Kelvin Sholar sang as a child in Detroit; he comes from a multi-generational musical family. At sixteen, Sholar won first place in the Michigan Bach Festival performing from J.S. Bach’s “Well Tempered Clavier” on piano. Since then he has worked with jazz greats Lenny White, Wallace Roney, Roy Hargrove, Jerry Gonzales, Ronnie Cuber and Greg Osby, as well as, Stevie Wonder, Qtip, Carl Craig and Nigel Kennedy. Kelvin Sholar performs worldwide, he teaches piano, vocal training and electronic jazz at Franz Liszt Weimar, and he appears in television, radio and film.
Endorses Bechstein pianos, Native Instruments software, Dave Smith’s keyboards, Ploytech’s “34ONEII”, Ploytech’s “Pi Lambda Squared”, and M-Audio’s “Axiom Air 49”
Modeled Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Ferragamo Shoes in Rondo Exklusiv
Cameo performance in Wes Anderson’s Phoenician Scheme (May 30, 2025)
Subject of short documentary film by Thabo Thindi (South Africa)
Featured in Audible / Shelved podcast on Kamaal The Abstract (2024)
Previously featured in Detroit Free Press, Artforum International, Groove Magazine, MM Trendy, Ovation International, TIP Berlin
Previously featured on BBC, Deutschland Radio Kultur, CNN Worldview, SRF, WDR, Worldwide FM, NPR, Funkhaus Europa, Le Mouv
Music performed by The Roots on Jimmy Fallon
Music licensed to So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol
Stevie Wonder Song Traveling Tour.
Carl Craig Versus: US, Europe, Australia including Carnegie Hall or Royal Albert Hall
Kelvin Sholar announces the release of RENAISSANCE– A Genre-Diversified Album and Visual Journey
BERLIN, MARCH 3, 2025 –singer / pianist Kelvin Sholar is excited to announce the MAY 22 release of his latest album project RENAISSANCE.
On RENAISSANCE Kelvin Sholar aims to merge jazz, classical, techno and soul, as well as audio and visual forms of expression, while celebrating the rebirth of original compositions and the rediscovery of famous themes by Suburban Knight, Joe Henderson, Igor Stravinsky, Ray Charles and Marvin Gaye.
Kelvin Sholar has been called a “stylistic chameleon”; due to his ability to thrive in different musical settings. Savoy Jazz recording artist Eric Vaughn (who also provides a composition) appears on drums and percussion, with bassist / cellist Charles Sammons in tow. Sholar, Sammons and Vaughn have been together for more than ten years as an active piano trio- together they make a cameo performance in Kimia Kazemi’s upcoming film Crimson Unveiled (2026); while Sholar and Vaughn make a cameo performance in Wes Anderson’s anticipated film The Phoenician Scheme.
Grammy-winning producer / guitarist Chris Sholar is known for his genre-bending work with Qtip, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Esperanza Spaulding. He contributes two powerful remixes which further pushes the boundaries of imagination and creativity.
Truly immersive visual journeys are offered in addition to audio recordings. Three animated music videos and record cover by Aleksandra serve as both graphic interpretations and stand-alone artistic expressions in and of themselves. Michael May captures the album’s emotional essence in a series of ten photographs- each corresponding to a different track.
Kelvin Sholar announces the release of RENAISSANCE– A Genre-Diversified Album and Visual Journey
BERLIN, MARCH 3, 2025 –singer / pianist Kelvin Sholar is excited to announce the MAY 22 release of his latest album project RENAISSANCE.
On RENAISSANCE Kelvin Sholar aims to merge jazz, classical, techno and soul, as well as audio and visual forms of expression, while celebrating the rebirth of original compositions and the rediscovery of famous themes by Suburban Knight, Joe Henderson, Igor Stravinsky, Ray Charles and Marvin Gaye.
Kelvin Sholar has been called a “stylistic chameleon”; due to his ability to thrive in different musical settings. Savoy Jazz recording artist Eric Vaughn (who also provides a composition) appears on drums and percussion, with bassist / cellist Charles Sammons in tow. Sholar, Sammons and Vaughn have been together for more than ten years as an active piano trio- together they make a cameo appearance in Kimia Kazemi’s upcoming film Crimson Unveiled (2026)
Grammy-winning producer / guitarist Chris Sholar is known for his genre-bending work with Qtip, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Esperanza Spaulding. He contributes two powerful remixes which further pushes the boundaries of imagination and creativity.
Truly immersive visual journeys are offered in addition to audio recordings. Three animated music videos and record cover by Aleksandra serve as both graphic interpretations and stand-alone artistic expressions in and of themselves. Michael May captures the album’s emotional essence in a series of ten photographs- each corresponding to a different track.
RENAISSANCE will be released on MAY 22, the seventh record on Sholar’s own label Kasmavtsu Records. Stay tuned for more details on upcoming release events.
Kelvin Sholar: acoustic piano, electric piano, synthesizers, electronics, percussion, vocals
Eric Vaughn: drum set and percussion
Charles Sammons: acoustic bass and percussion
Chris Sholar: electronics
Aleksandra: animation / cover
Michael May: photography
Augurs Of Spring: Igor Stravinsky / Sacre Du Printemps
Punjab: Joe Henderson
Leikgef: Kelvin Sholar
Gyptis: Kelvin Sholar
Black Jack: Ray Charles
Infernal Dance Of King Katchai: Igor Stravinsky / L’Oiseau de feu
Beware The Sun: Suburban Knight
Paobene: Kelvin Sholar
I Heard It Through The Grapevine: Marvin Gaye (Barrett Strong)
Got A Scrong Feeling: Eric Vaughn
Beware The Sun: Chris Sholar Remix
Leikgef: Chris Sholar Remix