KAESHAMMER SIGNS WORLDWIDE RECORDING DEAL WITH SEVEN.ONE STARWATCH/SONY MUSIC GERMANY
Michael Kaeshammer isn’t so much a piano player as a piano whisperer, a master musician, and a songwriter able to coax dazzling, kaleidoscopic sounds from his instrument in a way few can rival. That gift powers Kaeshammer’s 15th album, Turn It Up, out now, via his new label home Seven.One Starwatch/Sony Music Germany.
Turn It Up, the eclectic yet accessible jazz-based pop album, features eight original songs and a dynamic cover of Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” The album showcases Kaeshammer’s signature style, blending a range of keyboards, from a Wurlitzer organ to the Rhodes piano, with an ensemble of trumpet, trombone, saxophone, drums, and bass, all anchored by his sparkling voice and palpable positivity.
“I am a very positive person,” Kaeshammer confirms. “I really love playing shows and being on-stage. If Turn It Up helps me to do more of that, then I’m all in.”
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Michael Kaeshammer. I sing and play the piano, preferably in front of people. I write songs but also like to put my spin on other people’s songs from time to time.
Congratulations on your upcoming 15th album, “Turn It Up”! Could you share with us what inspired the creation of this album and what listeners can expect from it?
I had a different album written before the pandemic, but then plans to record were cancelled during the lockdown. I used the time off-the-road to write, reflecting on life and the world around me. The positivity I feel with each new day and my love for making music gets even stronger with age. The music on this album captures this through stories about my life. I love every song, they work live as well as in the studio, which is not always the case. I also got to collaborate with some of my favourite musicians, mixers, and producers on this project. It’s time to “Turn It Up”.
The music videos for your tracks “Little Bit Of Love” and “Never Knew What Love Was” are visually captivating. How do you conceptualize and collaborate on the visual representation of your music?
My record label Seven.One/Sony Music is based in Germany, so we shot the videos there. A song dictates everything, audio production as well as visual presentation. I discuss with my team what I want to convey and we form a concept. The most important thing is choosing the right people for the project. All you have to do then is make sure you don’t tie their hands by micromanaging but rather give their creativity free rein.
Your diverse musical background spans across various genres. How do you think this eclectic mix influences your sound and approach to music?
I never think of genres, as a consumer or a creator. Either I like it or I don’t. I sing and play how I want to hear the songs. I think it’s important as an artist to dig deep and really know who you are and what you like, then letting your own style come out is the easiest thing in the world. Of course, everyone has influences, mine span from Beethoven to Louis Armstrong to Aretha Franklin to Elvis Presley to Robert Palmer to Prince to AC/DC. The list is long. But when I write and perform it’s just me, those influences are deep-seated and not in my conscious mind.
Your live performances are known for their energy and intimacy. How do you connect with your audience during your shows, and what do you hope they take away from the experience?
Being on stage is the most comfortable thing in the world for me – it’s my comfort zone. The music is the vehicle to get everyone into the room, the band, and the audience. What you do with the situation from there, the deeper connection you find with the audience, that’s what a show is about. I get so much from performing that all I have to do is let the audience know how I feel and they too will be elevated to where I am.
With seven JUNO Award nominations under your belt, how do you feel your music has evolved over the years, and what do these nominations mean to you personally and professionally?
It’s great to be recognized for what you do, no one can deny that. But it’s not why you do it, it’s not why you create an album. I have evolved as a human being over the past thirty years, something would be wrong if my music hadn’t grown with me. An album is a snapshot of where an artist is at the time, personally and creatively. If you can capture this without trying to fit into a mold, then you have created something valid. The journey is thrilling and I look forward to finding out where else it will lead me.
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