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Roger Kellaway

Roger Kellaway’s discography runs to more than two hundred and fifty albums. He’s worked with everyone from Ellington to Elvis, Dizzy Gillespie to Yo-Yo Ma, Joni Mitchell to Mancini and Quincy Jones to Michael Tilson Thomas.

Kellaway is not only a major pianist, he is a composer of protean ability, writing in the music fields of jazz, classical and “pop”, also scoring for films and television. His acclaimed “Cello Quartet” albums are described by some as “crossover”, “chamber jazz” and by others as the beginning of “New Age” music. They were the first in an eclectic array of projects beginning in the 1960’s. Roger’s commissions include a ballet for George Balanchine and the New York City Ballet, orchestral pieces for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the National Symphony, the New American Orchestra and a concerto, “Songs of Ascent,” commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta, conductor. He wrote a variety of chamber works for Carnegie Hall performances and served as musical director for Stephane Grappelli’s 80th Birthday Tribute, which included Yo-Yo Ma’s first entry into Jazz. Later, Stephane, Yo-Yo and Roger traveled to Paris together. Kellaway played on and wrote all the arrangements for their album, “Anything Goes”.

Roger fell in love with the piano at the age of 7 and began studying. By the time he was 12, he was already listening equally to jazz and classical music and decided that he wanted to spend his life in music. He attended Newton High School, at that time ranked the number three high school in the United States, studying college level music theory and playing double bass and percussion in the school orchestra, performing works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach. (Meanwhile, he was playing bass in an extracurricular jazz band.) From high school, he went on to the New England Conservatory where he studied piano, double bass, and composition. After two years at the conservatory he left to go on the road, playing bass. In 1960, he settled in New York City and began freelancing on piano. By the age of 22, he was one of the busiest and most highly respected pianists in New York, playing record dates, jazz clubs, and working with singers such as Lena Horne. His favorite recordings during that period were with Sonny Rollins, Wes Montgomery, Oliver Nelson, Ben Webster, Clark Terry & Bob Brookmeyer.

In the mid ’60′s Kellaway moved to Los Angeles to continue doing studio work, which soon included playing on and then writing film scores. He became musical director for Bobby Darin and in 1968 arranged (and conducted) Darin’s album of songs from the film “Dr. Doolittle”. Writing songs and arrangements is a passion that sometimes expands into producing, as was the case for the Carmen McRae album, “I Am Music”. The relationship had started with Roger’s song “I Have The Feeling I’ve Been Here Before”, written especially for her, with a lyric by the legendary team Alan & Marilyn Bergman. Kellaway’s most prized television credit is, “Remembering You”, the closing theme for the groundbreaking, “All in the Family”. Composed in 1970, it is still being heard on TV around the world. In 1988, Kellaway was honored with a Grammy Award for his music on the album “Memos From Paradise” for Eddie Daniels. He has written (and conducted) twenty-nine film scores including Barbara Streisand’s “A Star is Born”, for which he received an Academy Award nomination.

Beginning in1998, Kellaway made numerous trips to Japan to be part of Takao Ishizuka’s prestigious “100 Gold Fingers” concerts. In 1999 Roger was commissioned to compose the music for London’s West End production of “Lenny” starring Eddie Izzard, directed by Sir Peter Hall. In 2000 he was commissioned by the WDR Big Band to write a two-hour show celebrating the 100th birthday of composer Kurt Weill, staring Caterina Valente. As well as arranging the show, he also performed as pianist.

In 2001, Roger began working as Musical Director with Kevin Spacey on the pre-production for his film, “Beyond The Sea”, dedicated to Bobby Darin; and served as Musical Director, conductor and pianist for the Dec, 2004, 13-city “Beyond The Sea” tour. In 2005, Roger conducted the world premiere of Sir Paul McCartney’s “Nova” in Buenos Aires with The Youth Orchestra of the Americas.” In 2007 he performed at and served as Musical director for “Tribute To Oscar Peterson at Carnegie Hall and later toured with Tony Bennett as his Musical Director. 2008 began with the Prix du Jazz Classique (the French “Grammy”) for Roger’s CD, “Heroes” (dedicated to Oscar Peterson) and ended with his serving as Van Morrison’s Musical Director for the classic “Astral Weeks” live performance/recording (CD/DVD) at the Hollywood Bowl.

