BIOGRAPHY

1973-1987

Kelvin Sholar was born in Detroit, Michigan; the son of Yevette Gaddis and Mitchell Sholar. Gaddis was the valedictorian of her high school class at sixteen, and a gospel pianist-vocalist. Mitchell was a Baptist priest, and an electric bassist-vocalist. Sholar has three siblings: guitarist Christopher Sholar, writer Monica Sholar and vocalist Anastasia Sholar. In Detroit, Sholar attended George P. Goodale Elementary School and Rosa Parks Middle School. At Goodale in 1984 Sholar achieved 100% success on the DORT aptitude test, a state wide evaluation of cognitive skills; Sholar was eleven years old. He met Rosa Parks in 1987, after writing an award-winning essay about her influence on himself and the world. Subsequently, Sholar and Parks appeared together on the cover of Detroit Public Schools magazine “Visions” in 1987; Sholar was fourteen.

1988-1992

From 1988 until 1991, Sholar studied classical and jazz piano, voice, trumpet and marimba at Edwin Denby High School. His teachers were Elizabeth Dowdell (i.e. from whom he learned selected works of Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric François Chopin, Joseph Haydn, Johann Sebastian Bach), Roy Trombly (i.e. learning selected works by Achille-Claude Debussy, J. S. Bach, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Béla Bartók), and others. Sholar subsequently won the Michigan Bach Festival competition at the age of sixteen; he performed Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Preludio II” from his “Well Tempered Clavier”. This same year, Sholar appeared in a Detroit Free Press column titled “Standout”; Elizabeth Dowdell was quoted: “I’m amazed he learned piano so fast“. While at Edwin Denby High School, Sholar began to study jazz music with Greg Milewski. He attended Blue Lake music camp to study classical and jazz piano. During these years, Sholar also studied jazz with Harold McKinney, James Tatum, Ernest Rogers (Detroit Summer Youth Program), Ernie Wilkins, Francisco Mora Catlett, Marcus Belgrave, Larry Smith, Pamela Wise and Theodore “Teddy” Harris. Later in college Sholar studied jazz piano; with Matt Michaels (Wayne State University on a full scholarship), Harold Maburn (William Patterson University on full scholarship) and Morris Nelms, Russ Freeman, Dave Glaser, Butch Morris, Red Holloway, Al Grey, David Glaser, Jessie Davis and Clark Terry (Clark Terry Jazz Institute on full scholarship). In addition to these early teachers, Kelvin was also heavily influenced by the records of his grandmother Corena Gaddis, the classical records of Glenn Gould, Frédéric Chopin, Béla Bartók, and Wanda Landowski, the records of Steve Vai, Metallica, Michael Jackson, Prince, and the jazz records of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Kenny Kirkland, Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, John Coltrane, Bud Powell, Clifford Brown, The Yellowjackets, Johnny O’Neal, Art Tatum, Johnnie Costa, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Branford Marsalis, Steve Coleman, and Oscar Peterson. In the early 1990s Sholar performed in bands lead by major Detroit musicians; including Larry Smith, Cassius Richmond, Marcus Belgrave, Quincy Stewart, Dean Haddad and Norma Jean Bell. Sholar performed at the Detroit Jazz Festival with Jon Faddis; Jay McShann and Sholar shared the piano chair. About this period of Sholar’s early life Adam Mansbach quotes: “Marcus [Belgrave] taught me the importance of knowing the tradition regardless of my personal opinion,” laughs Sholar. “I was young and I just wanted to play my own way, but he impressed upon me the importance of knowing a song’s lyrics, and its proper tempo. He made me realize that to really play this music, you’ve got to grow up, get over your ego and be a man.” In the 1990s, Sholar performed in the rhythm section for the Motown musical “BeeHive” in Detroit’s Gem Theater; the band included at various times the legendary Motown soloist/arranger Thomas “Beans” Bowles, Larry Smith, Pamela Wise, Jonas R. Selenis, Dechown Jenkins, Damon Warmack, Gregory Burk and Alex Brooks. In this period, Sholar jammed with Motown drummer “Pistol” Allen, and was taught by Motown pianist Johnny O’Neal. Sholar recorded with New World Order (NWO): Cassius Richmond, Karriem Riggins, James Carter, Rodney Whittaker, Dwight Adams, Jaribhu Shahid, Gerald Cleaver, Vincent Chandler and Alex Harding. That summer Sholar performed with NWO at the Detroit Jazz Festival. Sholar also performed at the Detroit Jazz Festival with David Murray on tenor saxophone, Bobby Battle on drums and Marion Hayden on bass; there was an interview by W. Kim Heron.

1993-2000

In 1993, Sholar left Detroit, Michigan for Lemars, Iowa. There, he studied with Morris Nelms on a full scholarship at the Clark Terry Institute (within Teikyo Westmar University). Sholar won several musical awards, along with his brother Chris Sholar, Eddie Akhmetchine, Sasha Lukashen, Atsushi Osada and others. While at Westmar Sholar studied the work of Matthew Fox, Michael Moore and Noam Chomsk; he received the Golden O. Thompson Award. In 1997, Sholar moved to the New York City area to pursue a professional career; he began to work with bands lead by Wallace Roney, Bobby Watson (including Curtis Lundy and Victor Louis), Carmen Lundy (with Terreon Gully), Teodross Avery (with Marcus Baylor) and Craig Bailey (with Vincent Ector, Ed Lemon, Derrick Gardner and Dupor Georges). Sholar soon earned a reputation as soloist and pianist; he played subsequent gigs and sessions with Jon Hendricks, Tulivu Cumberbatch, Kenyatta Beasley, Mark Turner, Kermit Ruffins, Greg Osby, Jonathan Blake Sr., Gary Thomas, Q-Tip, Aisha Morris, Sean Lennon, Jeff Alkire, Winard Harper, Caron Wheeler, Ronnie Cuber, Jerry Gonzales, Lenny White and Kevin Michael Jones. Adam Mansbach writes about Sholar’s work on several record projects with Lenny White: “Lenny [White] is like Art Blakey,” says Sholar. “He listens, and he directly encourages young musicians by hiring them. He was the one who got me into Wallace Roney’s band”. In 1999, Sholar’s first solo album “Of The Unspoken, Unknown and Unseen” was self-produced from live performances at Serengeti Ballroom in Detroit, for his newly formed record label Kasmavtsu Music. The next two years saw Sholar producing Italian pianist Antonio Ciacca’s “Hollis Avenue” for YVP Music/Germany, and recording on old Detroit friend Dechown Jenkins’ “Too Late To Change“ (Uncrowned Prodigy Productions). Sholar met Black Rock Coalition founder Bill Toles and was invited to perform and compose for a PBS American Masters documentary on musician, athlete, actor and political activist Paul Robeson entitled “Here I Stand”. Sholar wrote for and recorded on Lenny White’s “Edge” (Hip Bop) – alongside Victor Bailey, Foley, Nick Moroch, Patrice Rushen, Bennie Maupin, Donald Blackman, Pete Levin and Vince Evans. The year ended as Sholar recorded with Teodross Avery and the 5th Power on ”New Day, New Groove” for Fifth Power Records. In 2001 Craig Bailey’s album “Brooklyn” was recorded for Evidence, amidst periodic tours with Bailey through Paris, France, and Athens or Thessaloniki, Greece. With Kevin Michael Jones, Brian Horton and Damon Warmack, Sholar co-founded “Tenth World”. This took place after Sholar grounded “Esoterica” with Atsushi Osada and Charles Hopkins; (later to include Dechown Jenkins, Jaimeo Brown, Rucyl Mills, Kevin Michael Jones and others), and Gritty with Brian Horton (including Jaimeo Brown and Ameen Saleem). Obviously, all of these bands freely exchanged members. Sholar recorded on “It’s Like” for Doc8 Music with Brian Horton and Gritty. Sholar produced “The Land Of Eternal Tranquil Light” on Kasmavtsu Music, along with Kevin Michael Jones and Brian Terry; it featured Chuck McPherson, Atsushi Osada, Damon Warmack, Chris Sholar, Charles Hopkins, Rucyl Mills, Justin Robinson and Talib Kibwe.

