The Axiom of Keys Please: Feb 3 and 5

Ten years ago, I was trying to figure out what the heck to do with myself. I wanted to stay serious about music and not give up my piano training, but the world of professional piano performance was clearly not my cup of tea. I wanted a world my music could live in, and wasn’t sure where to find it.

Then these two delightfully crazy musicians named Carei Thomas and Todd Harper asked me to do a concert with them. “What the heck!” I thought, “I’ll try anything once.” That concert — Keys Please — was what kicked me off on the path of being a self-produced, independent musician. They taught me how to make my own rules on stage, how to improvise without apology, how to carve out a niche for myself. I’m tremendously grateful to them. They gave me a map.

Ten years and ten concerts years later, Keys Please is an annual tradition. This year’s special guest is the versicolored bassist Brian Roessler. There will be Brahms, Messiaen, improvs ranging from subtle to wild, and … oops! I’m giving away too much already.

Here’s all the info on the concert (including some videos of past performances).

Bonus concert: I’m also playing on the ACF Tuesday Salon tonight.