Last Monday night (9/26) Yoshis was packed as usual for its 8pm show. The proceedings on stage however, were a bit different than most evenings. That’s because the band on stage was playing hip-hop in one of the west coast’s most hallowed jazz clubs. Oakland's own 10-piece Kev Choice Ensemble rocked Yoshis with a fusion of hip-hop, funk and jazz, that carried a big stick and a wide appeal.
Kev Choice is a gifted emcee with bravado to spare, but his training is in classical and jazz piano. As a result, the Skyline grad and his über-talented ensemble crank out some stereotype-defying hip-hop worthy of a little high-art acclaim. I even had my parents in the building jamming, because such a fusion also tends to mix crowds, and that is such an important legacy in Oakland.
Kev, took us through some of his staples, a few new works and even an extended homage to jazz greats like Bud Powell, entitled “Black Music Extinction.” One of those new tracks is called "These Words," a tribute to his relationship with God and music, and it is available for download below.