Geoffrey Keezer: Falling Up

Geoffrey Keezer

Falling Up

MXJ 207

Geoffrey Keezer, piano, fender Rhodes, vibraphone, marimba; Scott Colley, bass; Karriem Riggins, drums and percussion; Keola Beamer, acoustic guitar, bamboo nose flute; Paul Bollenback, acoustic guitar; Claire Martin, vocals; Ingrid Jenson, flugelhorn; Joe Locke, vibraphone; Steve Wilson, alto flute; Tim Garland, bass clarinet; Laurence Cottle, acoustic bass guitar; Richard Cottle, keyboards; Moanalini beamer, tuned bamboo pipes.

Geoffrey Keezer opens the set with the title track "Falling Up", an airy number with good contributions from the flugelhorn of Ingrid Jenson and the alto flute of Steve Wilson. There is a Hawaiian influence through a lot of the tracks; not surprising considering some of the musicians present contributing to the likes of "Shiny Shell Lullaby", a drifting, dreamy lullaby written by Nona Beamer, the mother of Keola Beamer, the Hawaiian slack key guitar specialist features Keezer on piano and Scott Colley on bass. "The Horsewoman" is a traditional Hawaiian piece arranged by Keezer and Keola Beamer, with some feeling vocals from Claire Martin. Keezer is not a heavy pianist; playing with a balanced touch and a fine interpretive voice he takes a different line up through each piece with an open spaced experimentalism. "Navigating By Starlight", features the vibraphone, pipes and flugelhorn in an atmospheric mix. J. S. Bach's "Prelude In E Flat", with Keezer expressing his delightful touch, rounds off the set in fine fashion.

by Ferdinand Maylin

More New Sounds - November 2003 CD Reviews