Kelvin Sholar

SELECTED REVIEWS

Artforum International/ Best of 2009/ Dec. 2009/pg. 64
"Opening with a Jelly Roll Morton rag, this exceptional producer and keyboardist soon transitioned into a body of original solo piano material that evoked Kevin Saunderson as powerfully as it did Cecil Taylor. Time stopped."

Q-TIP: KAMAAL THE ABSTRACT/ Battery Records 2009
It would be cloyingly insecure of us to try to tell anyone how to digest the genius blend of musicianship, innovation and wordplay that is Kamaal The Abstract. Q-Tip’s third, long awaited solo CD is an aural elixir that speaks easily for itself. It does, however, get even better with back-story.

Conceived way back in 1999, the album is the lovechild of two distinctly dissonant moments in the veteran rapper’s life. The first was the embattled state of hip-hop circa 1999; a time when many longtime fans and artists felt like the music was quickly succumbing to the mind-numbing repetition and commercialism. Q-Tip was one of them “I felt like hip-hop was dead,” he says. “It was misogynistic. Nobody was taking chances. I felt like the musicality was missing. Like it didn’t have any soul. And I felt like it was heading pretty much to where it is right now.”
Hot off the heels of the hit single “Vivrant Thing,” he wanted to do something “totally different”. So he approached then President of Arista Clive Davis about doing a record in the spirit of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, the legendary album which personified Miles’ “screw the industry, the rules and the sorry state of music as we know it” attitude. Davis, who was the A&R guy for Miles’ Bitches Brew, co-signed Tip’s vision and gave it his blessing.

At the time, Tip had no idea how “totally different” this album was about to become. Barely into the process, a house fire destroyed practically everything he owned. “When my house burned down I lost my beats, my records— everything. But I still had music in me. I wanted to make music, but I had to learn how to do it without the tools that I normally had. So I learned how to play piano. I studied theory.” Similar to how he used to scour obscure record stores to dig through the proverbial crates, he combed through jazz clubs and studio sessions discovering kindred musical spirits and aligning himself with talents like Kelvin and Chris Sholar, Guyora Katz, and Aisha Morris (daughter of the legendary Stevie Wonder). “I started going out looking for fresh names and talents. Once I heard them play and I eventually started putting everybody together in a room.” The sessions that ensued became the foundations for Kamaal The Abstract. They also forced Tip to redefine his own musical boundaries and move way beyond his previous comfort zone. “Being around musicians forced me to speak their language,” he explains. “I had to humble myself and allowed myself to experience a state of submission. The whole experience heightened the musicianship in me.”

The 10-track result, which forays seamlessly across the terrains of soul, jazz, hip-hop and more, defies easy categorization. Tracks like “Abstractionism” and “Feelin’” make good use of Tip’s signature rhyme style and his playful but smart social critiques and yet their magic also lies in the endless array of live, lush instrumentation that dominates the album. “Feelin’” for example starts out as a critique of racial profiling but it’s the repetition of the soul-filled, harmonious hook “Yo we gotta bring back that boom-bap/What’s happening to that feeling” that quickly emerges as the album’s mission statement.

On “A Million Times” there is no rhyming at all but the driving, sexy reiteration of two simple lines I thought I told you a million times/We’re gonna do it again and again simultaneously evokes sex, success and scolding and makes full use of Tip’s signature capacity for lyrical wordplay and double entendre.

“Blue Girl’s” gorgeous harmonies easily evoke the vulnerability and emotional complexities of 70’s soul love songs while “Barely In Love” calls to mind a Sly and the Family Stone-esque merge of soul, funk and rock and roll. With all this going on, even Tip is hard pressed to define Kamaal The Abstract as a hip-hop album in the traditional sense. “ I would call it music,” he says. “There’s a bit of everything in there.” Which may explain, in part, why after Davis’ departure from Arista in 2000 the album sat for almost a decade until the success of Outkasts’ Speakerboxx and circumstance brought an industry far more comfortable with bandwagons than innovators, up to speed. And yet a hip-hop album is exactly what Kamaal The Abstract is, precisely because it pushes listeners fan past what was once believed to be possible. “I wanted to take the risk and do the experimentation, especially when it comes to new ideas,” Tip explains confidently. “Because that’s what hip-hop is. Our whole shit was built on chance and making something that people had never heard before.”
Battery Records/ 2009

ALL ABOUT JAZZ April 27 2009
Kelvin Sholar: Artistic Crossroads
By Franz A. Matzner
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=32673

"Kelvin Sholar Pianist, composer, programmer, writer, philosopher Kelvin Sholar is a modern Renaissance man, an endangered species in our modern times of careerism and hyper-focused resumes. At any one time, Sholar seems to be grappling with more ideas and projects than very few are capable of doing over several years—if at all."

Verve Club April 2009
"Verve Club Special presents:
Kelvin Sholar Group featuring Carl Craig (Detroit)
Tuesday, 28th April 2009

Kelvin Sholar is a visionary Detroit based composer, pianist and keyboardist known for his wide ranging projects and high profile collaborations that boldly cross diverse genres of music. As well as a world class performer, Sholar is the winner of 10 musical awards from various Classical and Jazz competitions, and, the author of an innovative new theory of music called “The Sholar System”.