2001-2005

In 2001, Sholar recorded with the pop artist Babyface at Arista Records – under the direction of L.A. Reid and Q-Tip. This same year, Sholar recorded with the Chicago rapper Common, along with Karriem Riggins, Carlos Henderson, Nicholas Payton, Geoff Keiser and others. The highlight of that year was to record a jazz-rap record “Kamaal The Abstract” with influential rap artist Q-Tip (Kamaal Fareed), on Arista Records. It featured Kenny Garrett, Marlin Bonds, Carlos Henderson, Jonathan Blake, Mark Colenburg, Guyora Katz, Gary Thomas, Chris Sholar, Josh David, Sun Singleton, Kurt Rosenwinkle, Aisha Morris and others. A documentary/video was made by the iconic American director Spike Lee. Impromptu jam sessions were had with Sean Lennon, Yoko Saito and others – including work towards a “Give Peace A Chance” project with Yoko Ono in light of 911. Between 2002 and 2003, Sholar recorded with James Genus, Clarence Penn and reverend Kim Lesley on “Daughter of God” (for Bhakti Services). With The Lenny White Project, Sholar recorded “The Love Has Never Gone: Tribute To Earth, Wind & Fire” for both M&I Records/Japan and Trauma/US. This record featured Sholar on Fender Rhodes, Ron Carter, Vanessa Rubin, Patrice Rushen, Wallace and Antoine Roney, Chris Sholar and Birelli Lagrene. Later, Sholar produced ”Autumn In New York” for Italian pianist Antonio Ciacca on Splasc(h) Records/Italy in 2002. Sholar performed with bands led by Cindy Blackman Santana, and recorded on Bing Cherry 2.0 with Q-Tip bandmate Sun Singleton for BeLevi Records. In 2004 Sholar began to tour with jazz drummer Winard Harper; along with Patrick Rickman or Philipp Harper on trumpet, JD Allen, Brian Horton or Stacey Dillard on tenor saxophone, Ameen Saleem or Neal Caine on bass and Kevin Jones or Abdou Mboup or Aliyun Fay on percussion. They ultimately recorded “Come Into The Light” on Savant Records (2004). He also performed with Winard Harper featuring Frank Wess or Randy Crawford in this period. Sholar began collaborating with novelist/rapper Adam Mansbach and they recorded “Stand For Nothing, Fall For Anything”. It featured Ameen Saleem, Jonathan Powell and The Apple Juice Kid, Mansbach’s long-time producer. In New York, Kelvin Sholar met Jolie Fuego’s bassist Maximina Juson, and they subsequently toured through America and Japan while filming and recording with popular UK singer Caron Wheeler (of Soul II Soul). This culminated in a live DVD: “Caron Wheeler Live At Duo Music Exchange Japan”. That same year, Sholar participated in a collective performance with Amel Larrieux, Stuart Matthewman, Michelle N’dege O’cello, Ali Jackson, Roy Hargrove and Teodross Avery – as the “Superband”. Later, Sholar performed at Lincoln Center with Roy Hargrove, Lenny White and Charles Fambrough. Under the leadership of Dion Tucker, Sholar recorded an album with Oddlogik called “Modern Authenticity” for Dtuck’s Music (DDCB 12250). This record featured Gretchen Parlato, Dion Tucker, Kevin Louis, Jason Brown and Zachary Pride. In 2005, Sholar continued touring with Kevin Jones and Tenth World. He produced their second record “Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound” for Motéma Music. Through TOSHI, sound engineer on “Kamaal The Abstract”, Sholar recorded with Japanese Pop Star Mikami Chisako on “I’m Here/The Mikami [Chi] It Is Dense” for Universal Gear/Japan. Sholar performed with TV actor T.C. Carson in New York in this time period, along with members of Esoterica/Tenth World/Gritty.

