Saturday, December 5th, at Zellerbach Hall, Kev Choice will be featured with Hanoi-born composer and Vietnamese traditional music master Vân-Ánh Võ, for Songs of Strength, a three-part suite championing women’s resilience and independence with texts in English, Farsi and Vietnamese. Check more details in story below! Kev was bright on to add his unique, versatile, and socially conscious lyrical abilities, being a featured MC on 4 of the pieces. The band features influences and musicians from Vietnam, Japan, Iran, and the US.
The KQED article from writer Andy Gilbert says:
“More than polyglot, the production is kaleidoscopic, seeking to elucidate universal themes about the struggle for liberation by spinning the artists into unfamiliar terrain. Võ is the overarching conceptualist, but she’s spotlighting several leading Bay Area musicians, including Iranian singer/songwriter Mahsa Vahdat, breakdancer Babatunji “Tunjie” Johnson (who’s also a member of Alonzo King LINES Ballet) and Kev Choice, a rapper and jazz-steeped pianist with a long track record as a creative catalyst.”
Kev Choice will be celebrating new music and performing live at Yoshi’s Oakland on October 1st. There will be two shows, 8pm & 10pm. Kev Choice will be celebrating the online releases of not project Tatu: TheTrioSessions dropping online Oct. 1st and “Movements” with SF Symphony which will be available digitally September 24th.
Kev Choice will feature his all star band for this show plus a special string section to add to the dynamic blend of Hip-Hop, Jazz, Classical, Soul, and more.
Kev Choice released an exclusive new EP for Bandcamp Friday entitled “Tatu” Tatu, the Swahili word for “3”, symbolizing the trio format that is the center of this project. The three main themes of this project are Hope, Home, and Heart. Songs including a dedication to new Vice-President, a Drake Cover, and a collaboration featuring the traditional African instrument, the Kora, played by Karamo Sasso.
Each song features the standard jazz piano trio format, with some elements of synths and samples to enhance periodically. The trios feature John “Omayga” Adams and bassist Guilio Xavier, with Dame Drummer and Keith Snodgrass playing on La Mer.
Join Kev Choice tomorrow on Instagram Live for Oakland Rising “Tuesday Lunch Special” with Executive Director Liz Suk and fellow Cultural Affairs Commissioner Michelle Mush Lee as we talk about Arts for The People: The Town’s Just Recovery Budget. July 6th 12pm on IG Live!
The Oaklandside’s arts and community reporter, Azucena Rasilla, spoke with Kev Choice and Favianna Rodriguez about the art scene’s in Oakland’s future and how the community can help support it.
As a pianist, M.C., composer, and producer, Oakland’s Kev Choice is more than an artist with a distinctive vision embracing hip-hop, jazz, R&B, soul, and European classical music. He’s an activist and community leader whose music poses tough questions and suggests celebratory answers. After establishing himself touring and recording with stars such as Lauryn Hill, Ledisi, Lyrics Born, Too $hort, and Michael Franti and Spearhead, Choice settled back in the East Bay, where he’s become a creative force. He kicks off the 2021 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival Thursday concert series with an all-star ensemble that includes some of the key collaborators on his 2020 album Social Distancing, a project created and released in the first weeks of pandemic-induced sheltering in place. He’s also joined by special guest vocalist Viveca Hawkins and his Black London bandmates Howard Wiley (tenor saxophone) and Mike Blankenship (keyboards) plus John “Omayga” Adams (drums), Giulio Cetto (Bass), Andrew Levin (Guitar), and Daniel Riera(Flute, EWI).
“A Black music experience for the people, by the people, to inspire, to heal, to give voice to Black musicians and artists, to provide space for cross cultural collaborations, to support communities most impacted by covid with health and wellness as the state reopens, to honor legendary yet unheralded Black musicians whose shoulders we stand on, to provide support for the future of our music, and to uplift arts and culture as one of the vital components in our community.” -Kev Choice
We have an incredible lineup celebrating the diversity of Black music!
Kev Choice Community Ensemble * Black London *Grand Nationxl * Netta Brielle * DJ D-Sharp * Drew Banga & Basi *Ja Ronn & Flow *Josh Jones & The Latin Jazz All-Stars* Jada Imani & The Erfftones *Tyler Lauren* Ajai Wilborn ++++ More!!!