Carl Craig calls Sholar “My right hand man, musically” and the pair have been working together for more than six years in various live and studio settings to critical acclaim. Take for example, "Relevee", the Delia Gonzalez and Gavin Russom track called a “straight-up classic” by Pitchfork (and chosen for remix on Craig’s “Sessions” for !K7 Records), or, “Live in Paris” with versions of “At Les” and “Twillight” that RA calls “arguably better than the originals”. One could also mention the remix of LCD Soundsystem’s title track “Sound of Silver” from the grammy winning Lp, or, Tribe’s “Livin In A New Day” that unites the classic outfit with the new generation of Detroit’s musical stars. Most recent is Sholar’s piano work on Carl Craig and Moritz von Oswald’s incredible “Recomposed Vol. 3” for Deutsche Grammophon and the spin-off remixes featuring Craig and Ricardo Villalobos.

All of this comes to a head on April 28th at the Verve Club in Berlin as Kelvin Sholar presents a futuristic fusion of jazz, classical and techno music- featuring his new international group (Silvia Marbo on vocals/Berlin, Jonathan Robinson on acoustic and electric basses/USA and Javier Reyes on drums and percussion/ Columbia) and augmented by the electronics of Carl Craig. The night will feature two sets, an acoustic and electro setting, and the repertoire will range from Sholar’s unique originals to live versions of classics by Miles Davis and Carl Craig himself. Sholar is looking forward to this unique event: “This project is special for me because I can present the music and musicians I love- and showcase Carl in a rare format- not as a producer or Dj- but as a live musician”.

After more than 50 Verve Club editions presenting international acclaimed jazz artists e.g. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Lizz Wright, Elvis Costello, Till Brönner, Mark Murphy, Roy Hargrove or José James, as well as top Jazz / Electronic DJs as Ricardo Villalobos, Jazzanova, Rainer Truby, Nicola Conte, Tobi Neumann or Thomas Fehlmann, we are proud to present another very special highlight at our domicile Tausend in Berlin. "

ATRANE May 2009
“Kelvin Sholar is one of the few musicians that has the enormous capacity to handle Jazz, Classic, Blues, Carribean and Electronic music. In recent years he played and made numerous projects with groups and artists like Francesco Tristano, Mary J. Blige, Tribe, Kevin Jones and Tenth World, Carl Craig, Moritz von Oswald, Lcd Soundsystem, Correy Harris and Sangoma Everette. He plays pieces by Stravinsky and created exciting new Techno versions of Beethoven, Mozart, Schoenberg and others. Sholar is a gladly seen guest in international tv shows and Web broadcasts. In addition, he has been interviewed and filmed by the famous American director Spike Lee.
Kevin Sholar and his group will in Atrane present exciting new music from their recent live recording, that features the Techno producer Carl Craig. The master saxophonist Wendell Harrison out of Detroit will also be there this evening. He has performed with such Jazz greats as Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Henderson, Grant Green and Sun Ra.”

New York Times June 23, 2008,
JVC Jazz Festival in Review
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/23/arts/music/23roun.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin
By BEN RATLIFF

"TRIBE
Tribe was a musicians’ collective and a record label and a magazine started in Detroit in the early ’70s. It operated in a self-empowerment, community-building spirit that was similar to other musician-run cooperatives in Chicago and Los Angeles and St. Louis, all outgrowths of the Black Arts Movement. Tribe’s sound was street and chic and spacey, but always concerned with straight-ahead entertainment; these musicians had gotten their chops through Detroit hard bop and Motown and the Ray Charles band. They were the local elite.

The trombonist Phil Ranelin, the tenor saxophonist Wendell Harrison and the trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, among others, recently recorded a new Tribe album in the old sound, this time produced by the Detroit techno D.J. Carl Craig, a club-music superstar one full generation younger. The record comes out in the fall, and the band has already started promoting it. Mr. Craig himself was supposed to appear with the band at Le Poisson Rouge on Friday night, adding electronics to the band’s set and then performing his own late-night D.J. set afterward.

But Mr. Craig did not make it to New York. Strangely, it didn’t seem to matter. His attachment to the JVC Jazz Festival show — heavily promoted by the festival — didn’t seem to do its job in drawing a crowd. The three older musicians, with a younger rhythm section, played a set of new and old instrumental music with socially conscious spoken-word inserts, and giving a few New Yorkers one of those necessary periodic lessons about jazz history from other parts of the country.

It was especially fascinating to hear Mr. Ranelin, a player whose name is associated with ’70s soul-jazz and free jazz, because he’s such a disciplined player in the hard-bop mold. His solos used long, warbling tones, then changed into stiff percussive blasts and smart melodic lines.

Mr. Belgrave, well known as a teacher but still underrated as a performer, played subtle, wide and logical solos on trumpet and fluegelhorn that were like compressed pieces of wisdom. Mr. Harrison played the most mannered and authentic ’70s solos, fitting the tone of the music (and Mr. Ranelin’s poetry) with honks and flurries and shouts.

The music used ebb-and-flow vamps, a little boilerplate rhythmically but with shrewd harmony; the mentholated music sounded like electric Miles Davis meeting James Brown’s backup group in the early ’70s, and a bit like the European downtempo electronic music it inspired in the early ’80s. In the back line were musicians with mostly Detroit roots: Kelvin Sholar on electric piano, Damon Warmack on electric bass, John Arnold on guitar, and Jaimeo Brown on drums. But this was a wandering, solo-oriented music, and most action came from the old heads up front."