2006-2007

In 2005, Sholar met Detroit Techno producer Carl Craig, via a joint performance at North Sea Jazz Festival with Sun Ra drummer Francisco Mora Catlett, Marshall Royal and John Douglas. The following year, Sholar put together a touring band for Carl Craig, (including Jeremy “Bean” Clemons and Jaimeo Brown), and they recorded “Tres Demented”, “Shez Satan”, “Shez Satan (Inst.)”, “BrainFreeze” and “Shez Beats” for Planet E in Detroit, Michigan. Later in 2005, Sholar played at the Cooz Bar in Dubai UAE, where he met Mogul Hassan Bin Laden. In the summer of this year Sholar toured Germany with Neo-soul artist Joy Delalane, Max Herre, Chris Sholar, Josh David and Steve McKee; they filmed a DVD, “Born and Raised”, for Nesola Records/Germany. In 2006 after ten years in New York City, Sholar relocated from New York to Bologna, Italy, before finally settling in Berlin, Germany. He wanted to explore more chances to work as a bandleader in Europe. While still in New York, Sholar recorded with Count Basie’s alto saxophonist Jeff Alkire on “One Summer In Winters”; it featured Esperanza Spalding, Steve Johns, Riley Mullins and Craig Bailey. In Detroit, Sholar recorded with Inohs Sivad on “Brown Eyed Susan” for “Changes”/Sound Thought Recordings. That year saw Sholar also performing with Ray Mantilla and Piero Odorici in Italy, as well as, recording “Live In Paris” on Planet E with Carl Craig, featuring Wendell Harrison, Mad Mike Banks and Francisco Mora Catlett at Centre Pompidou. From this concert, Jacqueline Caux produced music for her DVD, “The Cycles Of The Mental Machine”. 2006 saw Sholar recording a remix with Craig on Delia Gonzalez and Gavin Russom’s “Relevee” (DFA, EMI Records/UK). Sven Väth subsequently included “Relevee” on his “Sexy Techno At Cocoon” for Mixmag. With Craig and LCD Soundsystem, Sholar recorded on the influential “A Bunch Of Stuff EP: Sound of Silver (C2 Remix Rev.3)” on DFA, as well as, “Someone Great EP: Sound of Silver (C2 Remix Rev.3)” on DFA. With Craig, blues artist Corey Harris (MacArthur Fellow 2007), Damon Warmack and jazz drummer Sangoma Everette “En Panne In Scooter in Detroit” was recorded. Sholar performed solo piano in Marseilles, France, at the Vieille Charité, as well as, giving concerts at Pelle Melle and master classes at the Cité de la Musique (courtesy of Roger Luccioni). Another solo piano concert of note was given that year at Jazz am Berg in Linz, Austria, courtesy of Doug Hammond. In 2007, Sholar recorded on a 12″ with Shuya Okino and Pirahnahead Feat. Diviniti and Clara Hill as “United Legends” for Pirahnahead Works (Cat#: ESPD-017). Kelvin Sholar presented a three day multi-media project ITECHNORGANIKA at The Langston Hughes House, and the club Nublu in New York; Brian Horton, Damon Warmack, Jaimeo Brown, Gamal and VJ Patrik Hubik were involved. At the same time, Sholar toured the Carribbean with Kevin Jones and Tenth World. With Detroit Special, Sholar performed at Springseven in Graz, Austria; the band was Carl Craig on electronics, Sholar on Rhodes, Moog and synths, Francesco Tristano on keys and piano, Doug Hammond on drums. With Detroit Live, Sholar performed at the Comerica Tastefest in Detroit: Carl Craig, Wendell Harrison and Marcus Belgrave. With his Italian project SholarSystem (featuring Maurizio Carugno, Massio Manzi, Mariano Nocito) in Busto Arsizio, Italy, Sholar performed adaptations of Igor Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” and “Rite of Spring”. With his live techno group DigiDeity (Silvia Marbo on vocals and John B. Arnold on live drums and drum machine) Sholar performed at Mainstreet Festival in Catanzaro Lido, Italy. As part of a separate show, Sholar collaborated with DJs (Soulomon and Richie-o) from Mainstreet Records in Bologna, Italy. With Craig and influential Detroit based-group Tribe (Wendell Harrison, Marcus Belgrave, Phil Ranelin, Doug Hammond), Sholar recorded “Livin’ In A New Day” on Community Projects/Planet E – Amp Fiddler, John Arnold, Karriem Riggins, Damon Warmack, Pamela Wise Harrison, the Detroit Horns, Ralph Armstrong, Gaylynn McKinney and others were involved. Sholar performed at the Lagos Jazz festival in Porto, Portugal, with Jonathan Robinson and John B. Arnold; he gave a week of workshops and piano masterclasses. Later, this formation performed live on RAI television at Sanremo Jazz Festival: SoundZ; they added Bob Bonisolo on Tenor sax. Sholar was given a full page interview by TIP Berlin’s Eva Apraku.

2008-2009

In 2008, Sholar gave Carpe Berlin his first live video interview. He later recorded live in Sofia, Bulgaria, at the Bulgarian National Radio with the Vladimir Karparov Quartet for the Goethe Institut. It featured Dimitris Christides, Horst Nonnenmacher, Nedyalko Nedyalkov, Peyo Peev and Stoyan Yankoulov. Sholar joined Fat Dragon with Jonathan Robinson, Jan-Olaf Rodt and John B. Arnold and performed throughout Germany. In the summer of 2008, Sholar was asked to join Debbie Harry and Blondie for a world tour, but he declined on the grounds of his first child’s birth coinciding with the initial tour dates – the B52’s supplied their keyboardist instead (Paul Gordon). With Craig, Warmack, Tristano and Mora Catlett, and Rita Sagyeh, Sholar recorded a film/DVD as “Carl Craig And Innerzone Orchestra, Live In Rome: Techno is Ahead Of This Time”; directed by Leonardo Bazzucchi and Massimiliano Vana for Carhartt/Slam Jam. As ”Conversations In Space”, Sholar participated in a live audio/visual performance for Spring 8 festival. It mixed live visuals by VJ Mox with exciting new techno versions of the music of L. v. Beethoven, W. A. Mozart, Arnold Schoenberg (and others) by Sholar and Francesco Tristano. The Kunsthaus Graz’s Bix Fassade was incorporated. Later that year, Sholar joined Carl Craig & Moritz von Oswald to record “ReComposed Vol. 3” for Deutsche Grammophon; they performed it live at Berghain in Berlin, Germany. New Mixes By Ricardo Villalobos & Carl Craig on Deutsche Grammophon followed. At the request of German techno artist Moritz von Oswald, Sholar wrote arrangements of Radiohead (“Let Down”) and Mary J. Blige (“Family Affair”) for the acclaimed Fauré Quartet (Universal Records). Sholar performed with Carl Craig, Niko Marks and Wendell Harrison at The Movement Festival in Detroit (formerly the The Detroit Electronic Music Festival or DEMF). Weeks later, Sholar performed with Tribe at the JVC Jazz Festival in NYC at le Poisson Rouge; Downbeat magazine wrote a review. In 2009, Sholar recorded with Teodross Avery on “The Diva’s Choice” (BTG Music/TA002). With Craig collaborator Francesco Tristano, Sholar recorded on “A Taste Of The Last Supper”, contributing “Firebird VII” (IF9001) to InFiné Records. With Carl Craig, Sholar recorded on “Sessions” for !K7 Records/Germany (Cat#: K7224CD). In 2009, Sholar recorded with Bujo Kevin Jones and Tenth World “Tenth World Live!” for Motéma Music. Sholar later presented Wendell Harrison at A-Trane in Berlin; Silvia Marbo, Jonathan Robinson and Javier Reyes were involved. Later, Sholar and Marbo performed duo at OhSoTrue Sessions on the beach of Berlin. Sholar endorsed Native Instruments Maschine with Carl Craig, and he incorporated it into his DJ sets for Lucky Trimmer at Bar Tausend in Berlin. Later, Sholar and Craig perform with KSG at Bar Tausend in Berlin. FACT magazine calls Sholar’s bass line on Craig’s remix of “Relevee“ – “perhaps the best bass line in recorded dance music history“. Sholar continued to perform with “En Pane de Scooter”; a concert was had at A Vaulx Jazz in Lyon, France. In London Innerzone Orchestra played “Get Loaded In The Park” festival while Sholar and Tristano provided orchestral arrangements for ten-piece accompaniment. With Tribe (Carl Craig, Wendell Harrison, Marcus Belgrave, Phil Ranelin, Doug Hammond, Jonathan Robinson, Javier Reyes), Sholar performed at the Jazz à la Villette in The Cité de la Musique; it was broadcast over the internet. Sholar and Dani Siciliano began touring reimaginations of Disco classics in a voice-piano duo format; they played for Van Cleef & Arpels Diamonds in Malibu, California, which was hosted by Sharon Stone and Steven Spielberg. Sholar and Jean Paul Bourelly performed as Digital Paradise at WdK in Berlin. With Nesin Howhannesijan Trio, Sholar recorded “Circles” on Konnex Music Group (KCD 5238); they were awarded Kultursenat’s Studio Musik Prize 2010 and CNN Worldview did joint documentaries on both Sholar and Howhannesijan. Artforum International includes Gavin Russom’s Best Of Music picks, Sholar was number 8 of 10. Russom wrote “Opening with a Jelly Roll Morton rag, this exceptional producer and keyboardist soon transitioned into a body of original solo piano material that evoked Kevin Saunderson as powerfully as it did Cecil Taylor. Time stopped”. Franz Matzner wrote about Sholar as “Renaissance Man” in All About Jazz. Sholar did another live video and radio interview broadcast for Carpe Berlin on Studio Ansage. Sholar joined Jazzanova featuring Paul Randolph, they performed in Poland, Switzerland and Khazakstan. He recorded a live TV Christmas special with Queen Esther Morrow for “Alle Jahre Wieder” on ZDF; the then current president of Germany, Horst Köhler, gave a speech.

