"The Richmond native is the archetypal antiheroic genius, a child prodigy whose untutored gifts have been honed by a lifetime of untutored exercise. His solos spin out in a whirl of ideas that once formed are quickly discarded, navigating a logical but unpredictable melodic path through a brilliant thicket of harmony and rhythm." - STYLE WEEKLY

Mesmerizing jazz pianist Steve Kessler returns to Richmond after a long hiatus in Virginia. A self-taught prodigious pianist, Kessler has performed internationally with his own groups, Joe Henderson, Donald Byrd, Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd, and others. Style Magazine music critic Peter McElhinney writes, "If Steve Kessler is - to use the cliché - “the best kept secret in jazz”, it is by his design. Fame has not so much eluded pianist Steve Kessler as he has eluded it. Over the years, he resisted high profile offers from jazz legend Freddie Hubbard to Bruce Springsteen to Dave Matthews, to maintain a personal vision of the music he sought to play.

Kessler is a stunningly imaginative and engaging player. He thinks quickly, plays fluidly, and doesn’t sound like anyone else. A musician’s musician, seldom recorded, he channels his considerable talent almost exclusively into performance. At the height of a solo, Kessler rises on crouched tiptoe, bearing into the keyboard, fingers splashing out runs and clusters. His playing is bracing, articulate, unpredictable and totally individual. In originality, imagination, commitment and execution, there are few players anywhere who are his equal.

This edition of the Universal Mind ensemble includes: Emre Katari (drums); Chris Bridge (bass); and Will Evans (trumpet).

With only 100 seats, shows at Révéler are intimate and immersive. A romantic venue with exquisite sound and dreamy vibes, Révéler offers a unique selection of cocktails, wines, beers, bubbles, and non-alcoholic beverages. Our kitchen delivers small plates crafted with care.

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