Earplug- Issue #123 (http://earplug.cc/167715)
June 19, 2008
Carl Craig's Tribal Affiliations
Detroit techno veteran teams up with local jazz elders

"Detroit's Carl Craig is many things to many people: techno enthusiast and pioneering producer, label guru, club DJ, celebrated remixer, Grammy nominee, and founder of the Detroit Electronic Music Festival. In his nearly 20-year career, Craig's passion for music has run the gamut from melodic techno and drum 'n bass to funk, soul, and jazz. It was projects like the Innerzone Orchestra and the Detroit Experiment that fueled Craig's desire to helm the reunification of Detroit jazz collective Tribe. Originally formed in 1971, the group recorded experimental jazz albums and influenced a generation of local musicians. Several of those records were re-issued earlier this decade with remixes by Tortoise's John Herndon. After working with Tribe trumpeter Marcus Belgrave on the Detroit Experiment in 2003, Craig pursued living members of Tribe in the hopes of recording with them. With the sessions completed, he's putting the finishing touches on the as-yet untitled album, due out in September. Earplug's Tim Pratt caught up with Craig via phone just five days after the birth of his new baby daughter.

Earplug: What's up with this new jazz project you're working on?

Carl Craig: It's about Tribe — [trumpeter] Marcus Belgrave, [trombonist] Phil Ranelin, [drummer] Doug Hammond, [saxophonist] Wendell Harrison, and [pianist] Harold McKinney, who's not with us anymore. It's a project based around music these guys wrote and released 30-35 years ago. We've done new versions of [their material]. Basically, I'm producing an album for this music that I really love and have a lot of pride in. These are fellow Detroiters and legends as well. It's a re-presentation of these guys, re-introducing them to the world.

EP: Have you finished the recording sessions or are you still working on it?

CC: Yeah, we recorded the album. I've had a lot of other obligations that have been going on, but I'm on a pursuit of perfection with this music, so I want to make sure that it's the most perfect record that I could ever make. I want to make sure every piece fits correctly, so that people who love Marcus, Wendell, and Phil will love this record, while kids used to hearing music completely synthesized and sequenced can get into it too. As I go through the album, I just want to make sure everybody is on point. It will be the perfect jazz record. We're going for our Grammy win this year! [laughs]

EP: Did you play along with them, or are you strictly acting as producer?

CC: We went into the studio together and I just guided them through the process. My role was like a coach, but ultimately it was as a fan. It's way different compared to making a record of my own stuff, where I'm involved with every aspect of it. I had a lot of help from Kelvin Sholar, my right-hand man musically. I leaned on him a lot to find the best young musicians we could, as well as some friends of Tribe that came and joined in, like Ralph Armstrong, who played on an early Tribe record. There's a lot of history that comes with Tribe. They have mentored a lot of young kids from the '70s who became prominent musicians, like James Carter. You can relate Marcus Belgrave in every aspect of Detroit music because he's mentored somebody, somewhere, sometime. Marcus has an indirect influence on hip-hop because he mentored Amp Fiddler, and Amp Fiddler was the one who taught J Dilla how to program MPCs. Tribe isn't just a few guys that made a couple of records back in the day. These are guys that have been ultra active in the Detroit music community and have a very prominent influence.

EP: What's the principal reason you're doing this record?

CC: It's completely a labor of love. There's no marketing strategy for a record like this, other than the fact that they're legends and they make great music. It's not like they're going to stand up onstage and dance like Chris Brown or something. I try to work on whatever I can stand behind and really, what I do with it makes a statement. I try to work with special things, and this is a very special project to me.

EP: Did any of the Tribe members play with you in your performance at the Movement Festival in May?

CC: Wendell Harrison played saxophone and clarinet. I call him "the Snake Charmer." Kelvin Sholar was on keys, as well as Niko Marks, who's on Planet E. Just us four playing. Whenever the energy needed to raise by 100%, Wendell came out and put his soul into his instrument — it was really amazing.

EP: Are you still playing DJ gigs and traveling a lot, or maybe not quite so much with the new baby?

CC: I'm going back out again right after the JVC Festival on the road, pretty intense for the summertime. I took a break from it because we were having a baby, and I needed to be around. But baby needs new shoes, so daddy's gotta go work."

Feuilleton Feuilleton
Christa Linossi, 11 June 2008
KUNSTHAUS GRAZ, 21-- 25 Mai 2008
SpringeightGraz- “Conversations in Space"
on the BIX MEDIENFASSADE of KUNSTHAUS GRAZ
http://www.kultura-extra.de/kunst/feull/springeightgraz_2008.php

“Graz is not only in the fine arts on avant-garde but also in the new media and music. May 2008 was held in Graz in the "Spring eight Graz" Electronic Art & Music. A Spring Festival that grazed across pop history and interesting stations such as cathedral in the mountain, FM4 Studio Lounge or at the Kunsthaus Graz.

For the BIX media facade has been specifically designed by renowned video artist Mox (Ninja Tune, London) and the pianist Francesco Tristano and Kelvin Sholar (composer, pianist and experimental keyboardist from New York) an audio-visual production, which was inspired by the sound environment and BIX the architecture of the facade of the Kunsthaus Graz. The minimum and very limited structure of the facade of the building was the appropriate interface to graphically depict musical patterns. The artists is it succeeded in a unique dialogue between architecture and sound.

The artists:
MOX is an international success, in London living director, architect and video and animation artists, inter alia, for Cold Cuts legendary Ninja Tune label works.

Francesco Tristanon Schlimé studied classical piano in Brussels, Paris and New York (Juilliard School). He started early with different music and modern compositional styles such as jazz, improvisation and techno.

Kelvin Sholar is also a classically trained, award-winning pianist, keyboardist, composer and arranger from New York, having worked with such diverse artists and institutions such as the New York City Ballet, Branford Marsalis, Q-Tip and Carl Craig.

