Live At Mezzrow
Release Date: May 5, 2024
Label: Cellar Music Group
This live album celebrates the inimitable sound of an under-celebrated compositional master performing at the peak of his ability, over sixty years into a potent musical career. Recorded live at the iconic Mezzrow jazz club in New York City - pianist, composer and arranger Roger Kellaway conjures breath-taking musical imagery with selections from the songbooks of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Billy Strayhorn and more. Live at Mezzrow features an extraordinary lineup including Jay Leonhart on bass, Dennis Mackrel on drums, and special guest Roni Ben-Hur on guitar.
The greatest composers, arrangers and improvisers all share one major trait in common - they can tell a story. Either with their pen or with their axe, the very best of these three camps dig deep within to spill their personal truths in a way that audiences can relate to. Rarely does one come across an artist that is a true master in all three of these practices - however, such is the case with Roger Kellaway.
Kellaway’s stellar output began in 1963 with his debut album A Portrait of Roger Kellaway. It continued with his many years as an arranger for a diverse ‘who’s who’ of musical luminaries including Melanie, Liza Minnelli, and Carmen McRae - his work as a sideman with such luminaries as George Harrison, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, and Kenny Burrell. Kellaway has recorded over 250 albums, and composed over 20 film scores (most notably for the 1976 adaptation of ‘A Star is Born’).
Live At Mezzrow acts as a stunning document of Kellaway’s sound and musical sensibilities - undoubtedly shaped by his years as an arranger and film composer, his sound is lush, dynamic, and refreshingly cinematic. One can hear string and horn harmonies in his supple chord voicings and flute, saxophone or vocal melodies in his right hand. That is to say, Kellaway approaches the piano like an orchestra and each musical section as a movement.
Kellaway remarks, “I felt so honored to have received the 2023 Living Masters award from the SmallsLIVE Foundation. This occasion gave me the opportunity to come East, and just kick back and play with my longtime colleague, Jay Leonhart on bass, and a musician I deeply admire (new to my trio) Dennis Mackrel on drums”. The pianist has, for the past twenty years, performed in a trio setting with bass and guitar - inspired by the great trios of Nat King Cole and Oscar Peterson. The bandleader notes “That requires everything to be arranged and lots of rehearsals”. The departure from that instrumentation for this release allows for more freedom from each of the musicians, which created the marked ease and conversational flow that are hallmarks of this album. Kellaway continues, “For repertoire, I decided to choose mostly historical jazz standards that I’ve always loved … I invited Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur to be my special guest, and I arranged two pieces written by Ettore Stratta; “Pages of Life” and “Good Morning Bahia”.
From the timeless melodies of Miles Davis's compositions to Kellaway's original compositions like "All My Life," each track on Live At Mezzrow exudes brilliance and creativity. The album culminates with a captivating rendition of Billy Strayhorn's classic "Take the A Train," a fitting conclusion to a mesmerizing musical journey taking place in New York City.
Roger Kellaway Live At Mezzrow is a testament to the artist’s enduring creativity and legacy as a truly masterful pianist, arranger, and composer - showcasing his unparalleled ability to captivate audiences.
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THIERRY DE CLEMENSAT
PARIS MOVE
"From the beginning of this album, one is struck by the fluidity of Kellaway’s pianistic expression, a magical style for laying down notes." Check out the full review here.
RUSSELL TRUNK
EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE
"The new recording opens on the delicately hued smooth jazz number Try To Remember and a dutiful dedication to a genuine monument of jazz music, All Blues and then we get the beautiful piano and aching horn work found within Blue in Green and the divinely sculpted Pages of Life." Check out the full review here.
PIERRE GIROUX
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
"His fingers prance effortlessly across the keys using the tonal modes, ascending and descending chords and scale fragments to develop the sonic bath the compositions take." Check out the full review here.
JIM HYNES
MAKING A SCENE
"Kellaway does a fascinating job of deconstructing and building back the theme multiple times The former benefits with the addition of Ben-Hur, though not explicitly noted in the album credits or liners." Check out the full review here.
MARC MYERS
MAKING A SCENE
"Roger rolls out plenty of straight-up blues to give it a slightly different shading from the modal approach used by Bill Evans on the Davis album.." Check out the full review here.
TOM HENRY
TOLEDO BLADE
"This is really a remarkable album, one that may fly under the radar for a lot of people yet a gorgeous performance worthy of hearing over and over." Check out the full review here.
LANCE LIDDLE
BEBOP SPOKEN HERE
"Opening the album with a solo version of Try to Remember, a song from the 1965 musical The Fantastiks, Kellaway draws some meaning out of this much overlooked composition." Check out the full review here.
STEPHEN GRAHAM
MARLBANK
"Kellaway's own piece 'All My Life' along with the luminous take on Sweet Pea's '''A'' Train' are our pick of what is a marvellous album, aha, for a moondance." Check out the full review here.
ROBERT C. GILBERT
LISTENING SESSION
"...Kellaway picks and chooses his notes with elegant care during the first part of his improvisation. " Check out the full review here.
MORNGAN ENOS
LONDON JAZZ NEWS
Check out this insightful interview here.
GEORGE W. HARRIS
JAZZ WEEKLY
"Kellaway displays his wide reach on a gorgeous sonata of “ Try To Remember” while hitting his Miles Davis roots on “All Blues”, “So What” and “Blue In Green”, all done to superb impressionism." Check out the full review here.
DEE DEE McNEIL
MUSICAL MEMOIRS
"Roger Kellaway has an impactful talent on piano. He tells memorable stories with his fingertips, paying attention to and exploring all 88-keys." Check out the full review here.
DIONIZY PIATKOWSKI
ERA JAZZU
"The concert is a tribute to jazz tradition and the culmination of the outstanding pianist’s 60-year musical career " Check out the full review in Polish here.
HEAVY BEN
CKCU FM
Check out this feature on the editor's playlist here.
KEN DRYDEN
NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD
"Kellaway’s lush chords and effective pedal use bring out its joyful celebration of a life well lived." Check out the full review on pg22 here.