Michael Kaeshammer - KaeshammerLIVE! (2023) Hi Res

Something magical happens when Michael Kaeshammer sits at the piano. Sure, like all pianists, he plays 12 notes across 88 keys. But the musician and songwriter coaxes dazzling, kaleidoscopic sounds from his instrument in a way few can rival.

For him, playing just jazz or just pop or just boogie-woogie instead of all three — sometimes with a classical instrumental piece thrown in — would be the aural equivalent of eating a cheese sandwich for lunch. Every. Single. Day.

“I think of myself as a piano player and singer even though I know things need to be categorized,” the German-born, B.C.-based Kaeshammer offers. “The sonic landscape of these songs is more pop than jazz. That was done simply because I love hearing songs like that. The nice thing for me is, I can play a jazz festival or a blues festival or a pop festival.”