For extra-Kultura and you readers the link to this audio-visual performance is available, you can not escape:

MMS: / / vid01.wkstmk.at/wkstmk/kh/kunsthausgraz_open_air.wmv
Credits: Mox, Francesco Tristano Schlimé, Kelvin Sholar, „Conversations in Space": Open air audiovisual Performance, BIX Fassade, Kunsthaus Graz, Video: Günther Ferstl"

"Techno City: Race, Space and the DEMF"
By Greg Scruggs
4 June 2008
http://www.spannered.org/features/1423/

"There were highlights regardless. Carl Craig, whose tenuous relationship with DEMF dates back to his 2002 firing, headlined the main stage on Sunday night with a performance that transcended the possibilities of electronic music. Working off a laptop, he weaved in and out of his own work, including his remixes of Faze Action's In the Trees and Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom's Relevee, while sharing the stage with fellow 313 scenesters Niko Marks and Kelvin Sholar on keys, as well as Detroit jazzman Wendell Harrison on saxophone and clarinet. Craig has been experimenting with this techno-jazz fusion for a couple years now and it makes for an awe-inspiring live performance. The only disappointment is that he played for just an hour, beginning at 11pm and ending at the festival's midnight curfew, while the set appeared to be in its infancy, just starting to climb out of its slow build-up when he had to pull the plug."

Berliner Abendblatt- English
October 10-17, 2007

Under Herbie Hancock’s Poster
The jazz pianist Kelvin Sholar will give a guest performance on Sunday in the Raw-temple

Friedrichshain. “I have no desire to play for tables and chairs", says the pianist and composer Kelvin Sholar out of New York. “The public should be middle in the events, so as if a Church choir sings".

Will the American jazz pianist come on Sunday, 14 October, into the Ambulatorium of the Raw-temple at the Revaler street 99 that the shout of unimpeded playfulness tear the listeners out of their chairs?

Sholars first musical experiences go back into the womb. “My mother plays the piano, my father plays guitar and bass”, clarifies he. They appeared jointly with Sholars grandmother in churches all around Detroit. And his first correct memory of musical examples go back to his uncle’s (a Drummer) basement, where the small Kelvin slept most dearly under a poser of Herbie Hancock’s Hundheanters album. “Likewise i was impressed by the church like worldly music.”

And already before he had received the first piano lesson the schoolboy Kelvin felt the call to compose. “I had so many things in my head for which I never found suitable words. But when I heard music, I understood it all, also without words. I myself wanted to bring this cosmos of knowledge to my musical expression'.

Sholar played in bands in High School and got his first notable teacher in the trumpeter Marcus Belgrave. “He showed me how important tradition is. I wanted to play always only my thing", so Sholar. “But text and speed of a piece one may not ignore, but rather announce with the instrument." .

But Sholar was a good and attentive student. He can look back in the mean time on entrances with Big names like George benson, Branford Marsalis and Randy Crawford. Even director Spike lee got Sholar already before the camera. And since the jazz pianist resettled to New York in 1997, he does his own projects. Next to numerous tours around the globe he and his compositions are open for all musical influences. Computer-Sound can occur just like instrumental pieces in the “Ragtime” style.

His albums are signified by passion and lyricism, sometimes enriched by a Sampler. The result sounds like a new version of the old Herbie Hancock Sound, infused with Funkadelic-infused and sounding of the early seventies, where it is engaged aesthetically to 90’s Hip-Hop.

In short, Sholar’s music is audacious and adventurous, with a sound often missing from modern music that is intelligent and witty, playfulness and innovation.

And in RAW-temple, Kelvin Sholar does not give from 21 o'clock a solo-concert, in that certainly also the tables and chairs stand quietly.

TIP Berlin - ENGLISH
August 23- September 5, 2007
New in Berlin (26): Kelvin Sholar
The pianist Kelvin Sholar has worked in Brazil, Greece, Japan and has been in Berlin for a year. He has won numerous prizes and is engaged worldwide in different Music projects.

"Tip: Why did you come to Berlin?
Kelvin Sholar: As a a professional musician, I had got the offer to go with the Berliner Joy Denalane on tour. At the same time I had, after some short stays in Berlin before, the opportunity to finally become acquainted with the city correctly. For an artist, this creative and low-priced city is ideal. Besides that, I fell in love with a beautiful Berliner.

Tip: What surprised you in Berlin?
Kelvin Sholar: I was surprised by the high degree of social responsibility here that you wont find in New York. So many operas. Berlin is very green and friendly to bikers. The many different ethnicities and cultures that live here lets anyone to be entirely himself.

Tip: What did bring along for us?
Sholar: After constantly traveling the world and performing on over 75 recording sessions in Jazz, Classical, Techno, and Hip Hop I bring along a new musical understanding with no stylistic borders.

Tip: What would they change here gladly?
Sholar: The concept of art and entertainment. I would gladly establish a multimedia space where music, visual art, modern dance, and media are connected and presented according to themes.

Tip: Describe Berlin with five words, please!
Sholar: Bohemian soul directs digital intellect.

Tip: What do you miss here?
Sholar: My long-time friends and family.

Tip: Where does one encounter you during the day?
Sholar: Going to or from the airport. In search of interesting music in Comeback Records in Neukölln. Lunch in the Schöneberger cafe Bilderbuch. Or eating sushi at Aki Tatsu in Kreuzberg. At the very most however practicing or composing at home.

Tip: Where does one encounter you at night?
Sholar: I go eating gladly to Silberstein or go to the Sony center for English films, would go Salsa dancing at Misalsa, would hear jazz or electronics in A-train, Quasimodo, Oxident, B-flat, the Bebop Bar and 103. If I would not go out, I sit until mornings around six behind my laptop and work at a new show or disk.

