The popular outdoors Jazz @ The Pond series returns for the fourth year in downtown Brighton's Mill Pond gazebo (on Main Street). Tonight features The Paul Keller Mini Big Band (trumpet, sax, trombone, piano, bass, drums, singer/clarinet).
Paul Matthew Keller was born March 11, 1962. He began studying the string bass at age 12. By age 16 Paul had played his first jazz gigs in his hometown of Grand Rapids, MI. He continued his classical music education at the University of Michigan and moved to Ann Arbor permanently in 1986.
Today, Paul is one of the busiest bassists in the Detroit area. He has earned the nick-name "The House Bass Player For The State Of Michigan" as each year, he logs so many miles traveling across the state to perform at various music venues. At his home-base, the Firefly Club in Ann Arbor, MI, Paul leads the 15-piece Paul Keller Orchestra, which plays original, obscure and classic big band material from all periods of jazz history. Under Paul's expert leadership, the PKO (formerly known as the Bird of Paradise Orchestra) has garnered critical and popular acclaim, accepting Washtenaw Council for the Arts "Annie Awards" and Detroit Music Awards for excellence in performing arts. Their CDs are: Hallelujah Train, Project X, BINGO!, Paris Blues, A Tribute To Count Basie and A Tribute To Benny Goodman. These recordings spotlight Paul's fine compositions and arrangements. The Paul Keller Orchestra has enjoyed two tours of Europe.
Photo by Jeff Dunn