2010-2011

In 2010, Sholar formed a twenty-piece Gospel choir to sing with Stevie Wonder on his “Song Travelin’ Tour” at Zitadelle in Berlin, Germany. Sholar and Q-Tip’s song “Heels” was featured on American TV’s “So You Think You Can Dance/Superstars of Dance” for “American Idol”, (Season 7, June 2010, Episode #712/713A). Sholar performed ballet music adapted from Igor Stravinsky with Brazilian ballerina Cristina Perera, electronic drummer Ernst Bier and others at A-Trane. Later, Sholar recorded music of Igor Stravinsky for Motéma Music with Greg Osby, Jonathan Robinson and Jaimeo Brown before performing for a week at “Dizzy’s Club” at Lincoln Center in New York City. Sholar made a remix of HD Substance’s “Dacid” on Monofunk in Spain. Then, Sholar recoded a Dubplate called “The Fine Art of Living” with DJ T-INA & QUIO, Spoke, Evan Franco, Marius No.1 and Femmes Prod. With Italian producer Riccio, Sholar recorded “Thrills feat. Kelvin Sholar” for Gentleman/Gentrec 001. Sholar also recorded “Darfur” with Jonathan Powell & Nu Sangha for Transcend. Sholar collaborated and performed with Kevin Saunderson at Movement (formerly DEMF), producing original material and remixes of “Big Fun”, “Future” and “Pennies From Heaven”. Sholar, Jonathan Robinson and Jeff Tain Watts performed as Kelvin Sholar Trio in Berlin. Sholar joined both Mic Donet and Andy Winter on tour. Christian Prommer and Dani Siciliano join Sholar for OhSoTrue Sessions on Berlin’s beach; after Amsterdam and Basel Prommer and Sholar play Weekend Club and film with Andreas Plata. Later Peter Kruder, Sholar and Prommer play Weekend Club together in Berlin. Sholar and Craig did several sold out shows for Universal Record’s “Yellow Lounge” with Jonathan Robinson, Silvia Marbo, Javier Reyes and Moritz von Oswald. Craig featuring Sholar also played Estrella Levante SOS 4.8 in Murcia, Spain, and Weekend Club in Berlin, Germany, as well as at festivals in Amsterdam and Barcelona. The Kelvin Sholar Group played several times for Universal Record’s Jazz series The Verve Club, it culminated in a performance in the Microlounge of Sven Väth’s Cocoon Club. Fabian Koch wrote: “A really defining moment for me. A super tight band playing Mozart, Stravinsky, Miles Davis & Suburban Knight in one show! And yes, it made more than just sense, it was a fantastic genre bending experience!… Best Artist/Jazz venue combo since I’ve been to Coltrane @ the Playboy Mansion”. Sholar performed two piano recitals in Prague: one for the International Jazz Festival in Hradec Králové, and another for Mezinárodní Festival Jazzového Piana; the latter of which was recorded on Czech National Radio and frequently played for several years on both the radio and internet. He was interviewed for the Prague Post; then later again with experimental pianist Hauschka in Groove Magazine (Nov/2010). In 2010, Sholar worked on two films: “Kunststücke Berlin”, a documentary film about the art scene in Berlin in 2009 – with Mathias Frick as director. Sholar also worked on “In remembrance…” with Delia Gonzalez as part of “While Bodies Get Mirrored”, an exhibition about movement, formalism and space at Migros Museum in Zürich, Switzerland. In 2011, Sholar recorded his second solo album “Between Worlds” on Kasmavtsu Music, from which the track “Continuum” was made into a live action music video by Andreas Plata and Philipp Wittulsky on the rooftop of Weekend Club in Berlin. Meanwhile, the Nesin Howhannesijan Trio recorded “Sonocore” on the Japanese label Atelier Sawano (AS 115); they were featured at RAW Live Jazz Festival in Berlin. “Space Between the Rain” by La Shaun Phoenix Moore, included a Sholar remix of “Can’t Stop It” for SoundThought Recordings. T-Ina Darling and Sholar colloborated on “Landlord Blues” for Rudel Records (003). Sholar met and performed with influential Afro-Danish saxophonist John Tchicai; they did concerts in Italy (EcoJazz) and Germany (A-Trane). Sholar was chosen as pianist of the month by VIP Piano Club. He performed in the studio with Christian Prommer, Kruder & Dorfmeister in Austria. He also performed in TRIXX studios in Berlin with DJ Hell and Prommer. Later Prommer, Sholar and Kruder play Weekend Club in Berlin, and Sholar joins Prommer’s Drumlesson 2 in Singapore, the Netherlands, Wales and Portugal; John L. Walters of the Guardian described the performances as “what Kraftwerk would sound like played by the Head Hunters”. The Kelvin Sholar Group (Jonathan Robinson, Javier Reyes, Silvia Marbo) performed at the Bergmannstraßenfest in Berlin. KSG also performed at Bar On Fifth in NYC (featuring Jaimeo Brown on drums, Uganna Okegwo on bass and Dana Stevens on tenor saxophone). Around the same time, Sholar joined David Gilmore, James Genus, Jeff Tain Watts and Jonathan Robinson at A-Trane in Berlin. Gilmore later joined the Kelvin Sholar Group for a performance at the Englischer Garten in Berlin. Later, KSG (Jonathan Robinson, Kgomotso Tsatsi, Jaimeo Brown) toured Accra, Ghana, in Africa. Makeba Boateng wrote a three-page article about Sholar for Ovation International (Issue 135). Sholar joins Yah Supreme, Tommaso Cappellato and Andrea Lombardini for an Italian tour. Later, Sholar records and tours with the pan-African collective 1884, lead by Jonas Bibi Hammond.