Tip: Which Berliner would you become acquainted with gladly?
Sholar: John F. Kennedy

Tip: Some advice for Berliners, please!
Sholar: Have no anxiety to speak English. Be proud of this wonderful city. Appreciate your museums. And respect the artists of all professions."
Interview by Eva Apraku

La Stampa August 17 2007- Italy
To Virtuous Sanremo and Magic Jazz
This evening begins the review "Soundz" with Kelvin Sholar and Rosario Bonaccorso. Roberto Pavanello

“It begins this evening, the attractive review "Soundz 2007- Sanremo in Jazz" that the City Council of Tourism and the Cultural associations "Sanremo Jazz" and "Jazz & Folk" have organized with Villa Ormond. Five evenings of excellent music with famous Italian interpreters and foreigners under the artistic direction of Dodo Goya. A return to the musical type of protagonism to Sanremo that was its historical tradition.

It is begun, therefore, this evening with the exhibitions of Kelvin Sholar, Bob Bonisolo and Rosary Bonaccorso, preceded, in the afternoon (from 6 pm on) by the Louisiana Brass Band and the Milanese trio "not only jazz" guided from the vocalist Ulrica De Georgio.

The highlight of the festival begins, obviously, in the evening when, 9.30 on will ascend on the sober Sholar and the others. In the opening eyes and ears will be aimed on the American pianist, but a Berliner by adoption, that dancer on the white and black keys- accompanied by the bass of Johnathan Robinson and from the drums of John Arnold. Later the trio will be joined by Bob Bonisolo on the sax. Their concert will contain a re-elaboration of the Firebird of Igor Stravinskij.

Kelvin Sholar is a musician that is classically trained and he has achieved many recognitions as pianist and keyboarder. His capacity allows him to also carry a contract for one of the most prestigious pianos manufacturers in the world- The Bosendorfer of Vienna. He is also a composer and arranger, and active in all the spaces between modern technologies and old ragtime. Sholar is a figure so interesting as to have awakened the interest of Spike Lee in interviews.“

Mainstreet Festival 2007- Italy
“The trait of union with the last season of the Festival will be the presence of KELVIN SHOLAR one of the most appreciated Jazz pianists of Europe. This fickle and multi-talented artist will be showcased with musicians of his choice in the Main Street Festival this year as DigiDeity (featuring John Arnold on Drums and Silvia Marbo on Vocals). This exhibition will be the ideal paradigm of the musical message that Main Street Records wants to make clear to its patrons. This message is the historical continuum of black music from the its origins to today. Kelvin Sholar in fact besides being a "classicisist" explores the current boundaries of musical collaborations with producers like Carl Craig (Planet E). It is an honor and a privilege to have KELVIN SHOLAR and DigiDeity at the Main Street Festival.”
M.S.R. "Out of Studio"
feat. Soulomon, KELVIN SHOLAR & Giuseppe Sainato
Out of Studio means that Main Street Records will create an direct road from the super-studio of Soulomon (the producer) through beats created through the years by the Main Street Crew. Everything will be entrusted to the creative whims and improvisations of KELVIN SHOLAR (on the keyboards) and Giuseppe Sainato (on the percussion).

Carl Craig's Demon Days Summer Season- Detroit
K-Fresh/ 06.08.2007
"Demon Days: An Official Planet E Selection is a series of electronic music events that take place in key North American cities like New York, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, Boston, Toronto, Montreal and beyond.
The Demon Days series was launched in September 2005 by respected Detroit-based Producer/DJ Carl Craig and New York-based partner DJ Gamall who form the musical core of the events. Connected artwork for Demon Days is supplied by respected Amsterdam based graphic / visual artist Parra. The series is also linked to Carl Craig's independent electronic music record label Planet E which has been running successfully since 1991.
Carl Craig has been one of the most innovative producers in electronic music since his career started in 1989. 2006 was a stellar year for Carl with major acclaim for his remixes of DFA, X-Press 2, Goldfrapp and others. 2007 has been just as busy with Carl recently releasing remixes for Faze Action, Junior Boys and Siobahn Donaghy. He also has remixes for Tiefschwarz and Tony Allen in the can. In June Carl will also release a new EP on his own Planet E imprint entitled PARIS LIVE the two track 12” was recorded live last year with a band that included Mad Mike Banks (Underground Resistance), Wendell Harrison (Tribe Records) and KELVIN SHOLAR (Q-Tip associate)."

Record Review:
All About Jazz
One Summer In Winters/Jeff Alkire
Published: April 29, 2007
By Michael P. Gladstone
“... a quite good and varied collection of hard bop music and fine ensemble and solo work by the group... KELVIN SHOLAR 's gutsy piano... The members of the ensemble not only support Alkire, but are potential future stars on their own...KELVIN SHOLAR is a fine pianist... a well-traveled and classically trained pianist and composer.”

Record review.
Featured Artist: Jeff Alkire
CD Title: One Summer in Winters
Year: 2007
Reviewed by: Dr. Ana Isabel Ordonez
Review:
"One Summer in Winters is a well cooked Contemporary jazz album... Every track contains a flexible interplay... their own original panache to the music... KELVIN SHOLAR... dazzle with vigorous, singular and bold musical work...warrant high odds for inspired musings and worthwhile listening... strong work from SHOLAR on piano... create whirling notes."

