Press Quotes
"SAN JOSE GUITARIST JASON KEISER CASTS A WIDE MUSICAL NET, ENAMORED EQUALLY WITH BLUEGRASS AS WITH POST-BOP JAZZ. RATHER THAN DILUTING HIS ATTENTION, HIS VARIED INTERESTS SEEM TO HAVE SHARPENED HIS IMAGINATION, JUDGING BY HIS IMPRESSIVE NEW ALBUM “SHAW’S GROOVE.”
© ANDREW GILBERT
"Jason Keiser blew me away when I first heard him play. He possesses an incredible guitar technique that encompasses everything from lightning fast runs to sensitive and nuanced chordal work. He is also a creative and sophisticated composer. But beyond these formidable gifts, Jason plays with a passion and vivacity that is both palpable and contagious."
Mimi Fox
“Guitarist Jason Keiser is finding a unique and compelling voice both as player and composer. His eclectic tastes in music and capability to live in different genres are combining in a beautiful synergy when Jason plays and writes. I will be following his career with interest and I look forward to collaborating with Jason in the near future.”
John Stowell
"Once in awhile you encounter an artist who transcends mere technical wizardry and brings something extra to the table that can't be taught. Jason Keiser is just such an artist. Jason's playing is adventurous and exuberant, with a stylistic sense of whimsy anchored by a studied command of his instrument, enabling him to color outside the lines while bringing the listener full-circle, each solo a unique journey. An extremely accomplished young guitarist and composer whose reverence for, and expertise of Jazz and New Acoustic music will serve listeners well for a long time to come."
Mike Mullins
"San Jose–based Jason Keiser is yet another in the suddenly burgeoning field of young players who easily crosses boundaries from jazz and bluegrass. He studied at East Tennessee State University with guitarist Wyatt Rice. Jason’s primary instrument is the guitar, on which he composes and arranges material for the New Acoustic Collective, which he founded. The extensive bio on his website lists his credentials, awards, mentors, and appearances."
Dave Berry, Bluegrass Today
"Jason Keiser is one of the young musicians who is enthusiastic about carrying on with the music that David Grisman and Tony Rice started playing in the 1970s. Working with his mentor, Wyatt Rice, Jason has connected with a direct lineage back to the Dawg and spacegrass music that he fell in love with when he was in high school..."
Dan Miller, Editor, Bluegrass Unlimited
"Wyatt Rice fondly remembers his time working with Jason. He said, “Jason had been bitten by the spacegrass/Dawg music bug. He was a straight-A student in my class. We’d sit down and I’d show him alternate chords to tunes and I’d throw just about every spacegrass tune that I knew at him and the next week he’d come back and be able to play it. He took every semester from me and as time went by we became friends outside of class. He’d come over to the house and we recorded together. He was an excellent student and I’m proud of what he is doing. He is a real go-getter. He doesn’t give up on anything. He knew exactly what he wanted to do, and he has done it.”...
Wyatt Rice, Bluegrass Unlimited
“Jason is a very talented young up-and-coming guitar player. He is now developing a band called the New Acoustic Collective, which I think is a very nice name…I should have thought of it myself! I’m proud that he is going in the direction that he is going. He also recorded one of my tunes ‘Mugavero’ and did a great job on that.”
John Carlini, Bluegrass Unlimited
“I recently became acquainted with Jason Keiser through our mutual friend John Stowell. Jason impresses me as a serious young guitarist, composer and recording artist with a solid work ethic and a bright future... I will follow Jason’s career with much interest.”
Dmitri Matheny
"Keiser's "Wheeler's Waltz" is a heartfelt tribute to Kenny Wheeler featuring inspired, compassionate soloing by the leader and Stowell. The intricate and intuitive interplay between the musicians on the duets brings to mind the pivotal collaborations between Ralph Towner and John Abercrombie. The jaunty reading of "All the Things You Are" illustrates the leaders extraordinary command of his instrument showcasing elaborate chord melodies and dazzling solos. The recording ends with Keiser's reflective arrangement of Kenny Wheeler's "Gentle Piece," marking an appropriate conclusion to a recording of remarkable performances. Jason Keiser is a masterful guitarist whose melodic improvisations and eloquent chord melodies reveal a prodigious and promising talent. The Axe Axis is an exceptional musical sojourn and is highly recommended for all listeners of contemporary improvised music."
© James Scott, Minor 7th Acoustic Guitar Webzine
© ANDREW GILBERT
"Jason Keiser blew me away when I first heard him play. He possesses an incredible guitar technique that encompasses everything from lightning fast runs to sensitive and nuanced chordal work. He is also a creative and sophisticated composer. But beyond these formidable gifts, Jason plays with a passion and vivacity that is both palpable and contagious."
Mimi Fox
“Guitarist Jason Keiser is finding a unique and compelling voice both as player and composer. His eclectic tastes in music and capability to live in different genres are combining in a beautiful synergy when Jason plays and writes. I will be following his career with interest and I look forward to collaborating with Jason in the near future.”