2012-2013

In 2012, Sholar’s second solo album “Between Worlds” was released. Berliner artist Wolf Blazejczak provided artwork for each track; it was reviewed well by Michael Rütten in Jazzthing and by Michael Reinboth in Groove Magazine. Sholar met electro musician Klaus Frauenholz, and they recorded on “Brighter Day” with Mark Webb, Kenny Mitchell and Heike Barth for Tehillah Recordings (TR001). With Afro-German jazz bassist Edward Maclean et al, Sholar recorded “Adoque” on r3w Records; they played Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen. Sholar played a solo DJ-piano set based on his record “Mutagenesis” at Incubate in the Netherlands. Kelvin Sholar Group broadcast several live radio shows on Deutschland Radio Kultur from Asphalt in Berlin. Vladimir Karparov Quartet makes their final tour throughout Spain. In Berlin, Sholar records “A Diva’s Mind” with Nina Ernst, Kai Brückner, Max Hacker, Max Hughes, Michael Kersting and Andreas Weiser; later that year they perform live in b-flat Jazz Club, Berlin. At the personal behest of his guru Joan Suval, spiritual leader of Ananda Ashram, Sholar wrote the Kalavan Suite, based on his Buddhist name Kalavan (after replacing the name Mumukshu). For the Thüringer Jazzmeile/“Musik baut Brücken” in Erfurt, Germany, the Kelvin Sholar Group presented the Kalavan Suite live with electronics and improvisatory ballet by Brazilian ballet dancer Esther Ambrosio. Later KSG performed at Berlin Music Days festival in Berlin (Jonathan Robinson, Tobias Backhaus and Klaus Frauenholz); this performance was subsequenly released as “New Detroit” in 2013 for Sholar’s Kasmavtsu Music label. Sholar and Prommer play Berlin, Amsterdam, Vienna, Moscow, Zürich, Munich and Macedonia. Sholar and Saunderson’s Inner City performed at Apple Cart Festival in London. With Nesin Howhannesijan Trio Sholar performs at “Music ’n’ Migration” Festival in Berlin, opposite reggae legends Sly and Robby. Ernst Bier’s group Unity5 becomes Unity6 by adding Gerhard Gschlößl, and they record live on “ROT” for rbb radio in Berlin, Sholar was musical director. Sholar performs later in Belarus with Fuasi Abdul Khaliq, Vincent Herring, Nicholas Bearde, Piano Lopez, Daniel Aleen Oberto and others. In 2013, Sholar released “New Detroit” (Kas 004) and updated his band with Japanese Butoh dancer Makiko Tominaga; they played WdK (Berlin) and Taktlos Festival in Zürich, Switzerland. With Tommaso Cappellato and Andrea Lombardini, Sholar tours Italy. Laurent Garnier plays “Orange-Yellow” and “Changes Of Life” from “New Detroit” on Le Mouv, Pure Fm and Couler 3. Gilles Peterson plays “Green-Blue” from “New Detroit” on Gilles Peterson Worldwide; as does Funkhaus Europa. In praise of the record, French techno producer Laurent Garnier wrote: “The four jazz tracks completely BLEW ME AWAY, the version of Orange-Yellow is absolutely stunning. What a superb moment of music! Of course I am also really into the techno orientated tracks. I really love “Changes of life”. This is really a superb release, especially when we don’t hear enough music coming from Detroit nowadays. So wonderful to hear music like this. I am a biiiig fan. I can’t believe how brilliant Orange-Yellow is! Wwwhhhaaaouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu”. British radio host/DJ Gilles Peterson wrote: “Woah! Great album! Some firing pieces on there, sir. Orange-Yellow is a modern day jazz dance trouble shooter of a track – bang!”. Michael Reinboth of Compost Records wrote “Absolutely stunning. The jazz tracks are unbelievable – Fantastic”. Label owner Jerome Sydenham wrote: “The New Detroit project emphasizes, yet again, the ambidextrous and illustrious talents of the great Kelvin Sholar. And to think that this album was recorded live! Wow, wish I was at that show”! Sholar and Fuasi Abdul Khaliq perform a Black History Month concert at WdK; Sholar provided all transcriptions and arrangements for the Ebony Big Band. Sholar and Khaliq performed for the US Embassy Berlin as well as doing lectures at the US Consulate General in Munich. He was later interviewed live about Rosa Parks for Deutschlandradio Kultur by Silvia Kurschus. Sholar, Khaliq, Eric Vaughn and Daryl Taylor performed as Ebony Quartet, and later with Ebony Big Band, at Berlin’s Bergmannstraßenfest, on the Yorckschlösschen stage; while “New Detroit” was performed on Ahoi stage with Javier Reyes, Silvia Marbo and Jonathan Robinson. Jazzthetiks’ Wolf Kampmann gave a great magazine review of “New Detroit”, as well as a live radio broadcast of an interview for Jazzplan. Anoushka Perlman of NPR also scripted an article about Sholar’s “New Detroit” tours. Sholar lectured for YAAF, and gave a joint sold out performance at Tonhalle, in Zürich, Switzerland, with Claudia Fischer, Klaus Frauenholz and Mike Huckaby (performing as the Detroit Knights). Sholar recorded on Jaimeo Brown’s “Transcendence“ with Chris Sholar, Geri Allen and JD Allen; later they toured Germany (A-Trane, Berlin Jazz Festival) and the Czech Republic. Sholar recorded spiritual music with Jonas Bibi Hammond at Wdk’s “Sacred Music And Dance” Festival; later they played in Munich (Milla Club, Münchner Stadtmuseum).