Record Review
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
JEFF ALKIRE
One Summer in Winters (Jeff Alkire)
" Alto saxophonist Jeff Alkire’s third CD unfolds like a pleasant stroll, with catchy themes and a rich, intimate atmosphere. Working in a quintet, sextet and trio, Alkire’s style is economical, often subdued—even at faster tempos—and sometimes grows querulous, with a slight sourness creeping in at the fringes. He gets solid support:KELVIN SHOLAR ‘S sunny piano sets the mood and Riley Mullins’ trumpet balances Alkire nicely, but it’s bassist Esperanza Spalding’s intriguingly elusive solos that stand out in this compelling set."
-Forrest Dylan Bryant

Carl Craig- "Just finished recording the Tribe Sessions and that shit is crazy!!! We had the originals Marcus Belgrave, Wendell Harrison, Phil Ranelin and Doug Hammond supported by Karriem Riggins, KELVIN SHOLAR , Amp Fiddler, John Arnold, Ralphe Armstrong, Damon Warmack, and Pathe. Again, that shit was crazy!!! The recording was done at the White Room which is the same locale as where we recorded the Detroit Experiment and i'm more than happy with the results. Fantastic music and an amazing time! I'm happy to say that we had GayLynn McKinney on the skins in tribute to her father Harold McKinney to round out the days of legends. You may know GayLynn from the super ground Straight Ahead. I'm very happy to present The Tribe again to this world. I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do!!!
Check out the photos on http://www.myspace.com/planetecom
Spead the luv!!!
c2"

Lagos Jazz festival/ April 2007
"On the 6 of April the KELVIN SHOLAR Trio presents the music of Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite. This trio lead by the pianist brings us John Arnold (drums) and Jonathan Robinson (double bass). A North American formation that is going to present us, in its world premiere, Sholar's newly recorded work and we anticipate his interpretation of the "Bird of Fire" by Stravinsky... as Jazz? Certainly it will be in there! KELVIN SHOLAR has his musical origins in classical music, but it is with Jazz that he expresses himself, including the electric instruments and to electronica in general. He has performed with many musicians like Branford Marsalis, Ron Carter, Roy Hargrove, Mark Turner and so many, many others. A "classic" trio, in the jazz sense, but with a strong component of interpretation, which is where KELVIN SHOLAR is always do impressive."

CARL CRAIG IN A "TRIBE" VIBE
http://www.teasercorp.com/ April, 2007
“Gill Scott Heron sang "We've Almost Lost Detroit". Fortunately Carl Craig -that one who is the surrogate Mayor of Detroit after his wise presidency of the DEMF / Detroit Electronic Music Festival-, Mister Craig is there to preserve the musical heritage of the Motown through the ages. ..In effect Carl Craig (aka C2, Innerzone Orchestra, BFC, Paperclip People etc), slave over pure deep techno label Planet E comes just to finish to record the "Tribe Sessions" …a project of live cosmic jazz-funk native to his good city of Detroit, Tribe recordings (in a near vibe of the big hours of prestigious impressions as Strata East,Impulse or Blue Notes fine 60’s- at the beginning of 70’s). A mythical line-up to the glory of the rare timeless groove mustering original members of the formations on Tribe to the beautiful era 70' s: Marcus Belgrave, Wendell Harrison, Phil Ranelin and Doug Hammond with the support of certain young hopes of the Motor City such as Karriem Riggins, KELVIN SHOLAR, Amp Fiddler, John Arnold, Ralph Armstrong, Damon Warmack, GayLynn McKinney (great group funky drums in a tribute to the memory of her late father Harold McKinney). These anthology sessions unfolded themselves in the White Room, the same studio where Carl and his acolytes had given rise to the henceforth legendary disc Detroit Experiment (appeared through Rope-HAS-Dopes records about 2003).
While we dont have the sounds in our ears here are the photos already... “

Record review
All About Jazz
Tenth World/"Bujo" Kevin Jones | Motéma Music (2005)
By Budd Kopman
Published: October 12, 2005
“...a mixture of many different African rhythms, Latin rhythms, R&B, and some recognizable jazz... The main characteristic that challenges the dominance of the groove is the playing of (KELVIN SHOLAR)... his phrasing simply refuses to follow the rhythm’s lead. The tension thus set up is quite delicious, adding much “mind” spice to the “body” gumbo, and whenever he plays, the jazz quotient increases exponentially...while “The Untold Loreli,” written by Sholar and based on a German fable, is treated here as a bachata with a bolero feet"

Melva's Musings on Jazz
March 25, 2007 Cool Jazzy Partnership
"Melva's Musings on Jazz features the Jazz Music of North Carolina jazz musicians of the past and the present. I was thrilled to be joined in the studio by Brian Horton, on sax, who hails from Kinston, NC and now teaches jazz at NC Central University in Durham. Joining him in the studio was Kelvin Sholar from a multi-generational talented musical family out of Detroit. Kelvin is currently living in Berlin. Brian and Kelvin have been performing and composing music together for over ten years. They are going into the studio together soon to record. They are both incredibly talented jazz musicians. I look forward to following their jazz careers.
During my show, Brian and Kelvin performed the following songs: Dream Child (by Brian Horton), Pao Bene (by Kelvin Sholar), Not Enough Sky (by Brian Horton), solo piano with Kelvin pulling on tunes from over the years, Mamanita (Jelly Roll Morton), Jitter Bug Waltz (Fats Waller), Blue Monk.
A friend of theirs, JoJo, called in from Hawaii, to say she was listening in and enjoying the show. Later, on the air, Rashida Bumbray, a jazz tap dancer, performer, art curator, and friend from NYC, called to join in the conversation about music and performing and the relationship between musicians and dancers.”

