Kev Choice

A breakout star on both the West Coast jazz scene as well as in hip-hop, soul, and R&B, Oakland-reared pianist, composer, and MC Kev Choice is a gifted improviser with deep insights into the jazz tradition. Over his two nights in the Joe Henderson Lab, Choice honors the enduring cross-genre impact and legacy of A Tribe Called Quest’s landmark 1993 hip-hop masterpiece Midnight Marauders on Saturday, and devotes Sunday evening to his own original compositions inspired by the seamless blend of modern jazz, hip-hop, and more.

Choice’s work draws on his love of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Mulgrew Miller, and Robert Glasper, exploring his multifarious original compositions and arrangements of classic material. His fourth solo album and first project focusing on his instrumentals, 2016’s 88 Steps to Eternity, brought his improvisational prowess to the foreground. 

Choice is also a producer and in-demand sideman who’s toured and recorded with Michael Franti and Spearhead, Lyrics Born, Too $hort, Ledisi and fellow Skyline High grad Goapele. In 2007, Lauryn Hill recruited him as music director, and he spent 18 months touring internationally with her. He’s collaborated with The Coup, Dwele, Martin Luther, and Amel Larrieux. As a leader, he’s an artist expanding the possibilities of African-American music.