Music
Press
Kevin Keller and Meena Cho serve up a set of handsomely crafted, genuinely lovely music. - Time Out New York
Kevin Keller is a master of evocative piano music. - Wind and Wire
Discography
Santiago's Dream (2006)
Gathering Leaves (2005)
Across the Sky (2002)
Pendulum (1999)
Intermezzo (1996)
The Mask of Memory (1994)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
2007 Independent Music Award Finalist! "Fireflies in the Garden" - Best Song - New Age
"I had a very simple, peaceful life in California," says composer and pianist Kevin Keller,
talking about life before moving to New York. "I spent a lot of time hiking alone in Wildcat Canyon, just enjoying the sunshine and feeling the joy of living." But some time in late 2000, Keller began to sense that his simple life was leading up to something more exciting, and in a new city. "I had always felt unsettled in California," Keller explains, "like I was wandering in search of my true home."
Why did Kevin choose New York, after 35 years in California? "I truly felt pulled there," Keller recalls, "as if my spirit were leading me to New York." In late 2002, Kevin pulled up his roots in the Bay Area, and settled in Manhattan, a place he had only visited once before. "My dream was to finally feel ‘at home’, to find a safe haven that could serve as a jumping-off point, and I’ve definitely found that here."
The cosmopolitan culture of Manhattan quickly infused Keller’s music with a worldly sophistication, and a deeper emotion than found in his previous work. "Because I was writing without any pretense, the music on Santiago’s Dream came straight from the heart, and I think you can hear that in the music. There’s a sweetness to it, and a sense of humor - but also a sense of craft and introspection."
About the album’s title, Keller says, "During my first summer in New York, I read Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist, and I felt a very deep connection to Santiago, the story’s main character. I imagined my own journey through Santiago’s eyes, and the album title grew out of that. And because the music had a Spanish-Moorish flavor to it, that title really felt appropriate."
On Santiago’s Dream, Kevin is joined by cellist Meena Cho, herself also a recent New York transplant. "Meena had just moved here from Chicago in 2004 when she contacted me about possibly performing with me. The timing of her call was true serendipity, and we soon began performing regularly in New York and Connecticut."
About the development of his musical style, Keller agrees, "This CD is quite different from my earlier work - more melodic...tighter arrangements. It’s the strongest, most cohesive work I’ve done so far, and I’m very much looking forward to sharing it with my listeners."
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