St. Magdalena/ Uber den dachern von linz/ March 2007
"Kelvin Sholar- A young inspiring artist of the future creative movement in acoustic jazz. Sholar has won many prices: Michigan Bach festival competition, IAJE Detroit jazz-festival. Outstanding Clark Terry jazz-workshop. He has developed also an abundance of new ideas. Sholar is a new, refreshing voice in the music. He plays pieces from his new CD "THE PIANO". "Of the Ragtime to the contemporary modernism, Sholar plays the total span of the head development phases of the jazz piano. He has the astonishing capacity to cover not only the technical aspects of every single period, but rather shows convincing and artistically the historic and cultural aspects in the music of this time. Sholar has already playe with: Frank Wess, Roy Hargrove, Ron Carter, James Carter, David Murray, Carl Craig, Vinx, Qool DJ Marv, Wallace Roney, Gary Thomas, Kenny Garret, George Benson, Jerry Gonzales and Fort Apache, the New York city ballet, Bobby Watson Babyface and many of more."

Grigio Torino/2007
"The Kelvin Sholar Trio was created out of the attempt to experience one conception of the rhythm tied to the jazz tradition and its multiple evolutions through hiphop, electronica and western music. The repertoir of the group ranges between compositions originated by Sholar and reworks of well know standards in jazz."

GO GO Festival, Pisa/Italy, March 2007
"Kelvin Sholar was born in Detroit in 1973. He is a Pianist, composer and arranger. A musician with strong roots in Jazz but with poetic sense of art that embraces an immense musical range of styles from ragtime to hip hop to the electronic music."

Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club Presents the Ronnie Cuber Quartet
Nathaniel Seelen. JYA '07 King's College Department of Music
January 17, 2007
"...the featured performer at Ronnie’s on Wednesday was out of this world (Ronnie Cuber Band)... he never ceased to impress musically, delivering spot-on performances of bebop classics, Latin dance tunes, and an arrangement of the ‘Godfather’ theme for jazz quartet.
Strong performances were also turned in by his side men: KELVIN SHOLAR (who dazzled us with a strong interpretation of ‘Alone Together’ on the piano), Boris Kozlov on the bass (whose Russian heritage Cuber seemed particularly amused to proclaim) and Mark Taylor on the drums, a native Brit and a southpaw to boot. I for one give this show two thumbs up for stellar musicianship, a wonderful scene, and great dance moves by a fat man with a saxophone."

La Provence/ Marseille, France/ April 7 2006
"The pianist Kelvin Sholar animates the Vieille Charité tonight.
The place sticks rather well to the itinerary. A New Yorker now installed in Italy, the pianist KELVIN SHOLAR , at only 33 years, has sufficiently accumulated rewards to be registered to the house of honor in jazz. Tonight, it is nevertheless in the cosy atmosphere of the chapel of the Vieille Charité that a concert created to begin the operation "music in the museums" will be produced. "An extraordinary concert where he will refashion the entire history of jazz, from Jelly Roll Morton to Thelonious Monk to his manner" says an enthusiastic Roger Luccioni.
Tuesday evening, the municipal counselor delegated to the museums accompanied KELVIN SHOLAR on double bass in a trio of high esteem at the Cité De La Musique. Tonight, it is in solo that the pianist, composer and author of a unique method of musical theory method, will impregnate the walls of the Vieille Charité. "One tries as much as possible to match the level of the venue and level of the artist" resumes Roger Luccioni." FT

Techno and fine wine/ September 2006
"Hey guys, i was listening to KELVIN SHOLAR , a jazz pianist who plays on the Carl Craig remix of Revelee on DFA. And i was wondering if guys like Carl Craig were still being productive when their 70, would we still appreciate their musical output? Does electronic music have the same longevity as classical music, where composers reach their peak at the time there abt to die? or is it like pop music when we'll be like dahlback? What the fuck is a dahlback?" JAZAM

LungoMonteJazz/ August 2006
"KELVIN SHOLAR is becoming a high figure of relief on the stage of modern jazz... We are all fascinated by his musicianship and openess to the avant garde."
It sails from Cesenatico the ship of Jazz" Almanacco, Italy, June 2006
"KELVIN SHOLAR is an exceptional pianist, who has played with different sacred monsters of jazz, and after little years he has succeeded to introduce himself as one of them. KELVIN SHOLAR has a sublime touch, and he is a lyric and fascinating pianist, but, he also open to the avant-garde with a very original style that opens a door to secret and mysterious musical structures."

Jazzfriends Association/ April 2006
"The afroamerican pianist KELVIN SHOLAR is true and actual revelation of the jazz that crosses the international borders"

Cité de la Musique, La Cave/ April 4, 2006
"KELVIN SHOLAR , pianist, composer and arranger is part of the young new generation of new yorkers. Since many years, he has accompanied the biggest names of jazz: Kenny Garret, Mark Turner, David Murray… In 1998 he was invited to Marseilles to the festival "Marseilles Jazz Transfer". He returns today to the Cité de la Musique Marseilles accompanied by two marseillais musicians: Roger Luccioni, recognized double bass player, one of the founders of the festival "Jazz of the 5 continents" and by John Pierre Arnaud a jazzman also able to break a cymbal in the crashing as to transform the atmosphere in the fineness of his game. A rare occasion to approach this formation in trio that, no doubt, will arise the level of jazz here!"

Zola Jazz and Wine
"KELVIN SHOLAR is one of the most innovative and inspired pianists on the international stage jazz. He has worked with an important myriad of musicians and his musical talent has practically no boundaries."
June 8, 2006

HMV review
I'm Here / The mikami [chi] it is dense
2005 October 19th
Catalog No: POCE3518
Label:Universal Gear
Sale country: Japan
DVD Here 05 (domestic board - 2006 February)
DVD Chisako Tv: II (domestic board - 2005 October)
CD Maxi relative shape (domestic board - 2005 October)
“After the Fra-foa broke up (regrettably in 2005 May) this is the first album completed by Mikami [chi] the previous vocalist. She who fascinates many fans with a type of singing which is fluid, strong and fascinating. While she was part of the band she had active solo activity, but, with the latest album she is backed up with luxurious guest musicians and her vocals are rendered grandly. Her musicians are Jereel Marcus (drummer- Tv on the radio), Erik Paparozz (studio sideman extraordinaire), KELVIN SHOLAR r (Carl Craig,Q-Tip, George Benson, Babyface). Engineers: Masuko tree (ROVO, ASLN and DUB SQUAD), toshi (sutorokusu)."

