Pianist creates creative explorations
There are plenty of jazz pianists around the country who don’t take kindly to anyone talking during their performances. That’s not the case for Daniel Kelly.
On Saturday (Jan. 18), the Cold Spring resident will create a musical composition with children, on the spot, at the Butterfield Library — much like the classic story “Stone Soup,” he says, but with melody, harmony and rhythm.
“We’ll have a drumbeat and a piano part, but I can play almost any instrument on my electronic keyboard, so there are endless variations,” he says. “We will have an interesting song by the end.”
Last year, Kelly booked a series of monthly programs for adults at the library called Creative Explorations with Daniel Kelly & Friends. So far, he has held four sessions and will continue through June, then start again in the fall.
These events are conversations, not concerts. “We’re trying to get people actively involved in the creative process, but it’s OK just to enjoy and absorb,” he says.
Vanessa Maldonado, the library’s adult program coordinator, says, “This is less like a show and more like hanging out with your friends. Like with Mr. Rogers, having guests facilitates interaction. This is a great way to learn from local artists who share their talents and inspire others to say, ‘I have talent, too.’”
Last October, author and musician David Hollander joined Kelly to examine the connection between music and writing. After speaking about the rhythm of words in his sentences, Hollander and Kelly improvised on piano and guitar as audience members wrote poems or prose. People willing to read their work came onstage.
Kelly also hosted singer-songwriter Dar Williams, exploring her creative process, playing some of her music and beginning to write a song with the audience. On Wednesday (Jan. 15), Kelly and Beacon-based singer Tara O’Grady turned stories from people’s dreams into tunes on the fly.
“Tara is lightning-quick writing solid lyrics,” says Kelly. “There’s so much local talent to draw from. It’s astounding.”
Kelly moved to Cold Spring in 2013 and tours the world playing music, including a stint as a cultural ambassador for the U.S. State Department. In addition to implementing conceptual programs that blurred the line between art and community in Florida, Memphis and Wyoming, he books the acts at the annual Jazz at the Lake festival in Lake George.
Kelly, who seeks to mash up art forms and find new creative approaches, forged a project, Shakespeare in Jazz: All the World’s a Song, consisting of original tunes composed around short snippets of the Bard’s most renowned lines. The goal, he says, is to view the language’s nuance and meaning with a new sensibility.
Indeed, the creative exploration on Feb. 12 will be Shakespeare and Music. Actor Sean McNall from Hudson Valley Shakespeare will perform monologues as Kelly improvises. Kelly’s daughter, Sofia, 16, will sing and invite the audience to join in.
In March, Kelly will jazz things up behind artist Ireena Gurvich as she creates a visual work. Art supplies will be provided, and attendees can create while Kelly tinkers at the keys.
“It’s such an amazing, engaging idea,” says Maldonado. “You’re not just sitting there listening passively — you’re collaborating and helping to build a community connection around the arts.”
The Butterfield Library is located at 10 Morris Ave. in Cold Spring. Musical Stories for Kids with Daniel Kelly, which begins at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 18, is recommended for children ages 4 to 8.
