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I Was ThereRoger Kellaway
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JazzReview.com - But the value of I Was There, beyond the reminder that Kellaway worked with Bobby Darin, is the reminder that Roger Kellaway, at the age of 65, remains one of the busiest, but one of the most under-recognized jazz pianists of his generation. His technical complexity and mastery of his instrument is obvious throughout I Was There as he reinterprets Darin's music according to his own personality this time, instead to conform to Darin's. And IPO Recordings during its relatively short existence has proven once again that it values exceptional quality as it records underpromoted musician's musicians like Tom McIntosh and Sir Roland Hanna. I Was There fits into that description perfectly, and it's gratifying to hear Kellaway playing recorded jazz again. It took the release of another movie to bring the prolific and infinitely imaginative Kellaway to the public's attention again.
Music Web - Every track on this CD is a gem, but some are stunning. His complete mastery of the piano shines through everything he plays and makes his work absolutely timeless. He draws from all of his amazing breadth of experience to produce an album of superb quality, which is easy to listen to and at the same time very stimulating, ... Rogers performance here is perfection, I suspect that in the future this CD is destined to become one of the definitive, solo piano albums.
ejazznews - Kellaway's groove is impeccable. His ideas are both intelligent and ebullient. We easily enter into a (his) musical dialogue, caught up within his wonderful sense of musical dynamics...neither player nor listener is overshadowed.
BBC Music Magazine (a Five Star featured review) - "invigorating, beautifully engineered release."
Roger Kellaway's tribute to Bobby Darin, for whom he served as musical director in the late 1960s, is a spectacular solo piano outing featuring tunes that Roger played during his work with Darin.
Featured Artists
Roger Kellaway & Eddie Daniels
(From BillBoard review of latest IPO release)
Clarinetist Eddie Daniels and pianist Roger Kellaway have been both revered and sublimated by critics and listeners during their long and sometimes obscured careers. Make no mistake, though -- they are great musicians who somehow do not get the credit they deserve as true jazz masters. When Daniels has played more commercially oriented music, he's branded a sellout, while Kellaway's profile is so low-key, he's practically off the radar except when releasing a recording. Fact is, Daniels is as limber, facile, tuneful, and literate as any clarinet player on the contemporary scene, while Kellaway's understated brilliance is balanced by a sense of wonder and empowerment tempered by a veteran's common sense and deep wisdom. Both have made important strides in recent years to change minds and hearts with several very fine efforts in the modern mainstream idiom, but these duets recorded live at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles have to be a high watermark for them, individually and together... This is a wondrous duet date featuring extraordinary musicians taking chances and thankfully succeeding on all levels, not the least of which are in the enviable elements of pace, placement, and depth.
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