Jazztimes, Cd Review,
Kevin Jones- Tenth World, Nov. 2005
Tenth World (Motema)
"Percussionist Bujo Kevin Jones combines the spirit of Africa with modern jazz on his impressive debut as a leader. Produced by drummer Babatunde Lea, Tenth World incorporates the heightened aesthetic of John Coltrane's classic quartet on the opening "Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound." Reminiscent of Trane's treatment of Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue," this 12/8 vehicle is underscored by George Makinto's balafon and Jones' djembe drumming and also features some heightened expressions by pianist KELVIN SHOLAR , soprano saxophonist Brian Horton and flutist Makinto (who also composed the ode "McCoy's Joy"). The group explores a Latin-jazz vibe on KELVIN SHOLAR’S "Estilo Nuevo" and deals in R&B territory on Sholar's anthemic "New Nation."
Flutist-composer Makinto, a native of Liberia, also contributes the lovely guajira "Bukoki." Elsewhere, they put a hypnotic 6/8 groove underneath Victor Feldman's "Seven Steps to Heaven," a staple for the Miles Davis quintet, and they deliver some Fela-style Afro-beat on "Climb the Mountain." The collection closes with a brief three-way percussion dialogue that only hints at the essence of what Olatunji and company delved into in a much deeper sense."

Cadence Magazine/ America
“On an album with contrasts and similarities to Solal’s (“Balade Du 10 Mars) is the Esoterica piano trio of KELVIN SHOLAR , Osada, and Hopkins on Esoterica, of the Unknown, Unspoken and Unseen. For contrasts, they have youth on their side, and their program consist only of original compositions. What the have in common, however, is the ability to play invigorating and challenging music. The group was recorded in concert and features the vibrant and dynamic playing of pianist KELVIN SHOLAR . He is an extremely percussive player who attacks the keyboard with an irregular heartbeat, breaking the pace intermittently with stabbing expression of freethinking. Yet, his music has directional flow. It is not an aimless exercise in keyboard gymnastics. The compositions are reasonably lengthy, and SHOLAR develops each of them in building block style that gains momentum quickly. He employs a formula based on heavy tension and infrequent release, using clusters of notes pounded out in ritualistic fashion. Whether playing at ballad, Latin rhythm or uptempo speed, he employs his pummelling technique in stimulating and commanding fashion.
Bassist Osada and drummer Hopkins give the music much of its flow. Neither is allotted extensive solo time. They acknowledge their mission to be one of the merging sounds with SHOLAR to form a unified whole. This is achieved admirably. Osada gets a thick bass sound that is consistent with the resonating piano output. Hopkins likewise uses power drumming to remain consistent with the desired result. When SHOLAR is in high gear beating out furiously conceived ideas, Osada and Hopkins stroke the furnace with additional fuel to keep the engine revving at high velocity.
SHOLAR and his group take a tack that commands your attention with its forcefulness, and maintains your attention with its inventiveness. Their power play keeps the fire burning for an entire album of exciting music.”
2000/ Frank Rubolino

Record Review
Drum Beat from the November 2005 issue
Winard Harper (Savant)
by Russ Musto
July 2004
“Come into the Light is Winard Harper's first live recording as a leader and the disc captures all the excitement and diversity the drummer's band delivers in its regular engagements. Recorded live at Cecil's Place (the Jersey club opened by drummer/producer Cecil Brooks III) the date features Harper's regular band of talented players, none of whom who have yet gotten the opportunity to record as leaders despite their obvious capabilities. Patrick Rickman is easily one of the most exciting trumpeters on the scene today and tenor saxophonist Brian Horton is a powerful hornman with a soulful sound all his own; Jeb Patton and KELVIN SHOLAR , who share piano duties, have proven themselves with the Heath Brothers and the Fort Apache Band, respectively; bassist Ameen Saleem proves himself to be a fine composer as well as a rock solid timekeeper and Senegalese percussionist Alioune Faye exhibits excellent expertise in jazz and African rhythms. Harper continues to develop his formidable technique and mature taste and displays impressive leadership qualities in his choice of material and musicians."

From Jazz review.com 2003
http://www.jazzreview.com/cdreview.cfm?ID=1857
Featured Artist: Esoterica CD Title: Of the unspoken, unknown and unseen...
Review:
"Piano-driven (and, well, driving piano) that comes out swinging and doesn't let up for pretty much its entire 61 minutes and 26 seconds. Definitely not your traditional piano-based trio to plop on for an easy listening Sunday morning. In fact, this one would be more like the one you want on one of those boring, sunny Sundays that signal the end of the weekend and the beginning of the work week. It'll snap you out of your funk with its edgy melodies, occasional flounces into Latin rhythms and loads of sweet key tinklings that dance on the outskirts of tradition. "

JazzClub900:
“Introducing Kelvin Sholar. KELVIN SHOLAR Born in Detroit in 1973, pianist, composer, author, despite his young age, he can be considered leader and model in the international jazz scene, collaborating and playing beside those who were his teachers such as Clark Terry, David Murray, Lenny White, becoming a prominent member of the modern jazz scene.” ©2003Jazz900 - Venezia – Italy”