the breadth of Kaeshammer no longer exist. They are too often drowned out by the lowest common denominator conventional wisdom ruling what is popular and what is not. Kaeshammer brings things back to the basics: superior musicianship and exceptional songwriting. If only Sinatra lived so long to hear this.

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Track Listing

Rendezvous; Kisses in Zanzibar; A Little Bit of Love; Tightrope; The You- and-Me; People Get Ready; Heartbeat; Shalimar wind; Love Me or Leave Me; Remedy.

Personnel

Michael Kaeshammer

piano

Personnel: Michael Kaeshammer: vocals, keyboards; Marc Rogers: acoustic and electric basses; Mark Mclean: drums, percussion; Roger Tracassos: drums, percussion; Davide Direnzo: percussion; William Sperandei: trumpet; William Carn: trombone; Gord Meyers: trombone; Perry White: tenor saxophone; Kelly Jefferson: tenor saxophone; Chris Gale: tenor saxophone; Justin Abedin : guitars; Joel Parisien: background vocals; Andrea Koziol: background vocals; Karen Graves: violin, Rebekah Wolkstein: violin; Drew Jurecka: violin; Ron LoPata: Hammond B3 organ.

Album information

Title: Kaeshammer | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Alert Music

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Michael Kaeshammer Concerts

Mar 25 Wed

Michael Kaeshammer - Turn It Up

Amaturo Theater
Fort Lauderdale, FL

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