The Art of Accompanying Singers: A workshop for pianists, guitarists and vocalists with Geoffrey Keezer and Denise Donatelli

Two time Grammy-nominated pianist/composer/arranger Geoffrey Keezer and multiple Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Denise Donatelli team up for a workshop on the fine art of accompanying singers. Topics covered will include: advice on choosing repertoire, finding the right key and tempo, setting up intros, comping supportively, arranging on the spot, creating original and unique approaches to standards, how to handle the occasional train wreck, and as usual, Geoffrey’s candid humor and stories from the road. Mark your calendar so you don’t miss this rare opportunity to interact one-on-one with two of jazz’s greatest artists!

About Geoffrey Keezer:

Pianist and composer Geoffrey Keezer was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on November 20, 1970 into a musical family, and began piano studies at the age of three. At the age of eighteen Geoffrey joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, and has gone on to work with virtually all of the living legends of jazz, appearing on countless recordings both as a leader and as an accompanist.

Geoffrey’s professional career has spanned many projects while continuing to work in collaboration with world class musicians from diverse genres. His 1998 release, “Turn Up The Quiet”, featured vocalist Diana Krall along with Joshua Redman and Christian McBride. His partnership with world renowned classical artist Barbara Hendricks as musical director and arranger produced “It’s Wonderful — A Tribute to George Gershwin” with subsequent touring in Europe and Japan. His two releases in 2003, “Falling Up” and “Sublime: Honoring the Music of Hank Jones”, were both collaborative efforts. “Sublime” is an ambitious set of piano duets with Kenny Barron, Chick Corea, Benny Green and Mulgrew Miller. “Falling Up” features several pieces where Geoffrey worked in tandem with the Hawaiian Slack Key Guitarist, Keola Beamer. His 2005 release, “Wildcrafted”, captures the fire and raw energy of Geoffrey’s trio live in concert at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis. And in 2006, Geoffrey teamed up with traditional Okinawan singer Yasukatsu Oshima for a groundbreaking album of duets. Geoffrey’s 2009 adventure, “Áurea”, is a recording of folkloric South American music mixed with Jazz, and was nominated for a GRAMMY award in the “Best Latin Jazz Album” category. In 2010, Geoffrey was nominated for a GRAMMY award for his arrangement of “Don’t Explain” for singer Denise Donatelli.

About Denise Donatelli:
GRAMMY® Nominated jazz vocalist, Denise Donatelli, has become one of today’s premiere jazz vocalists. Denise has recorded four albums to date, Soul Shadows (Savant Records 2012), When Lights are Low (Savant Records 2010), What Lies Within (Savant Records 2008), and In the Company of Friends (Jazzed Media 2005) and also makes an appearance on the Christmas recording, That Time of Year (2011) by GRAMMY® Award Winner Bill Cunliffe. She received her second consecutive GRAMMY® nomination for Soul Shadows her fourth and latest recording.  When Lights are Low received two GRAMMY® Nominations, one for Best Jazz Vocal Album and another for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist for pianist and collaborator Geoffrey Keezer for his arrangement of “Don’t Explain.” In addition to Denise’s GRAMMY® nominations, The Los Angeles Jazz Society has honored her with the 2012 Jazz Vocalist of the Year award.  

$30 advance purchase/$45 day of the workshop