John Stowell
"Once in awhile you encounter an artist who transcends mere technical wizardry and brings something extra to the table that can't be taught. Jason Keiser is just such an artist. Jason's playing is adventurous and exuberant, with a stylistic sense of whimsy anchored by a studied command of his instrument, enabling him to color outside the lines while bringing the listener full-circle, each solo a unique journey. An extremely accomplished young guitarist and composer whose reverence for, and expertise of Jazz and New Acoustic music will serve listeners well for a long time to come."
Mike Mullins
"San Jose–based Jason Keiser is yet another in the suddenly burgeoning field of young players who easily crosses boundaries from jazz and bluegrass. He studied at East Tennessee State University with guitarist Wyatt Rice. Jason’s primary instrument is the guitar, on which he composes and arranges material for the New Acoustic Collective, which he founded. The extensive bio on his website lists his credentials, awards, mentors, and appearances."
Dave Berry, Bluegrass Today
"Jason Keiser is one of the young musicians who is enthusiastic about carrying on with the music that David Grisman and Tony Rice started playing in the 1970s. Working with his mentor, Wyatt Rice, Jason has connected with a direct lineage back to the Dawg and spacegrass music that he fell in love with when he was in high school..."
Dan Miller, Editor, Bluegrass Unlimited
"Wyatt Rice fondly remembers his time working with Jason. He said, “Jason had been bitten by the spacegrass/Dawg music bug. He was a straight-A student in my class. We’d sit down and I’d show him alternate chords to tunes and I’d throw just about every spacegrass tune that I knew at him and the next week he’d come back and be able to play it. He took every semester from me and as time went by we became friends outside of class. He’d come over to the house and we recorded together. He was an excellent student and I’m proud of what he is doing. He is a real go-getter. He doesn’t give up on anything. He knew exactly what he wanted to do, and he has done it.”...
Wyatt Rice, Bluegrass Unlimited
“Jason is a very talented young up-and-coming guitar player. He is now developing a band called the New Acoustic Collective, which I think is a very nice name…I should have thought of it myself! I’m proud that he is going in the direction that he is going. He also recorded one of my tunes ‘Mugavero’ and did a great job on that.”
John Carlini, Bluegrass Unlimited
“I recently became acquainted with Jason Keiser through our mutual friend John Stowell. Jason impresses me as a serious young guitarist, composer and recording artist with a solid work ethic and a bright future... I will follow Jason’s career with much interest.”
Dmitri Matheny
"Keiser's "Wheeler's Waltz" is a heartfelt tribute to Kenny Wheeler featuring inspired, compassionate soloing by the leader and Stowell. The intricate and intuitive interplay between the musicians on the duets brings to mind the pivotal collaborations between Ralph Towner and John Abercrombie. The jaunty reading of "All the Things You Are" illustrates the leaders extraordinary command of his instrument showcasing elaborate chord melodies and dazzling solos. The recording ends with Keiser's reflective arrangement of Kenny Wheeler's "Gentle Piece," marking an appropriate conclusion to a recording of remarkable performances. Jason Keiser is a masterful guitarist whose melodic improvisations and eloquent chord melodies reveal a prodigious and promising talent. The Axe Axis is an exceptional musical sojourn and is highly recommended for all listeners of contemporary improvised music."
© James Scott, Minor 7th Acoustic Guitar Webzine
Track Premiere:
The Old Rugged Cross from Jason Keiser Bluegrass Today by John Lawless
West coast flatpicker Jason Keiser is announcing a new album of solo guitar pieces with a debut single tomorrow, his arrangement of the gospel standard, The Old Rugged Cross.
Growing up in California, Keiser took up an interest in both bluegrass and jazz guitar, and split his college time between West Valley Community College in Saratoga, CA, where he studied jazz, and the Bluegrass, Old Time & Roots Music Studies program at ETSU. There he had Wyatt Rice as a guitar teacher and Adam Steffey for mandolin. He graduated in 2018, and ever since has focused on more experimental bluegrass guitar, a la Tony Rice and the music of David Grisman.
His upcoming album, Grassology, will feature a mixture of traditional fiddle tunes, along with a few of his own compositions, and some classics from the SpaceGrass and Dawg Music catalog.
To introduce the album, and feature the single, Jason has a video of the recording session for Old Rugged Cross. Guitar fanciers will note that he is playing an Ovation Legend Model 1117-1 guitar, the same style that Tony Rice used on his Backwaters album.
He tells us that this particular instrument is quite dear to him.
“This specific Ovation is very special to me, as it was previously owned by my mentor, Wyatt Rice, who sold it to me.”
He tracked the guitar in a similar way to what Tony and Wyatt have done, with a Telefunken ELA M 260 small diaphragm cardiod tube condenser microphone, and a Royer R-121 ribbon mic.
Jason also explained why he chose to include this song.
