Keefus Ciancia

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Keefus Ciancia
Background information
Birth name Keith Ciancia
Also known as Keefus Green
Born (1972-11-06) 6 November 1972
Denver, Colorado, United States
Genres Rock, pop, hip-hop, experimental
Instruments Keyboards
Years active 1991–present
Associated acts Unloved, Vincent and Mr. Green, T-Bone Burnett, Everlast, Benji Hughes

Keith Ciancia (born 6 November 1972), better known as Keefus Green or Keefus Ciancia, is an American born musician (keyboards/piano), composer and producer.

Life and work

Known for his forward thinking, cutting edge sound, Keefus has produced for a wide range of artists such as Cassandra Wilson, Nikka Costa, Me'Shell Ndegéocello, Benji Hughes, Everlast and Kimbra. In 2010 he received an Emmy nomination for his work with Everlast for co-writing and producing the theme song for the hit television series Saving Grace. Mr. Green, also an accomplished songwriter, has penned music with T-Bone Burnett, Kimbra, Macy Gray, Nikka Costa, Benji Hughes, Everlast, and has received a BMI award for music scoring.

Keefus was raised playing classical music, but was influenced by his two older musician brothers who introduced him to the raw sounds of R&B, punk, hardcore, rap, progressive, experimental, psychedelic rock and jazz. In 1991 he moved to Los Angeles and began to work with Lonnie "Meganut" Marshall from the Los Angeles underground scene working with the likes of burgeoning bands Fishbone and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Together they started the multi genre experimental funk group ‘Weapon Of Choice’ that flourished for three albums and more than seven years of touring.

In the early nineties, Keefus also met Singer Jade Vincent and together they formed their own 10-piece experimental film noir big band, ‘The Jade Vincent Experiment’ and eventually went on to release a self-titled album with Mike Patton’s label, Ipecac Records. The band’s dream-like rock sound led to press accolades and bookings with tastemaker media such as Los Angeles’ KCRW. Famed musician/producer T-Bone Burnett heard, the band and immediately contacted Keefus and Jade. From there, Ciancia's relationship blossomed with Burnett as a session musician and led to Keefus eventually becoming a co-producer on a few of T-Bone’s projects such as The Coen Brothers Film, The Ladykillers and Cassandra Wilson's album Thunderbird. Keefus went on to produce several critically acclaimed albums including Benji Hughes’ double record A Love Extreme, Everlast’s Love War and the Ghost Of Whitey Ford as well as scoring for film and TV including The Poughkeepsie Tapes for The Brothers Dowdle (Quarantine), and Saving Grace for the TNT Network.

Keefus has performed with hundreds of artists including MeShell Ndegleocello, Elton John, Leon Russell, Sting, Elvis Costello, Alison Krauss, Rozelle, Fishbone, Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, T-Bone Burnett, Mike Patton, Imani Coppola, Doyle Bramhall, Macy Gray, Jackson Brown, Jenny Lewis, Keith Morris, Everlast, Iggy Pop, Marc Rebot, Jon Brion, Ben Taylor, Carly Simon, Benji Hughes and finally Queen (only in his bedroom as a kid). Keefus recently produced tracks for Kimbra (Warner Bros), Mini Mansions and A Fine Frenzy’s latest album to be released in 2012 through Virgin Records. Keefus recently joined forces with David Holms scoring the films, Motel Life and Good Vibrations and is creating all the music for the mini series “Brandon Generator” with his group Unloved.

T-Bone Burnett

Keefus Ciancia began a relationship with T-Bone Burnett as a session musician after being heard on a local radio station in Los Angeles. Keefus later co-producered on a few T-Bone projects such as the Coen Brothers' film The Ladykillers and Cassandra Wilson's Thunderbird.[1]

Discography[2]

Film/Television Projects[3]

