CHRIS ROTTMAYER

PLAYING FAVORITES featuring KELSEY WALLNER

Pilars Jazz

Chris Rottmayer, piano; Clark Sommers, acoustic bass; Matt Endres, drums; Kelsey Wallner, vocals/composer.

Pianist, Chris Rottmayer, is a composer, educator and jazz performer who has released six albums as a leader. Born in the Midwest community of Columbus, Ohio, Rottmayer served six years in the 440^th Army Band in Raleigh, North Carolina. He currently lives in Madison, Wisconsin, and holds a Doctorate degree in piano performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  For two decades, Chris Rottmayer shared his talents with the world at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Vocalist Kelsey Wallner met Chris at a 2025 festival booking in Madison, WI.  They played gigs together and grew musically comfortable, with a shared love for Brazilian music. Kelsey has a master’s degree in Jazz Voice from the University of Northern Colorado where she now lives.

The Rottmayer band opens their album called “Playing Favorites” swinging the familiar standard with that great lyric, “Everything Happens to Me.”  Rottmayer takes a happy-go-lucky solo. The lead vocalist swings right along with the band. They follow this with their arrangement of “One Note Samba” where Kelsey Wallner’s voice dances harmonically with Rottmayer’s piano part. The drums of Matt Endres propel the tune forward with tasty Latin Rhythms.  Endres and bassist Clark Sommers trade 8’s, giving Sommers the spotlight to feature his improvised solo on double bass. Wallner sings a bit of the tune in Portuguese, before venturing off into several bars of scat-singing.

I enjoyed the trio’s instrumental rendition of Kenny Barron’s tune “Voyage.”  It’s a Straight-ahead jazz arrangement, played with power and prudence. Each musician is technically astute and wise in what their instrument can do. Rottmayer gets to stretch out and improvise boldly on the 88-keys.  Under the direction of Clark Sommers supple fingers, the acoustic bass offers a splendid solo. Then there is a spotlight on the drum skills of Matt Endres as he shines while trading fours.

I thoroughly enjoyed the trios presentation of Cedar Walton’ tune, “Firm Roots.”

Kelsey Wallner is also a composer.  Her song, “I’m Too Sweet” is rooted in the blues, and she sings it with emotional honesty. Her scatting, on the other hand, left more to be desired.

This is an intimate trio that features vocalist Kelsey Wallner with a repertoire of familiar tunes.  They remind me of a pleasant evening spent at a small jazz club.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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