Slow Movin' Train
Biography - Michael Kelsey
MICHAEL KELSEY cannot be limited to a simple description. When
you listen to his music and see him perform live you're witnessing more than a
just another singer-songwriter. You're watching a rhythmic, inspired guitarist
and performance artist who brews soul, funk and even a little bit of the blues
into a guitar festival of organic sound. Multi-instrumentalist Kelsey has been
known to blend many musical genres with fervour and grace. When he hits the stage
to perform, he plays every inch of his guitar and makes it sing, soar, pop and
ping--by strumming it, pounding it and pulling every part of it or anything else
an arm's length or foot kick away. He has created a style that he described best
as "progressive-aggressive acoustic guitar," and he has only begun to
make a first impression.
Born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, he began his musical journey weaving
in and out of successful area bands as lead guitarist or bassist. Later he opened
and ran a thriving recording studio, which after five years he retired in order
to enable him to embark freely on his career as a solo artist.
His naturally soulful vocal illuminates carefully chosen lyrics that make his
songs shimmer and shine. He plays expressively and manipulates the guitar to
create a melodic fusion of alternate tunings and unorthodox hand positions allowing
for him to achieve a full sound. The true beauty is in the way the song, the
sound and the motion of his music unites. The songs, especially the lush instrumentals,
can be reminiscent of the late, great Michael Hedges, but boast Kelsey's personal
percussive stamp, exceptional arrangement and deliberate instrumentation.
His live performances are particularly moving. Sometimes he sounds as if he's
deftly playing more than one guitar. At a Kelsey show audience members may actually
lose themselves in the moment and forget they are listening to one person. They
can be tapping their foot one minute, in a deep trance the next, then bursting
into laughter.
After performing an opening set for folk artist David Wilcox, David described
Kelsey's show as "Cirque Du Soleil on acoustic guitar."
Kelsey’s abilities have enabled him to be noticed by many. A finalist in Guitar Player Magazine's national competition and winner of Guitar Center’s "Guitarmageddon," chosen as best unsigned guitarist out of over 3000 entrants nationwide says it all. This allowed him to be apart of Eric Clapton’s Crossroads 2004 performance where he shared the stage with many of the guitar legends such as Santana, Jeff Beck, Steve Vai, and Eric Clapton. He has toured nationally with Blind Melon and Dishwalla and his diversity as a performer has opened shows for artist from The Doobie Brothers & 38 Special to The Bodeans & The Cowboy Junkies to Tantric.
Press Quotes
"Michael
uses an arsenal of electronics, his Taylor 615, and his voice to create
layers of sonic adventures that challenge the limits of acoustic guitar
music."
-Taylor Guitars
"A
fearless experimenter, Kelsey is an acoustic guitarist who weaves a multitude
of unusual sounds and rhythms into his patchwork quilt of work.
Part performance artist and part virtuoso musician. Kelsey takes the widest
possible variety of music and makes it his own."
-Nuvo Magazine,Indianapolis, IN
"After
sets by Neal Schon and Steve Vai Michael Kelsey takes the stage. His combination
of percussive,Michael Hedges-like playing and Junior Brown-style de- and
re-tuning shows that he is indeed a viable "Guitarzilla."
-MATT WEITZ - The Dallas Morning News
"Galloping
guitar work with significant crossover appeal."
-Dirty Linen Magazine
"To
call the structure in his hands a guitar completely misses the point."
-Fred Kraus, The Dayton Daily
"People
are going to see more of him, this man is going to have the opportunity
to communicate."
-Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, of Doobie Brothers and SteelyDan
fame.
"An
astonishing performer."
-John Wesley Harding, folk artist
"
like Cirque Du Soleil on acoustic guitar."
-David Wilcox, folk artist