2009 found Kellaway working again with the Bergmans on “Visions Of America”, an orchestral, multimedia portrait of Democracy. The “Photo-Symphony”, for full orchestra, Jazz piano, chorus and featured singer Patti Austin, was commissioned by renowned photographer, Joseph Sohm. The show premiered in Philadelphia with The Philly Pops, conducted by Peter Nero. Roger played solo piano at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall to a sold out audience later that year, ending with his orchestrating and conducting the music for Clint Eastwood’s film, INVICTUS.

In 2010, Roger received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, the New England Conservatory of Music and began to spend most of this time writing, only stopping long enough to play a few concerts, including 2011’s acclaimed “Live at the Library of Congress” with Eddie Daniels. In 2012, the Boston Pops performed an expanded “Visions of America” in a series of summer concerts, conducted by Keith Lockhart. Singers Patti Austin and Steve Tyrell were featured with Kellaway on piano. In the fall, Roger recorded “Duke At The Roadhouse – live in Santa Fe”, his third duo CD with Eddie Daniels. This time they added cello to the mix.

In January of 2013, the New West Symphony performed “Visions Of America: A Photo Symphony,” conducted by Marcelo Lehninger. The revised fifty minute show featured Kellaway on jazz piano, a chorus of twenty-four singers, plus Judith Hill & Steve Tyrell, totaling ninety-five performers on stage! The summer months included several shows with Eddie Daniels; Dizzy’s at Lincoln Center, San Francisco Jazz, Johannesburg, South Africa and the Detroit Jazz Festival.

2014 began with the Grand Prix du Jazz (Record Of The Year) for “Duke At The Roadhouse ” with Eddie Daniels. Following that, Roger performed at two concerts in NYC (one at the Apollo & the other at Town Hall) celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles. In June, he & Eddie Daniels performed again at Dizzy’s. Roger’s most recent commission, “Many Moods Of McCartney”, a twenty-eight minute piece for two pianos, bass and drums is a Jazz exploration of ten songs by Sir Paul McCartney. The piece premiered to standing ovations at an Ashville Symphony concert in September.

In 2015, Roger was invited to Teatro Manzoni in Milan, where he performed a continuous one-hour-fourty minute solo piano concert. He appeared several times as Special Guest with the Django Festival All-Stars, and played “Jazz At Kitano” with his own trio. In addition, the “eclectic Maestro” who resides in Ojai California, also began an ongoing series of concerts, “At Home With Roger Kellaway”. He resides in Ojai, California with his wife (of 40 years) Jorjana.
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Roger Kellaway: Live At Mezzrow

Read "Live At Mezzrow" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
May 17, 2024

Roger Kellaway's latest offering Live At Mezzrow is a masterclass in jazz artistry. With Kellaway on piano--leading his trio of first class musicians, including bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Dennis Mackrel along with guest guitarist Roni Ben-Hur on a couple of tracks--they embark on a celebration of mostly historical jazz standards from the songbooks of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Billy Strayhorn among others, as well as one of Kellaway's own pieces “All My Life." For those of a certain ...

Radio & Podcasts

Slide Hampton & Dinah Washington

by Joe Dimino
November 16, 2020

Our 673rd episode of Neon Jazz begins with the prolific pianist and composer Roger Kellaway. We talked to him about the COVID-19 lockdown as we have done with so many other musicians during 2020. Some other musicians interviewed or profiled during this hour of jazz is Scott Colley, Pete McGuiness and Robin McKelle. We pay our respects to 107-year old jazz drummer Viola Smith and listen to new music from Kansas City vocalist Molly Hammer. Cheers. Playlist Roger ...