“The Old Rugged Cross is one of my very favorite gospel tunes, and is a piece I always go back to in my repertoire. I was first introduced to it by my former ETSU professor and Band Instructor, Brandon Green, while studying at ETSU. The piece impacted me a ton, especially with regards to the melody and beautiful harmony.
Many years later, I heard a rendition that Dailey & Vincent did from their album, Singing from the Heart, all a cappella. I was inspired to take what they did, add my own spin, and arrange it all for solo guitar. During that time, I was also listening to a lot of John Carlini’s music, another dear mentor of mine. His arranging techniques for solo guitar and his playing have impacted me a ton, as well as his arranging during his tenure as musical director with the DGQ. Some of those arranging techniques definitely influenced this piece. What you hear on this new rendition includes the different a cappella lines from Dailey & Vincent’s recording, as well as newly added harmonies and bass movement to evoke different moods and colors, and my own spin as well. I hope you enjoy this new version of a seminal gospel classic!”
Green also shared his praise for this cut.
“Wonderful! This cut of The Old Rugged Cross captures the reverent hymn-like feel that I would imagine the writer, George Bennard, would have intended. Jason adds his own tasteful elements to it without compromising its original integrity. Beautiful guitar tone as well!"
Have a listen as you watch the track go down in the studio.
by John Lawless, Editor, Bluegrass Today
Growing up in California, Keiser took up an interest in both bluegrass and jazz guitar, and split his college time between West Valley Community College in Saratoga, CA, where he studied jazz, and the Bluegrass, Old Time & Roots Music Studies program at ETSU. There he had Wyatt Rice as a guitar teacher and Adam Steffey for mandolin. He graduated in 2018, and ever since has focused on more experimental bluegrass guitar, a la Tony Rice and the music of David Grisman.
His upcoming album, Grassology, will feature a mixture of traditional fiddle tunes, along with a few of his own compositions, and some classics from the SpaceGrass and Dawg Music catalog.
To introduce the album, and feature the single, Jason has a video of the recording session for Old Rugged Cross. Guitar fanciers will note that he is playing an Ovation Legend Model 1117-1 guitar, the same style that Tony Rice used on his Backwaters album.
He tells us that this particular instrument is quite dear to him.
“This specific Ovation is very special to me, as it was previously owned by my mentor, Wyatt Rice, who sold it to me.”
He tracked the guitar in a similar way to what Tony and Wyatt have done, with a Telefunken ELA M 260 small diaphragm cardiod tube condenser microphone, and a Royer R-121 ribbon mic.
Jason also explained why he chose to include this song.
“The Old Rugged Cross is one of my very favorite gospel tunes, and is a piece I always go back to in my repertoire. I was first introduced to it by my former ETSU professor and Band Instructor, Brandon Green, while studying at ETSU. The piece impacted me a ton, especially with regards to the melody and beautiful harmony.
Many years later, I heard a rendition that Dailey & Vincent did from their album, Singing from the Heart, all a cappella. I was inspired to take what they did, add my own spin, and arrange it all for solo guitar. During that time, I was also listening to a lot of John Carlini’s music, another dear mentor of mine. His arranging techniques for solo guitar and his playing have impacted me a ton, as well as his arranging during his tenure as musical director with the DGQ. Some of those arranging techniques definitely influenced this piece. What you hear on this new rendition includes the different a cappella lines from Dailey & Vincent’s recording, as well as newly added harmonies and bass movement to evoke different moods and colors, and my own spin as well. I hope you enjoy this new version of a seminal gospel classic!”
Green also shared his praise for this cut.
“Wonderful! This cut of The Old Rugged Cross captures the reverent hymn-like feel that I would imagine the writer, George Bennard, would have intended. Jason adds his own tasteful elements to it without compromising its original integrity. Beautiful guitar tone as well!"
Have a listen as you watch the track go down in the studio.
by John Lawless, Editor, Bluegrass Today
Press for "The Old Rugged Cross" New Single Release
“Though known for harmonically adventurous forays into jazz and spirited, Tony Rice-inspired “Spacegrass” music, with “The Old Rugged Cross,” Jason Keiser delivers a warmly introspective reading of a gospel classic. The stripped-down context of solo acoustic guitar sets a high bar, and with this earnest rendition, Jason demonstrates that he is up to the task. It was a pleasure to hear.”
Grant Gordy
“In this beautiful rendition of a classic Americana piece, Jason creates a touching and evocative mood…recommended!”
Mimi Fox
“Wonderful! This cut of “The Old Rugged Cross” captures the reverent hymn-like feel that I would imagine the writer, George Bennard, would have intended. Jason adds his own tasteful elements to it without compromising its original integrity. Beautiful guitar tone as well!"
Brandon Green
Grant Gordy
“In this beautiful rendition of a classic Americana piece, Jason creates a touching and evocative mood…recommended!”
Mimi Fox
“Wonderful! This cut of “The Old Rugged Cross” captures the reverent hymn-like feel that I would imagine the writer, George Bennard, would have intended. Jason adds his own tasteful elements to it without compromising its original integrity. Beautiful guitar tone as well!"
Brandon Green