2014-2016

In 2014, Sholar endorsed both Ploytec’s PI L SQUARED, and M-Audio’s Axiom Air 49. Sholar performed several Black History concerts at WdK in Berlin with Ebony Big Band. Sholar taught four free music lessons for Black History Month at JFK school in Berlin. He was featured in a Motown music revue with J. C. Dook at A-Trane in Berlin; among other features with Dook. Sholar formed a Live Techno orchestra which played A-Trane for three days that summer.

Kelvin Sholar was featured with Daniel Allen Olberto, Nicholas Bearde and others in Minsk Jazz Club, Belarus; later Sholar featured Pia Lopez at Minsk Philharmonic Hall. Sholar hosted a live radio show promoting XJAZZ festival and his show with Prommer; interviewing Daniel Best, Vernon Hill and Sebastian Studnitzky. Sholar performed a solo piano recital at Kulturforum Fraziskanerkloster, Paterskirche in Kempen, Germany. Sholar recorded “Mutagenesis”; from which “Criss Cross“ was included on Ennio Styles’ compilation “Stylin’ 700”. Sholar performed at XJAZZ with Christian Prommer; he did a live radio interview for Jazzplanet and XJAZZ. In support of Sholar’s “New Detroit” Deutschlandradio Kultur ran an eight minute radio feature; the interviewer Ilka Lorenzen-Butzmann called Sholar a “modern-day Leonardo da Vinci”. Sholar was featured live for one-hour on “Phil’s Jazz Dis-Junction” on NTS Radio by Phil Smith. Sholar did an hour-long interview on Flux FM. Sandra Leidecker interviewed Sholar for a project called Geektown Detroit on Detroit Techno, along with techno masterminds like Kerry Chandler, Kenny Larkin, Jeff Mills and Mike Huckaby. Sadiq Bey conducted an interview with Sholar for Musicians’ Corner online. Sholar played at Unterfahrt in Munich with “Turgermerika” (with Fuasi Abdul Khaliq, Martin Lillitch and Burcu Coskun); this program of Turkish Jazz was sold out. Sholar later acted as pianist-arranger for “The Cotton Club” dinner show in Munich. Theater Magdeburg featured Sholar, Oberto and Reyes in a sold out techno-jazz concert; they later wrote, “such powerful music, like today, hasn’t been experienced in a long time”. In 2015, Sholar lectured on Black music and performed with Eric Vaughn and Charles Sammons at “Wir Sind Alle Berliner” exhibition about the African Conference 1884. Sholar produced his Black music specials BMR 1 (May) with Werkstatt der Kulturen; and he later performed at their “Religions And Worldviews” meeting. Sholar performed with both “The Church” and Julien Quentin at XJAZZ in Berlin; a month later Sholar performs with Nigel Kennedy, Ernst Bier, Regis Molina and others at A-Trane in Berlin. With “The Church”, Sholar plays Pride Cologne festival in the summer. Sholar and Sadiq Bey perform as electronic duo at Fête de la Musique Festival. Sholar and Olivia Trummer perform several duo concerts around Germany. Sholar and Christian Prommer play “Secrets Festival” outside Berlin. Sholar is later interviewed by Thabo Thindi for his “Scents of Berlin” documentary. Nesin Howhanessijan Trio performed at the Instrument Museum and later WdK for “World Wide Music” series; it was broadcast for an hour on Multiculti Radio Berlin. KSG, (featuring Marlon Browden and Charles Sammons), performed the music of Corena Gaddis (Sholar’s grandmother) at the 5th Creole Berlin Brandenburg competition at WdK; it was broadcast on Multicult FM. Later, KSG performed the same show at Documenta 14, hosted by SAVVY Contemporary e.V. Sholar meets Deborah Brown, Sylwester Ostrowski, Joris Teepe, Piotr Wojtasik and Eric Allen; they record a live show for Radio Szczecin with Sylwester Ostrowski. Sholar, Trummer and Browden play Zig Zag Jazz Club in Berlin before Yah Supreme, Dorrey Lin Lyles and Paul Randolph have separate  features at Zig Zag. With Dorrey Lin Lyles and Band, Sholar performed the music of Bessie Smith at Quasimodo, Berlin. In 2016, Sholar joined the staff at the British and Irish Modern Music School in Berlin, as well as the Electronic Music School. Sholar later produced Black Music Renaissance 2 with Werkstatt der Kulturen; Arvo Wichmann presented an oil painting of Sholar performing at the Englischer Garten, Berlin. At the same time, Sholar performed a solo piano recital of Civil Rights Movement music for US Ambassador Emerson’s 2016 Interfaith meeting; later he performed at the US Embassy as part of a Deborah Gunn exhibition, featuring his portrait. Sholar begins to model his own line of clothing with the label Amincouture by Senegalese artist Ndoye Laye, as well as hats by Berlin label Doc Crop/Captn Crop. With the Austrian fashion magazine Rondo Exklusiv, Sholar modeled the Winter Collection for Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Ferragamo Shoes – courtesy of Studio Likeness. Sholar gathered a group of singers to record for artist Iamnobodi at Red Bull Studios in Berlin. Sholar and Dorrey Lin Lyles later perform at City Hall for Szczecin Jazz Festival as a techno duo. Sholar joins Sylwester Ostrowski, Mika Urbaniak, Paulina Przybysz, Yah Supreme and others at Szczecin Philharmonic Hall for a gala concert. Thabo Thindi later devised a movie featuring concerts in Szczecin, Poland, (for the Festival of Lights with 1,000 people in attendance) and at Winnica Turnau vineyard, Baniewice, Poland; featuring Sylwester Ostrowski, NFM Leopoldinum Chamber Orchestra and Dorrey Lin Lyles. Christian Prommer and Sholar perform another XJAZZ concert; this was filmed and released by Boiler Room. Sholar performed with Jessie Klemann in duo for “Kein Schöner Land” poetry festival; later Sholar, Jimi Tenor, Ryuchi Fujimoto and Daniel Oberto perform live together at this festival. That special performance occurred the same day that Prommer and Samon Kawamura recorded Sholar’s Boy’s Choir at Red Bull Studios. The next day, Sholar performed the poetry of his sister, novelist Monica Sholar, at WdK’s Carnival Of Literatures. Sholar and Julien Quentin give a lecture and duo performance for USArtBerlin; the artist Luio (Onassis) Zau performed a live painting during the event. Later, Sholar was musical director for Ingrid Arthur’s band at the US Embassy’s July 4th celebration at Tempelhofer Feld in Berlin. That concert had 5000 people in attendance. The same year, Sholar was also musical director for New World Gospel Ensemble; they played Santiago De Compostela, Galicia, in front of 5000 people. A week later, Sholar performed in Fara Music Festival with Josh Ginsburg and Marlon Browden outside of Rome, Italy, later they play Birdland in Hamburg, Germany, as part of their anniversary celebrations. Sholar recorded at Red Bull studios with Tony Allen, Christian Prommer, Charles Sammons, Loomis Green and Megaloh; later they gave an impromptu jam concert at Zig Zag Jazz Club in Berlin. This spontaneous jam series also included El Congo Allen, David Gilmore, Diego Pinera, Robby Gerken, Christina Wheeler, Fuasi Abdul Khaliq and Marlon Browden. Sholar interviewed blues singer EB Davis for the German TV channel ZDF, as part of the Pekao Szczecin Open Tennis Festival. He later joined Oana Catalina Chitu and Dejan Jovanovic in a concert of Romanian classics at Zig Zag Jazz Club. With Dorrey Lin Lyles Sholar performs the first of four annual Bessie Smith Tributes for the “Berlin Blues Explosion Festival”.