Album Review

Roger Kellaway: The Many Open Minds Of Roger Kellaway

Read "The Many Open Minds Of Roger Kellaway" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
December 13, 2019

Criticize pianist Roger Kellaway? You must be kidding. Describe Roger Kellaway? That's a fair bet and far more advisable. Kellaway, who is eighty years old as this is being written, embodies the boundless exuberance, creative power and impeccable technique of any player half his age, all of which he displays unfailingly on The Many Open Minds of Roger Kellaway, recorded in concert nine years ago at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles and released on Kellaway's eightieth birthday, November 1, ...

Album Review

Roger Kellaway: The Many Open Minds Of Roger Kellaway

Read "The Many Open Minds Of Roger Kellaway" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
November 18, 2019

There's not a single category that can contain the wit and wonder that is Roger Kellaway. Over the past 60 years he's put his musical stamp on film, television, pop, rock, new age, ballet, and modern classical forms, garnering awards and acclaim wherever his pen and piano work happen to fall. And let's not forget jazz. While Kellaway has played with a laundry list of notables from the aforementioned realms, his jazz résumé is no less impressive. Sonny Rollins, Clark ...

Album Review

Eddie Daniels, Roger Kellaway: Just Friends

Read "Just Friends" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
July 26, 2018

Dall'archivio personale di George Klabin --il fondatore e presidente della Resonance Records --esce questa registrazione di un concerto di vent'anni fa, dato al Village Vanguard dal clarinettista Eddie Daniels e dal pianista Roger Kellaway con Buster Williams al contrabbasso e Al Foster alla batteria. Documento scintillante sia dal punto di vista della qualità acustica (nonostante l'incisione su cassetta con un singolo microfono Sony) che da quello artistico. All'età di 47 anni Eddie Daniels era nel pieno della ...

Album Review

Roger Kellaway Trio: New Standards Vol. 3

Read "New Standards Vol. 3" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
April 5, 2018

Trumpeter Carl Saunders is best known for his contributions to jazz orchestras, having put his mighty horn to good use for Stan Kenton, Bill Holman, Maynard Ferguson, Benny Goodman, Gerald Wilson, and numerous other big band leaders of note over the past half-century. Yet his work as a composer may end up being his lasting legacy. Saunders has amassed a considerable body of work--more than three hundred of his tunes appear in a Real Book-style collection titled New Jazz Standards--and ...

Album Review

Eddie Daniels and Roger Kellaway: Just Friends: Live at the Village Vanguard

Read "Just Friends: Live at the Village Vanguard" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
September 19, 2017

Resonance Records has dramatically improved the respective discographies of Bill Evans (Live At Art D'Lugoff's Top of The Gate (2012), Some Other Time: the Lost Session From the Black Forest (2016), Another Time: The Hilversum Concert (2017)); Wes Montgomery (Echoes of Indiana Avenue (2012), Wes Montgomery: In The Beginning-Early Recordings from 1949-1958 (2015), Smokin' in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse (1966) (2017)); and Gene Harris (Live in London (2008), Another Night In London (2010), Three Sounds: Groovin' Hard -Live at ...

Recording

Recent Listening: “New” Ones By Anne Phillips And Roger Kellaway

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
October 22, 2019

Until recently, it may have seemed that the singer and songwriter Anne Phillips had resigned as a performer. She had not. Those who remember her 1959 debut album, Born To Be Blue, may be delighted to know that her years below the radar as a writer, arranger, conductor and studio musician did nothing to dilute her impact as a performer. She has buoyed her undiminished presence with a follow-up to her second rare album, Gonna Lay My Heart On The ...
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Interview

