Pianist, composer, and arranger Kavyesh Kaviraj is proud to kick off his December residency, KAVY TRIES THINGS, with two of his dearest collaborators, MMYYKK and Omar Abdulkarim. To open the show, Kavy will present his first-ever solo set, blending acoustic and electronic explorations galore. Then, he will join MMYYKK and Omar Abdulkarim in performing music from both MMYYKK's and Omar’s worlds. Expect a neo-soul-meets-hip-hop-meets-jazz experiment.

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Kavyesh Kaviraj imbues his life and stories into his music, carefully weaving his influences into a boundary-breaking modern jazz outfit. Kavy has garnered acclaim in many musical climates, and currently calls St. Paul, MN, home. Primarily a jazz pianist, he has performed with internationally renowned artists such as Wynton Marsalis, David Sanchez, Justin Robinson, Roosevelt Collier, and Steve Cole. Further, has worked with local jazz legends Debbie Duncan, Bruce Henry, Babatunde Lea, Kevin Washington, and LA Buckner. He is also active in the hip-hop, gospel, R&B, and funk scenes and many crossover acts.

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M²Y²K² ~ say it like “Mike” ~ Grammy-nominated multi-modal artist & synth whisperer. MMYYKK is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, and music producer from the Inland Empire in California. MMYYKK’s eclectic, forward-thinking sound situates itself at the intersections of soul, jazz, electro, and R&B. He blends analog synthesis and neck-breaking rhythms amalgamated with sonic alchemy. Moreover, his musical explorations center themselves on themes of love, humanity, healing, and higher consciousness. He is one-fourth of the psychedelic funk collective astralblak and one-fourth of the space jazz collective The BlackBeat Theory.

“If neo-soul is once more having a moment, then MMYYKK is its new high priest. His understated tunes are slinky-supple and sound not unlike D’Angelo being strapped to a spaceship.” – Guardian

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Omar Abdulkarim’s journey reflects a dedication to his art. He has been playing the trumpet since he was 14 months old. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music performance from the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. He has shared the stage with Roy Hargrove, Redman, Method Man, KRS-ONE, and Talib Kweli, and he has written and recorded music with Lauryn Hill and Jose James. His influences include Fats Navarro, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, John Coltrane, and Lee Morgan.