Recordings

  • An Evening at the Zoo Psychodelic Zombiez (Keyboards) (1993)
  • Beyond the Palace Walls Paragon Taxi (Piano, Keyboards) (1993)
  • Jazz in the Present Tense The Solsonics (Keyboards) (1993)
  • Bop Gun Ice Cube (Keyboards) (1993)
  • Fo Life Mack 10 (Keyboards) (1993)
  • Cool Struttin The Pacific Jazz Alliance (Keyboards) (1994)
  • N Gatz We Truss South Central Cartel (Keyboards, Moog Synthesizer, Claves) (1994)
  • Nut-Meg Sez "Bozo the Town" Weapon of Choice (Keyboards, Vocals) (1994)
  • Back to Reality Jeune (Clavinet, Fender Rhodes, Moog Lead) (1995)
  • Highperspice Weapon of Choice (Keyboards, Vocals) (1996)
  • I Am L.V. L.V. (Keyboards) (1996)
  • Radio Oddyssey Various Artists (Keyboards) (1996)
  • Moy The Jade Vincent Experiment (Producer, Composer, Musician) (1996)
  • Concepto Sol d'Menta (Keyboards) (1998)
  • Nutmeg Phantasy Weapon of Choice (Keyboards) (1998)
  • Whitey Ford Sings the Blues Everlast (Keyboards, Performer) (1998)
  • Another True Fiction Jerry Toback (Moog Synthesizer) (1999)
  • Eat at Whitey's Everlast (Bass, Keyboards, Band) (2000)
  • Loud Rocks Various Artists (Keyboards) (2000)
  • You Know, for Kids Hate Fuck Trio (Moog Synthesizer, Claves, Wurlitzer) (2000)
  • Id Macy Gray (Synthesizer, Farfisa Organ, Composer) (2001)
  • Motherland Natalie Merchant (Piano, Keyboards) (2001)
  • Stimulated, Vol. 1 Various Artists (Keyboards) (2001)
  • C'mon, C'mon Sheryl Crow (Organ, Keyboards, Clavinet, String Samples) (2002)
  • Soul of John Black The Soul of John Black (Keyboards, Producer, Engineer, Associate Producer) (2003)
  • Thousand Kisses Deep Chris Botti (Piano, Keyboards, Moog Synthesizer, Synthesizer Bass) (2003)
  • Color Me Funky Weapon of Choice (Keyboards) (2004)
  • Forthemasses OPM (Piano, Moog Synthesizer) (2004)
  • On How Life Is/The Id Macy Gray (Composer) (2004)
  • Shamrocks and Shenanigans: The Best of House of Pain House of Pain/Everlast (Bass, Keyboards) (2004)
  • Unfinished Symphony Dakah Hip Hop Orchestra (Moog Synthesizer, Claves) (2004)
  • Very Best of Macy Gray Macy Gray (Keyboards, Farfisa Organ) (2004)
  • White Trash Beautiful Everlast (Organ, Keyboards) (2004)
  • Hell Yes (Re- Mix) Beck (Re-Mix, Producer, Musician) (2005)
  • E-Pro (Re-Mix) Beck (Re-Mix, Producer, Musician) (2005)
  • Vincent & Mr. Green Vincent & Mr. Green (Producer, Composer, Musician) (2005)
  • Extraordinary Machine Fiona Apple (Keyboards) (2005)
  • Retrospective 1990-2005 (Deluxe Edition) Natalie Merchant (Hammond B3) (2005)
  • SLIMKID3's Cafe Tré Hardson (Musician, Producer, Composer) (2006)
  • Thunderbird Cassandra Wilson (Bass, Piano, Strings, Arranger, Bass (Electric), Keyboards, Programming, Producer, Engineer, Synthesizer Strings) (2006)
  • True False Identity T-Bone Burnett (Piano, Keyboards) (2006)
  • Twenty Twenty: The Essential T Bone Burnett T-Bone Burnett (Marimba) (2006)
  • Women + Country Jakob Dylan (Keyboards) (2006)
  • Endless Highway: The Music of the Band Various Artists (Keyboards) (2007)
  • Hundred Miles or More: A Collection Alison Krauss (Piano) (2007)
  • Story Brandi Carlile (Keyboards) (2007)
  • Good Day Priscilla Ahn (Piano, Harpsichord, Keyboards) (2008)
  • Legend of Kung Folk, Pt. 1 Ben Taylor (Keyboards, Producer, Drum Programming, Moog) (2008)
  • Lenka Lenka (Drums, Keyboards) (2008)
  • A Love Extreme Benji Hughes (Composer, Producer, Performer, Re-mixing, Mixing, Audio Production) (2008)
  • Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford Everlast (Bass, Piano, Composer, Drums, Keyboards, Programming, Producer, Engineer) (2008)
  • Pain Language DJ Muggs vs Plant Asia (Keyboards) (2008)
  • Pebble to a Pearl[4] Nikka Costa (Clavinet, Moog Synthesizer, Voice Box) (2008)
  • Blood from Stars Joe Henry (Piano, Keyboards, Vibraphone) (2009)
  • Closer to You: The Pop Sides Cassandra Wilson (Piano, Keyboards, Producer) (2009)
  • Devil's Halo Me'Shell Ndegéocello (Composer, Keyboards, Programming, Producer) (2009)
  • Lal Meri Lal Meri (Keyboards, Musician) (2009)
  • Love Don't Make You Juliet Brandi Shearer (Piano, Keyboards) (2009)
  • Stranger Here Ramblin' Jack Elliott (Piano, Keyboards) (2009)
  • Levitate Bruce Hornsby (Musician, re-mixer) (2009)
  • We Walk This Road Robert Randolph & the Family Band (Keyboards) (2010)
  • Smash Up Vincent & Mr. Green (Keyboards, Piano, Producer) (2010)
  • The Union Elton John (Keyboards) (2010)
  • Pro*Whoa Nikka Costa (Producer, Keyboards, Piano) (2010)
  • The Long Surrender Over the Rhine (Keyboards) (2010)
  • Pine A Fine Frenzy (Producer, Keyboards, Piano) (2011)
  • Storm & Grace Lisa Marie Presley (Keyboards) (2011)
  • Reverie Joe Henry (Keyboards, Piano) (2011)
  • Hunger in America T-Bone Burnett (Keyboards) (2011)
  • I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive Steve Earle (Keyboards) (2011)
  • Weather Me'Shell Ndegéocello (Co-producer, Keyboards Piano) (2011)
  • Vows Kimbra (Producer, Keyboards) (2012)
  • The Hunger GamesThe Secret Sisters, Niko Case, Taylor Swift, The Civil Wars, Kid Cudi, Birdy (Keyboards) (2012)
  • Mini Mansions (Co-Producier, Mixer, Keyboards) (2013)
  • The Diving Board Elton John (Keyboards) (2013)