Interview: Roger Kellaway

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
March 20, 2017

On Thursday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m., pianists Roger Kellaway and Peter Beets will be appearing together as a duet at New York's Sheen Center as part of producer Pat Philips' Jazz on Bleecker Street concert series. They will be performing The Many Moods of McCartney. For more information and to buy tickets, go here. The concert will be held at the Loreto Theater at 18 Bleecker St. Here's how the concept sounded with the Asheville Symphony at the Thomas ...
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Recording

Eddie Daniels, with Roger Kellaway - Live at the Library of Congress (2012)

Source: Something Else!
December 22, 2011

Clarinetist Eddie Daniels, appearing last February at the Library of Congress' Coolidge Auditorium, displays an almost telepathic symbiosis alongside pianist Roger Kellaway. Making good on 2009's pleasant and compulsively listenable Duet of One, the two charge into the evening with an explorative, polyrhythmic remake of Gershwin's “Strike Up The Band," stretching it out into an eight-minute rumination. Later, Daniels (a founding member of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra) and Kellaway (Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, Clark Terry, Bob Brookmeyer, Ben ...
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124

Radio

The Jazz Session #149: Roger Kellaway

Source: Michael Ricci
March 8, 2010

150

Video / DVD

Roger Kellaway Trio: Review and Bonus Video

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
May 12, 2009

Washington, DC, correspondent John Birchard attended Kellaway's Saturday night performance in the nation's capital. Here is his report.

KELLAWAY AT THE KENNEDY CENTER

By John Birchard

The 2008-2009 season at the Kennedy Center's KC Jazz Club in Washington, DC finished with a flourish last night. In a tribute to the late Oscar Peterson, Roger Kellaway's Trio showed two sell-out crowds why he is so highly regarded among musicians and insiders.

Setting a tone of relaxed swing from ...
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175

Performance / Tour

Roger Kellaway Shines on Live at the Jazz Standard Set

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
November 27, 2008

New York, New York-November 24, 2008- No one can make a piano sing like Roger Kellaway, and nowhere is that more true than on his new release, Live at the Jazz Standard. Beautifully performed and recorded at New York’s legendary Jazz Standard, Kellaway and his usual cast of virtuosos – including guitarist Russell Malone and vibist Stefon Harris – bring to life the classics of Nat King Cole, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, and many others with ferocity. Clearly, Live at ...
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Recording

CD: Roger Kellaway

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
October 28, 2008

Roger Kellaway, Live at the Jazz Standard (IPO). For the pianist's stand at the New York club, he continues his drumerless ways of recent years but, as usual, has plenty of rhythm. He is abetted by guitarist Russell Malone and bassist Jay Leonhart. Vibraharpist Stefon Harris is also aboard, fitting into Kellway's conception of a group modeled on the Nat Cole Trio. Cellist Borislav Strulev makes a moving contribution to Kellaway's “All My Life." The exuberant blowing is on familiar ...
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108

Event

Music & Conversations March 15th in Los Angeles with Roger Kellaway

Source: All About Jazz
February 21, 2008

We're delighted to announce that our seventh Music & Conversations will be presented on Mar. 15th at a custom performance space in the Mt. Washington district of Los Angeles. Besides the pleasure of hearing performers of international stature in an intimate setting, audiences enjoy wine and hors d'oeuvres, with a view of city lights. Our world-class performers, violinist Mark Menzies (Ensemble Sospeso), cellist John Walz (Principal Cellist, Los Angeles Opera Orchestra), and Douglas Masek (extraordinary saxophone) will join Music & ...
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150

Award / Grant

Roger Kellaway Receives "Le Prix Du Jazz Classique" Award for Best Record of the Year

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
December 29, 2007

IPO Recordings is pleased to announce that Roger Kellaway's “Heroes" CD has been awarded the “Best Record Of The Year" in the “Classic Jazz" category by the French Jazz Academy. The French Jazz Academy Awards is the oldest and most serious music awards ceremony in France (it was created in 1955 !) The college of voters is made up of 60 independent journalists, photographers, writers, radio and TV producers. The award ceremony event, similar to the Grammy Awards, will take ...
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156

Performance / Tour