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Since her debut album appeared in 2001, singer/pianist/songwriter Alicia Keys has won five Grammy Awards. One critic has called her "the new Roberta Flack with a hip-hop edge." |
Keys' music is contemporary -- but it's also firmly grounded in the traditions of soul, R&B, jazz, and the blues.
Born in Harlem, Keys began piano lessons at age seven. She continued the lessons into her teens, studying both classical composers such as Beethoven and Chopin, as well as jazz greats like Fats Waller, Miles Davis -- and Marian McPartland. She also listened to recordings of popular artists, including Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Tupac Shakur, Mary J. Blige, and Biggie Smalls. Keys graduated high school at age 16 and was accepted to Columbia University.
Keys decided not to attend college, however, signing instead with Columbia Records. She later left Columbia to follow Clive Davis to J-Records. New York performances, appearances on MTV, BET, and The Oprah Winfrey Show, created a genuine buzz over Key's music even before her first album, Songs in A Minor, was released. It debuted in June of 2001 at number one on the charts.
Alicia Keys continues to perform, compose and record. She has won an MTV VMA, two Billboard Awards, two American Music Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, and five Grammys: Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Best R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Album.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast.
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Set List for Alicia Keys on Piano Jazz:Trouble Man (Marvin Gaye)
Ain't Misbehavin' (Fats Waller)
Fallin (A. Keys)
Melancholy Mood (McPartland)
Good Morning Heartache (E. Drake, D. Fisher, I. Higgenbotham)
Isn't It Insane? (A. Keys)
Someday We'll All Be Free (D. Hathaway, E. Howard)
Marian & Alicia Blues (A. Keys, McPartland)
Born in Harlem, Keys began piano lessons at age seven. She continued the lessons into her teens, studying both classical composers such as Beethoven and Chopin, as well as jazz greats like Fats Waller, Miles Davis -- and Marian McPartland. She also listened to recordings of popular artists, including Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Tupac Shakur, Mary J. Blige, and Biggie Smalls. Keys graduated high school at age 16 and was accepted to Columbia University.
Keys decided not to attend college, however, signing instead with Columbia Records. She later left Columbia to follow Clive Davis to J-Records. New York performances, appearances on MTV, BET, and The Oprah Winfrey Show, created a genuine buzz over Key's music even before her first album, Songs in A Minor, was released. It debuted in June of 2001 at number one on the charts.
Alicia Keys continues to perform, compose and record. She has won an MTV VMA, two Billboard Awards, two American Music Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, and five Grammys: Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Best R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Album.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast.
Subscribe!
Set List for Alicia Keys on Piano Jazz: