Kasmavtsu Music released Kelvin Sholar’s first solo piano album “Selections: 1991-2012” on April 21, 2019. It is a mature showcase of Sholar’s most intimate and sensitive performances on record to date. These nineteen songs, which were composed over a 21 year span, references the diverse styles of pianists which he cites as influential: Yevette Slaughter, Frederic Chopin, Art Tatum, Claude Debussy, Duke Ellington, Bela Bartok, Keith Jarrett, Igor Stravinsky, Cecil Taylor and Thelonious Monk- among many others. Compositionally on “Selections: 1991-2012”, Sholar explores new harmonic systems scales and chords, irregular melodic phrases, flexible timing, and challenging ancient poetry structures (i.e. The French-Italian Terzanelle and Villanelle forms).
American Jazz Pianist Walter Norris wrote: “Kelvin Sholar is pre-ordained to Improvise”. Yet, on “Selections: 1991-2012” only six out of nineteen performances include a traditional Jazz solo. As the composer is also the performer in “Selections: 1991-2012”, Kelvin strives to let an authentic interpretation of the music speak for itself; he even performs certain compositions just once through. Highly emotive articulations and deep pregnant pauses highlight the dramatic sensual effects of Sholar’s inherent compositional harmonies, melodies and rhythms.
Praise for “Selections: 1991-2012”: American Jazz Pianist Greg Burk writes “(this is) medicinal music played with a meditative mind and spirit, in a settled place, a place of reflection, a natural breath and open heart and mind. It is about sitting in Satsang and letting the universe move through you and (his) mastery shines with quiet fire and profound technicolor. (Sholar’s) music is complete: touch, sound, content, time, spirit, mind, history, culture, no culture, harmony and breath unite as one single gesture that is unique and perfect. There is only ONE Kelvin Sholar and I’m blessed to know him”. American Jazz Saxophonist Teodross Avery writes: “Wow Kelvin. Gyptis has the space and harmonies of some of Chopin’s works. Excellent!” Detroit American actor-vocalist Yahyah Jeffries-El writes: “The overall feel evokes those personal, contemplative spaces that we call on Les McCann and Ahmad Jamal to transport us to. “Michela” and “Danza Diavola” and “Unity 6” all hold particular resonance with me.
On January 14, 20222, At C. Bechstein Centrum Berlin, Sholar later returned to the piano solo repertoire of “Selections: 1991-2012”, (as well as new interpretations of classic selections from Thelonious Monk, Igor Stravinsky and Duke Ellington), on a C. BECHSTEIN D 282 grand piano.
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