THE SHOWROOM SESSIONS: Streaming LIVE from Piedmont Piano Company
Kev Choice Trio
Pianist, M.C., producer, composer, and Oakland native Kev Choice brings his unique combination of Jazz, Hip-Hop, Classical, R&B, & Soul, with Giulio Cetto (bass), John "Omayga" Adams (drums), and special guests Viveca Hawkins and Black London.
Kev Choice is a pianist, M.C., producer, composer, educator, and activist, hailing from Oakland, CA. He began studying piano and rapping at the age of 11. He took his first piano lesson in Oakland Public Schools at Westlake Junior High School and was soon after accepted into UC Berekeley’s Young Musicians Program where he continued to study classical while being introduced to jazz, singing, and composing. He graduated from Skyline High School in Oakland, then received a scholarship to attend Xavier University of Louisiana where he went on to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in Piano Performance. He then was offered a fellowship to study at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he earned his Master's Degree in Piano Performance.
Kev has worked and toured the world with artists such as Lauryn Hill, Michael Franti, Goapele, Too Short and more. In 2010 he began to focus more on his own band, Kev Choice Ensemble, combining elements of hip-hop, jazz, soul, funk, and classical to create his own unique sound as a pianist and lyricist. He has produced 5 solo albums, including his most recent work Social Distancing, an album created in the first month of shelter-in place. In 2018 he was commissioned to compose a work for the Oakland Symphony which resulted in a 5 movement piece Soul Restoration Suite. This work combined orchestra, with hip-hop band, choir, and Kev’s conscious lyricism, dedicated to his Oakland root’s and restoration of his own soul and spirit as an artist in today’s world. In 2020 he collaborated with the San Francisco Symphony on a piece he wrote and composed entitled “Movements”. This work was featured on their virtual season opening concert and CURRENTS video Series.
Kev Choice currently is on faculty at Oakland School For The Arts as well as teacher in residency at other schools in Oakland. He serves on Oakland's Cultural Affairs Commission as Vice-Chair and on the board of governors for The Recording Academy's SF Chapter as Vice-President. Kev is also a part of Bay Area Music Collective “Black London” and is currently working on a trio project among others for 2021.
kevchoicemusic.com | IG- @Kev Choice | Twitter- @kevchoice