Producer

  • Moy The Jade Vincent Expeiment (1996)
  • Ali Columbia Pictures (2001)
  • Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Warner Brothers (2002)
  • Ladykillers Touchstone Pictures (2004)
  • Vincent & Mr. Green Vincent & Mr. Green (2005)
  • Hell Yes (Re-Mix) Beck (2005)
  • E-Pro (Re-Mix) Beck (2005)
  • SLIMKID3's Cafe Tré Hardson (2006)
  • Thunderbird Cassandra Wilson (2006)
  • Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford Everlast (2008)
  • A Love Extreme Benji Hughes (2008)
  • Closer to You: The Pop Sides Cassandra Wilson (2009)
  • Devil's Halo Me'Shell Ndegéocello (2009)
  • Pro*Whoa Nikka Costa (2010)
  • Smash Up Vincent & Mr. Green (2010)
  • Pines A Fine Frenzy Producer, Keyboards, Piano (2012)
  • Weather Me'Shell Ndegéocello Co-producer, Keyboards Piano (2011)
  • Mini Mansions Mini Mansions (2012)
  • Vows Kimbra (2012)
  • TBD Benji Hughes (2013)
  • TBD Priscilla Ahn (2013)

Awards

  • Emmy nomination for co-writing and producing the theme song for the hit television series Saving Grace (2010)
  • BMI award for music scoring (2010)

References

  1. ↑ Ouellette, Dan (8 April 2006). "Wilson's new groove". Billboard. p. 50. Retrieved 9 August 2010. 
  2. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/keefus-ciancia-p2011489/credits
  3. ↑ "Keefus Ciancia". The New York Times. 
  4. ↑ http://www2.concordmusicgroup.com/artists/nikka-costa/
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