Michael Kaeshammer

Michael Kaeshammer
Background information
Born	January 7, 1977 (1977-01-07) (age 32), Offenburg, Germany.
Genres	Boogie Woogie Blues Stride Jazz
Instruments	piano vocals
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Alert Records (2008) [BSB Productions]] (1996) Alma Records (2000) Alma/Universal Records (2003)
Associated acts	Harry Manx
Website	Official site MySpace page

Michael Kaeshammer (born January 7, 1977, Offenburg, Germany) is a Canadian boogie-woogie pianist, vocalist, composer, and arranger.

After studying classical piano for seven years in his German homeland, a 13-year-old Kaeshammer (pronounced "case-hammer") discovered boogie-woogie and stride piano as played by Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis, Pete Johnson, Pinetop Smith, and Fats Waller. In three years, the teen wunderkind was playing boogie-woogie piano in clubs, concerts, and festivals all over Germany. He attracted attention almost immediately after the family moved to the west coast of Canada, turning heads at performances at blues and jazz festivals across the country during the summer of 1996.

Besides playing the piano he also sings blues and jazz. His first album, Blue Keys (BSB Productions), was released in 1996, followed by Tell You How I Feel (Alma Records) in 1998, No Strings Attached (Alma Records) in 2000, Strut (Alma/Universal Music) in 2003, and Days Like These (Alert/Universal Music) in 2007. His style can be described as a brilliant and original jazz meets pop musical gumbo.

Kaeshammer is noted for his polished, but warm live shows. Spiking his onstage patter with a droll, but quick-witted humour, he is a consummate entertainer. On occasion his songs can turn into elaborate arrangements and improvisations. He is also known for changing musical styles within a piece and making use of irregular time signatures and mixed meters.

Kaeshammer is best known in Canada, but has performed and toured extensively in the United States and Europe. Some of his most popular songs are "On a Saturday Night" from the album No Strings Attached, "Comes Love" from Strut, and "Cinnamon Sun" from Days Like These.

He has lived in Offenburg; Vancouver Island, British Columbia; Toronto, and New York City.

Discography

Blue Keys (1996)

1. Swanee River [5:29]
2. Blues for Dorothy [5:13]
3. Tico Tico [4:47]
4. Sweet Lorraine [4:29]
5. Honky Tonk Train Blues [4:32]
6. When I Lost My Baby [4:10]
7. Down the Road a Piece [4:04]
8. Just a Closer Walk with Thee [2:33]
9. Bilingual Boogie [2:24]

Album Information:

• BSB Productions
• Michael Kaeshammer - Piano, vocals
• Produced by Michael Kaeshammer
• Recorded at Kaleidoscope Theatre, Victoria, BC
• Released October 1996

Tell You How I Feel (1998)

1. Doodlin' [3:35]
2. Move It on Over [2:38]
3. Sweet Georgia Brown [4:41]
4. I'll Always Love You [4:57]
5. Sunny Side of the Street [4:44]
6. John Brown's Body [4:59]
7. Caravan [4:08]
8. Jivin' with Dal [4:14]
9. Basin Street Blues [5:35]
10. Airmail Special [3:02]
11. Same Old Blues [4:25]

Album Information:

• Alma Records
• Michael Kaeshammer - Piano, Vocals
• Vito Rezza - drums
• Paul Keller - bass
• Kevin Breit - Guitar
• Guido Basso - Trumpet
• Phil Dwyer - Tenor Sax
• Terry Promane - Trombone
• Laurie Bower - Trombone on "Basin Street Blues"
• Joe Sealy - Piano on "Same Old Blues"
• Doug Riley - Piano on "Same Old Blues"
• Carol Welsman - Vocals on "Basin Street Blues"
• Arranged by Michael Kaeshammer
• Produced and additional arrangement by Peter Cardinali
• Recorded by Scott Lake
• Recorded at Phase One Studios, Toronto, ON
• Released November 1998

No Strings Attached (2000)

1. Snow at Lake Simcoe [5:19]
2. On a Saturday Night [3:42]
3. Kaes Closed [2:55]
4. Maple Leaf Rag [3:28]
5. Fish This Week, But Next Week Chitlins [3:23]
6. West Broadway [4:56]
7. Drown in My Own Tears [5:33]
8. Nora's Boogie (RA) [4:22]
9. I Mean You [4:06]
10. Boogie Woogie Stomp [5:35]
11. On a Rainy Day [3:29]
12. Dusty's Blues [6:06]
13. Mose [2:59]
14. Portly Pear [1:52]

