Love Letter to Oakland
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Kev Choice is a pianist, emcee, composer, producer, educator, and activist from Oakland, CA. Choice began playing piano at 11 years old. As a teenager, he was accepted into the UC Berkeley Young Musicians Program, performing in classical and jazz ensembles. He earned his BM in Piano Performance from Xavier University of Louisiana and his MM from Southern Illinois University. Following grad school, he recorded and toured as a sideman with artists including The Coup, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Goapele, Zion I, and more. From 2006-2007, he served as musical director for Lauryn Hill. Choice has released 5 solo albums as well as singles and collaborations. His unique sound weaves hip hop, jazz, r&b, soul, classical, and funk with positive, socially conscious lyrics. He leads the jazz-hip-hop-funk big band, the Kev Choice Ensemble, Kev Choice Trio, and is a member of music collective and band, Black London. In 2018, Choice was commissioned to compose Soul Restoration Suite for the Oakland Symphony and in 2020, wrote Movements for the San Francisco Symphony. He serves as Vice-Chair of the City of Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Commission, President of the Recording Academy’s SF Chapter Board, and on the Board of Directors at the Oakland Symphony. He previously served as faculty and co-chair of the Instrumental Music department at Oakland School of the Arts and is an artist-in-residence at Elevate Oakland, providing mentorship and education to public school students. In 2021, Choice was named by the YBCA 100 as a Bay Area changemaker. In June 2024, Choice and community collaborators hosted the first Oakland Black Music Week, celebrating and creating space for Oakland’s Black music. The 8-day series of events featured live music, panels, poetry, and more promoting community empowerment and collaboration, and supporting emerging, established, and legacy musicians in Oakland.
www.kevchoice.wordpress.com