2018 VOCAL JAZZ | Michael Kaeshammer | | The JUNO Awards

No Filter is the eleventh album from Michael Kaeshammer. This is the sound of an artist following his muse completely unhindered by thoughts of commercial imperatives or genre constraints. The prolific Vancouver Island-based singer, songwriter, pianist, producer has earned a loyal international following as a triple threat. He’s a piano virtuoso with a technical mastery of many different styles, an eloquent singer/songwriter, and a charming and engaging performer. Michael mixes his well-crafted and melodic original songs with a couple of evocative piano instrumentals, and the result is a delightfully varied collection. He can headline such prestigious concert halls as Massey Hall and Koerner Hall in Toronto and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and he regularly performs in Europe. One welcoming new market that has opened up for him in recent years is China, and Michael is breaking new ground for jazz there.“Everybody Catches Love Sometime,” a co-write with James Bryan (Philosopher Kings), is a tender treat featuring sweet lyrics and a sound boosted by Randy Bachman’s typically fluent guitar work. Another highlight on an album devoid of lowlights is “Late Night Train,” with Denzal Sinclaire. No Filter also features a couple of instrumentals, the jaunty “Westcoast Spirit” and the mellow album closer, “Sunset.” “I felt the record needed a breather at those points,” Michael explains.