Album Information:

• Alma Records
• Michael Kaeshammer - Piano, Vocals
• Art Neville - Hammond B3 Organ
• Eddie Bo - Piano, Vocals on "Drown In My Own Tears"
• Johnny Vidacovich - Drums
• Jorn Anderson - Drums
• Terry Clark - Drums
• Vito Rezza - Drums
• Bob McLaren - Drums
• George Koller - Bass
• Neil Swainson - Bass
• Kevin Breit - Guitar
• Armando Borg - percussion
• Featuring the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra on "Snow At Lake Simcoe"
• Produced by Peter Cardinali
• Engineered by Denis Tougas
• Released October 2000

Strut (2003)

1. Twentysomething
2. Sleepy Time
3. Bass Gone Crazy
4. Comes Love
5. Now?
6. Almost a Rag
7. You're a Good Dancer, Johnny!
8. At the Vinyl Cafe
9. Blue Skies
10. Soundtrack to Something Beautiful
11. Sunny Morning
12. Cry to Me
13. Maybe Tomorrow

• Album Information:
• Alma/Universal Records
• Michael Kaeshammer - Piano, Prepared Piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Vocals
• Johnny Vidacovich - Drums
• Ben Wolfe - Bass
• Kevin Breit - Guitar, mad man on "Soundtrack to Something Beautiful"
• Richard Bell - Wurlitzer on "Cry To Me"
• John Johnson - Flute, Alto Flute, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Bartitone Sax, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet
• Brian Barlow (musician) - Percussion, Vibes, Marimba
• Michael Dunston - Tambourine
• Produced & Arranged by Peter Cardinali
• Tracks 2, 3 & 11 Arranged by Michael Kaeshammer
• Engineered by Denis Tougas
• Recorded at Bad Manors at Scott Carmichael's Cottage, Stoney Lake, ON
• Released November 2003

Days Like These (2007)

1. Cinnamon Sun [3:38]
2. My Love [4:13]
3. Stop That Train [4:17]
4. Too Far Down [3:46]
5. Days Like These [3:41]
6. If You Knew [4:33]
7. I Found a New Baby [4:03]
8. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face [5:59]
9. Free of Love [4:03]
10. St. James Infirmary [5:15]
11. I Left a Note [4:06]

Album Information:

• (Alert Records/Universal Music)
• Michael Kaeshammer - Voice & Piano, Fender Rhodes
• Neal Caine, David Piltch - Acoustic Bass
• Arthur Latin II, Jay Bellerose, Davide DiRenzo - Drums
• Doug Riley - Hammond B3
• Kevin Breit, Rob Piltch - Guitar
• Don Rooke - Lap Steel
• Ben Grossman - Hurdy Gurdy
• William Sperandei - Trumpet
• Gord Myers - Trombone
• Doug Burrell - Tuba
• Dione Taylor - Vocal-duet
• Sharon Lee Williams, Meddie LeRoy, Dione Taylor - Background Vocals
• Released October 2007

Produced by David Piltch

Engineered by George Seara at Phase One Studios, Toronto, assisted by Jeff Pelletier Except "Stop That Train" and "If You Knew" engineered by S. Husky Hoskulds at Sunset Sound Factory, Hollywood, assisted by Jason Gossman Mixed by George Seara at Phase One Studios, Toronto Except "My Love" mixed by Jay Newland at River Music, New York Mastered by Chris Athens at Sterling Sound, New York

Lovelight (2009)

1. Lovelight
2. On My Own
3. Isabelle
4. Goodbye
5. Glory of Love
6. I Wish I Knew
7. Give You My Heart
8. Cupid
9. Dawn's Song
10. Now That My Baby's Gone
11. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon
12. Hamps' Boogie
13. Maybe Tomorrow

Performances and festivals

• Touring in United States, Canada, Europe
• Torino Winter Olympics 2006
• Beijing Summer Olympics 2008
• Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
• Big Joe Duskin (a Canadian Jazz Festival Tour)
• Beaches Jazz Festival in Toronto
• Canada Day @ Trafalgar Square, London, UK
• Several jazz festivals in the United States
• European tours
• Tours with Colin James, Holly Cole, Anne Murray
• Canadian National Jazz Awards (Host & Performer)

Television appearances

• SOLOS: the Jazz Sessions (Bravo! Canada 2004)

External links

• Official web site