“Artists are crucial to social movements, offering spiritual nourishment, catharsis and hopeful visions for moving forward.” -KQED
After over a year of basically no performances and lack of live entertainment, BLACK MUSIC MATTERS 2, returns to welcome community back to live shows, musicians back to stages, and in celebration of Black Music Appreciation Month. With so much affecting our communities over the last year from Covid-19, a rise in violence, media driven division between Black and Asian people, plus a heightened attention on mental health, music as a healing, connecting, and positive source of energy is essential and necessary now more than ever. In an effort to highlight Black music and collaborators from genres including Jazz, Hip-Hop, R&B, Gospel, Soul, Salsa, and World Music, BLACK MUSIC MATTERS 2 will take place Saturday, June 26th, 2021, 12-6pm at Lake Merritt’s Edoff Bandstand in Oakland, CA. Kev Choice is pushing forward with his vision to make this an annual festival for Oakland community.
In 2020, BLACK MUSIC MATTERS was organized in support of those on the frontlines of the social justice uprising that took over the streets of our nation and the world demanding justice for George Floyd, Breaonna Taylor, and so many others who have lost their lives at the hands of police violence. Co-organizers Kev Choice, Ryan Nicole, and Jennifer Johns, organized a full day of music in less than two weeks that featured over 40 musicians, 15 artists, 8 bands, 4 DJ’s, 2 comedians and 2 host’s.
This year the focus will be on community healing, cultural collaboration, youth arts education, health and wellness, and honoring unheralded legends in Bay Area Black Music. Organizer Kev Choice has put together a stellar lineup of local rising and established stars, with support from community sponsors and partners including Kapor Center, Square, Center for Cultural Power, Bay Area Blues Society, and more.
The lineup will include a focus on up and coming young artists, cross cultural collaborations with Black, Latino, and Asian musicians, and highlighting musicians and artists from the Bay Area with socially conscious and positive messages from communities impacted by gentrification, homelessness, and violence. Kev Choice will debut his “Kev Choice Community Ensemble” featuring an all star lineup of Musicians and artist from throughout the Bay Area.
In addition, Umoja Health will be onsite providing free covid test and vaccinations.
Admission is Free Bring your own food and water
Black Music Matters Edoff Memorial Bandtand Lakeside Park(666 Bellevue Avenue) 12-7pm June 26th
Kev Choice will be doing a masterclass on piano technique, improvisation, composition, and production with Oakland Public Conservatory on May 19th and a spec pal performance with Kev Choice Trio on May 20th!
“Oakland Public Conservatory is an educational program in Oakland. OPC opens the world of music to all through access to quality, economical instruction in a nurturing environment. We value rigor and scholarship in our quest to preserve the musical traditions of Oakland.”
Kev Choice Trio will be performing their unique blend of jazz, hip-hop, r&b, soul, classical, and more featuring Giulio Cetto on bass and John “Omayga” Adams on drums.
Kev Choice recently teamed up with producer DJ BASTA (RootsandBranches) to create a new collaborative music/art/film project SEED 22 “Truths and Roses. The 5min 30 sec musical saga finds Kev discussing topics such as relationships, environment, and respect in the game as a lyricist and pianist over lush and hypnotic DJ Basta beats.
The project is available on Roots and Branches bandcamp with a limited edition 7″ vinyl as well. This is the 22nd edition in the SEED series Dj Basta has produced with various artist in the Bay Area.
Short film concept written by Tony Vic & Jeff “Silence” Arthur
Shot by Jeff “Silence” Arthur & Ivan “Nobl” Scruby
Edited by Tony Vic
Starring: Keli Jenee
Production Assistant: Rita Valencia
Photography: Team Lopez
Roots & Branches Record Box is a series of short run lathe cut records featuring beats and collages in collaboration with some incredible producers, musicians and artists.
Join an important conversation on Asian & Black Unity & Division in the current climate. Speakers include Kev Choice, Equipto, Refa One, Dawn Elissa Fischer, Needa B & Ras Ceylon. Hosted by Renoir Salgado. Tune in at 4pm PST March 26th.
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