FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
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.
ABOUT THE PROJECT:
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.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Kelvin Sholar is an award-winning pianist and vocalist. Among his many career milestones, Sholar won the Michigan Bach Festival competition at sixteen; performing from J.S. Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier. Sholar and his sixteen-piece Gospel choir sang live with Stevie Wonder on his Song Traveling Tour. Sholar regularly collaborates with acclaimed Techno producer Carl Craig, blending the worlds of electronic music, jazz improvisation and orchestral instrumentation in joint performances at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall.
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). Kelvin Sholar and Eric Vaughn make cameo appearances in Wes Anderson’s highly anticipated film The Phoenician Scheme (MAY 30, 2025)– featuring Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks and Benicio del Toro. Moreover, Sholar furnished an arrangement of Gerry Mulligan’s Mud Bug for said film.
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.
RELEASE DATE:
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.
PERSONELLE:
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
TRACK LISTING
1 Augurs Of Spring: Igor Stravinsky / Sacre Du Printemps
2 Punjab: Joe Henderson
3 Leikgef: Kelvin Sholar
4 Gyptis: Kelvin Sholar
5 Black Jack: Ray Charles
6 Infernal Dance Of King Katchai: Igor Stravinsky / L’Oiseau de feu
7 Beware The Sun: Suburban Knight
8 Paobene: Kelvin Sholar
9 I Heard It Through The Grapevine: Marvin Gaye (Barrett Strong)
10 Got A Scrong Feeling: Eric Vaughn
11 Beware The Sun: Chris Sholar Remix
12 Leikgef: Chris Sholar Remix