The San Francisco Symphony celebrates art and activism with a new recording of Movements by multifaceted Bay Area artist Kev Choice, on SFS Media. In this piece, Choice skillfully interweaves elements of Hip Hop, Jazz, Soul, R&B, Funk, and Classical along with socially conscious lyrics to create his own unique sound, and a reflection of our times ― “it’s a movement, not a moment.” Originally recorded as part of the Symphony’s vibrant CURRENTS series, the music features Kev Choice as a composer/pianist/emcee, AïMA the DRMR as emcee/lyricist, and local artists alongside SF Symphony musicians. This recording is available September 24, 2021 wherever music is streamed and downloaded.
Kev Choice is a pianist, composer, emcee, producer, educator, and activist, hailing from Oakland, CA. He began studying piano and rapping at the age of eleven. After graduating from Skyline High School in Oakland, he went on to earn music degrees from Xavier University of Louisiana and Southern Illinois University. Choice has worked and toured with artists such as Lauryn Hill, Michael Franti, Goapele, Too Short, and more. In 2010 he began to focus more on his own band, Kev Choice Ensemble, which combines elements of Hip Hop, Jazz, soul, funk, and classical, to develop his own unique sound as a pianist and lyricist. He has produced five solo albums, including his breakthrough album Oakland Riviera (2014) and his most recent work Social Distancing, created while sheltering-in place. In 2018, he composed the orchestral Hip Hop work Soul Restoration Suite on commission from the Oakland Symphony. Kev Choice is currently on the faculty at Oakland School for the Arts, and he also serves on Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Commission.