2017

In 2017, Sholar produced BMR 3 at Wdk; it featured Jaimeo Brown, Kalavan Quartet, Machete Horns and a Shebeen co-hosted by Thabo Thindi; A Flux FM radio interview was given and Sholar was deemed artist of the month at WdK. Later Sylwester Owstrowski, Eric Allen, Charles Sammons and Sholar film and interview for Szczecin Radio live at Zig Zag Jazz Club; it was a special edition for Szczecin Jazz Festival. Sholar recorded musical material derivative of Craig’s “Versus” project on Infíne Records, live at BBC’s Maida Vale with Carl Craig and Francesco Tristano for Gilles Peterson; and later again in the summer for Pete Wong’s Live Dance Music series, featuring Craig and Sholar. BBC 6 aired interviews of Craig, Tristano and Sholar with Gilles Peterson. Performances in London, Paris, Poland, Barcelona, the Netherlands, Belgium, Budapest, Australia, Detroit, Rome, Amsterdam were included in Craig’s “Versus” live program. During this period, Sholar and Craig also performed live for FIP Radio France. Resident Advisor broadcasted a live “Versus” show, featuring Agita Rondo, Kelvin Sholar, Francesco Tristano, Greg Burk, Christoph Adams and Carl Craig at Sonar Music Festival in Barcelona, Spain, before 80000 people. That summer also saw Sholar recording with Black American Harpist Christina Wheeler and drum ‘n’ bass founder Marque Gilmore. “Circle Of Oddness”, and other tracks were recorded with Melina Paxinos, Jonathan Robinson and Ivars Arutyunyan. Sholar remixed “Wibble Wobble” by Soul Understated; it featured Jeremey Bean Clemons and Mavis Swan Poole, among others. On May 5, Sholar performed with Christian Prommer in trio at XJAZZ; featuring bassist Charles Sammons and others. Sholar perfomed in Lausanne Switzerland with the Crusaders Project (Fuasi Abul Khaliq, Eric Vaughn, Charles Sammons). On May 6, Sholar experienced multiple seizures and cardiac arrest (before comatosis) during a performance on stage at Zig Zag Jazz Club with the Crusader’s Project. In June, Sholar recorded live interviews for gs24 in Szczecin, Poland. He also did an interview for Trendy Magazine. At the end of the summer Sholar produced a concert at the Rose Garden in Szczecin and live action videos at Radio Szczecin (featuring Yah Supreme, Charles Sammons and Sylwester Ostrowski). Sholar, Ingrid Arthur and Dorrey Lin Lyles record vocals on “Wann soll man gehen”, “Wir können” and “Wir haben die Wahl” for Klan. Heinz Ruch writes a fictional account of Sholar’s music in his novel “Beharrlicher Bulle”. The Berlin based magazine “Exberliner” features Sholar and A-Trane jazz club in “Keeping The Jazz Alive”. KSG (Sammons, Melina Paxinos, Yah Supreme) play and record at Orania Music Festival in Berlin; Sholar also performs with Julien Quentin in duo at Orania Music Festival. For the opening, Berliner Zeitung did an article featuring Sholar and American organist Cameron Carpenter. Later, Sholar tours with John Lee Hooker Jr. around Germany. KSG performs and films on a tram for International Music Day in Szcezcin, Poland. Sholar joined Alan Skidmore, Ernst Bier and Johannes Fink to perform several tributes to John Coltrane in London, United Kingdom, Düsseldorf and Wuppertal, Germany. This later included performances with Wolfgang Schmidtke at the Hamburger Elbphilharmonie, at Potsdam Museum and at Gorki Park in Berlin.

2018

In 2018, Sholar produced BMR 4 at WdK; it featured Iranian singer Hani Mojtahedy, Serbian Gypsy singer Matilda Leko, New York vocalist Yah Supreme and LA saxophonist Fuasi Abdul Khaliq. Sholar and Prommer do a show at Soho House Berlin. Mojtahedy and Sholar record live on Kurdish TV, recorded in Brussels, Belgium; Sholar and Mojtahedy also appear in Berlin and Paris. Ricardo Baccallao and Tony Bettencourt interviewed Sholar about Berlin. Arvo Wichmann presented a watercolour portrait of Sholar, while in concert at Zig Zag Jazz Club. Sholar and Yah Supreme lecture on electronics; before appearing at Szczecin Philharmonic Hall in Poland with important guests Deborah Brown, Anna Dereszowka, Danuta Stenka and Kasia Warnke. Later, they appear with Joanna Maksymowicz Racynska and Ostrowski in concert for the 18th anniversary of Columbus Restaurant in Szczecin. Sholar toured with Carl Craig’s “Versus” in Belgium, the Netherlands, Berlin, Germany and London, England. Electronic Beats featured a small movie of Carl Craig’s Versus Synthesizer Ensemble with Sholar as piano solo feature at Funkhaus Berlin. Sholar was interviewed in London at the Versus Barbican show. Werkstatt der Kulturen featured Sholar’s compositions “Forgotten Spaces” and “Villanelle 6” in a live broadcast of recording sessions. Later, WdK’s “Homage Sessions” featured Sholar’s arrangements and performances. Sholar appeared as feature in Stefan Goldman’s f(t) festival, playing the music of Cory Arcangel. This same year, “A Diva’s Mind” was released by Nina Ernst, featuring Max Hughes, Kai Brückner, Max Hacker, Michael Kersting and Andreas Weiser. The Roots perform Sholar and Q-Tip’s song “Heels” on Jimmy Fallon (Episode 0884). German duo Klan released a Warner Brothers record featuring the voices of Sholar, Ingrid Arthur and Dorrey Lin Lyles. In June, Sholar and Craig perform live with the Polish National Orchestra in Katowice, Poland, with Todd Simon. Later, Craig and Sholar perform at Montreux Jazz Festival with “Versus”. Sholar performs a closing DJ set in La Spezia, Italy, for their International Jazz Festival. He gave a lecture-performance with Dr. Corina Shika Kwami and Dr. Natasha Kelley on the struggles of Nina Simone and several Black Women musicians. In August and September of this year, Sholar joined Kevin Michael Jones for a master class at River Studios for Triumph Music Academy in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Later they joined Damon Warmack, John Gist, Brian Horton and others at the Detroit Jazz Festival; but the performance was rained out. Sholar remixed several tracks for Jazz pianist Joel Holmes (under his I-Wonder pseudonym). In October 2018, Sholar begins a duo series called Feniks Sessions which lasted until December after dozens of acts. In November, Sholar headlined Célimène Daudet’s International Haitian Piano Project Festival with a performance featuring Thurgot Théodat in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In December, Sholar recorded a live album on rbb radio station with Unity5 for Jazz Werkstatt. At the b-flat Jazz Club in Berlin Sholar started a new version of XO crossover jam sessions; it lasted from December 2018 till February 2019.

