Kevin Pike is a prolific DIY musician, having recorded more than 10 albums in the last 8 years. He mainly records with what he calls "real instruments", shying away from keyboards and midi sequencing. The instruments he uses include saxophone, guitar, mandolin, flute, piano, banjo, clarinet, drum set and a variety of ethnic percussion instruments. Kevin records in many musical styles, including jazz, funk, rock, classical and world. His albums are thematic and explore one particular style of music, rather than combining multiple types.
In addition to his DIY recordings, Kevin Pike plays saxophone with several jazz groups. In his jazz duo with drummer John Kotchian, he performs intense, groove-oriented free jazz similar in concept to the music of '60s-era avant-garde jazz (John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman). The Kevin Pike Trio, on the other hand, is a more traditional jazz combo comprised of sax, bass and drums.
Over the years, Kevin has had the opportunity to perform with such artists as Clark Terry, Frank Wes, Nancy Wilson and Stephen Stills. His saxophone playing draws from such luminaries as Eddie Harris, John Coltrane, Phil Woods and Stanley Turrentine. Kevin holds a degree in Jazz Studies from DePaul Univeristy, where he studied with Mark Colby and Allan Swain. Be sure to listen to all of his music at kpikemusic.com, the official web site of Kevin Pike.