2019

In February 2019, Sholar curated five concerts at b-flat Jazz Club for Black History Month; they featured Unity5, South Africa United and Afrobeat Live. In this same month, Sholar recorded “Selections: 1991-2012” on Kasmavtsu Records – his first solo piano album of original music. In April, Wolfgang Schmidtke, Kelvin Sholar, Christian Ramond and Ernst Bier a tribute to John Coltrane at Potsdam Museum; meanwhile, at the A-Trane Jazzclub Regis KinRe Molina, Kelvin Sholar,Charles Sammons, Kevin Burrell and Ernst Bier played (Unity5). In late April 2019 Sholar performed Versus with Carl Craig and Orchestra Chineke! conducted by Damon Gupton at Royal Albert Hall, London, England. In August 2019, Carl Craig & Krinkgkastningsorkestret presented a Versus show in Oslo, Norway. In November 2019, Carl Craig & Sinfonieorchestra Basel presented a Versus show in Basel, Switzerland. On May 19 2019 Sholar performed from “Selections: 1991-2012” at A-Trane jazz club Berlin. Mahide Lein presented piano solo concerts by Kelvin Sholar: on the AHOI-stage at the Bergmannstrassenfest and Galerie Bauchhund Salonlabor at the GREENER Exhibition. In June, Carl Craig featured “Orange-Yellow” by Kelvin Sholar in his “Gemini Sequence” show on World Wide Fm; “This one is mister Kelvin Sholar my brother. We’ve done some great work together. And he’s still doing great work. One of the baddest assed pianists in the world. Straight from Detroit”. Along with Gregory Burk, Ripper Mookie and Andrea Centrella, Kelvin Sholar made the track “Cemento Armato” (with video) for Musicians Against Climate Change; it feature the slogan “Dont Stop The Music Stop Climate Change”. From August to October 2019 Kelvin Sholar joined Kevin Michael Jones for a reunion tour of USA with “Tenth World”; features were Nate Winn, Damon Warmack, Allen Dennard, Ivan Akansiima, John Gist, Desean Jones and J Rodrigues. Publicity included a radio interview for WGVU-FM with Harvey McKnight, and an interview for Socialgr by Adrian Sotelo. A live video was shot and recorded on location at Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe in October. Native Instruments featured Kelvin Sholar in their “10 years of Maschine” video; He was the first artist to program, produce and perform live with Maschine (2009). Longtime friends Gregory Burk and Kelvin Sholar give a double solo piano recital at Synagoge Wittlich. UNITY 5 was featured at Atrane Jazz Club in Berlin; featuring Regis Molina, Kelvin Sholar, Charles Sammons, Kevin Burrell and Ernst Bier.

2020

As part of “From Detroit To The World”, Kelvin Sholar performs at NYC Winter Jazzfest; along with Ron Carter, Sheila Jordan, Louis Hayes, Johnny Oneal, Brandon Williams, Zen Zadravec, Robert Hurst, Karriem Riggins, Ali Jackson, JD Allen, Dwight Adams, Theo Croker, Greg Glassman, Kassan Belgrave, Ibrahim Jones, Kassa Overall, Joan Belgrave and others. Music by Marcus Belgrave, original music (including Sholar’s “Villanelle 6”) and jazz standards were performed. In April 2020, Kelvin Sholar released “Mutagenesis” on Kasmavtsu Records; the first electronic record solely dedicated to Jazz standards. In June of that year, Sholar began a blog series on music theory entitled “The Future School of Music”; it became the basis of Shosys Academy, Sholar’s online music education platform.

In August, Unity 5 release a record recorded by Kulturradio Rbb at the Berlin festival “100 Years of Jazz In Europe”; it was released by Jazzwerkstatt. Sholar composed an etude for beginners on piano and voice, (For Young Revolutionaries), where each piece is in a different meter, and named after a different concept or person whose name fits that meter: Love, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Rosa Parks, ML King, Malcolm X, Fred Hampton, Jacob (Blake) Ewing Wetterling.

2022

Sholar began endorsing C. Bechstein Concert Grand Model D 282 and made a promotion video recording of a special recital on said piano, featuring original music spanning 30 years. Kelvin Sholar Trio (with Charles Sammons on bass and Eric Vaughn on drums) video recorded a live performance of their Rites Of Fire program at Kuturhaus Insel in Berlin. Later that year, Kelvin Sholar Trio made a live audio recording of this program at Jazz Club Atrane, they performed selections as main act at Sommer Jazzfest in Ludwigsfelde and they performed as main act of European Blues Train Festival in Berlin. Kelvin Sholar Group  (with Charles Sammons on bass, Eric Vaughn on drums and Dorrey Lyles on vocals) performed as main act for SOULHEIDE festival in Berlin. Sholar was featured with Carl Craig Synthesizer Ensemble for a sold out performance at Carnegie Hall’s Afrofuturism Festival, as band leader, arranger and soloist. Later that year, Sholar performed Duo with Carl Craig in Paris. Sholar also performed live with Techno producer Moritz Oswald’s Trio, as main act for Dancity Festival in Italy. Sholar performed live electronics and Grand piano as part of BATASAX for Jazz Festival 1984 in Berlin. Kelvin Sholar was interviewed and filmed for SHELVED about his involvement with the influential Hip Hop/Jazz record “Kamaal the Abstract” (QTIP).  Sholar was an actor on episodes 5 and 6 of ZDF TV program “Nächste Ausfahrt Glück”; performing live Classical, Jazz and Blues pieces.