Indianapolis singer and pianist Kelleen Strutz will perform Aug. 16 at the Jazz at Helen’s series.
Kelleen Strutz’s trips to Zaharakos with 8-year-old son Ethan have become whimsical salutes to the youngster’s musical groove with the classic parlor’s Welte organ.
Suffice it to say that those experiences in downtown Columbus have been as sweet as the confectionery’s ice cream sundaes.
Plus, the youngster loves allowing the exuberance of a tune or two to crawl up his leg and move him.
“He has pulled people up to dance with him,” Strutz said.
Plus, he sings with the same joy. At home, the two frequently duet on what they call their signature song: George Gershwin’s “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.”
“He’s a sweet, new generation kid who will hopefully pass on the torch of jazz,” Strutz said of her child with perfect pitch who hilariously has sometimes offered a vocal correction to his mom in a rehearsal. “As a musician, I’m really impressed with his (musical) ear.”
The Indianapolis resident and her third-grade youngster will share the stage with her quartet at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 16 at the next Columbus Indiana Philharmonic’s Jazz at Helen’s series concert at Helen Haddad Hall downtown. In fact, the classical/jazz/pop show is less than a block from Zaharakos. Yet, for Strutz, the venue’s shiny, nine-foot Shigeru Kawai grand piano is like a musical dessert.
“Ooooh, it’s not everyday you see one of those,” she said. “And it’s not everyday you get to play in such a beautiful hall like that (in Columbus). So I’ll definitely specifically feature the piano, probably with some sort of solo that’s flashy and fun.”
She’ll be joined by flugelhorn and trumpet player Mark Buselli, who performed in the first season of the local jazz series. Fred Withrow will be on bass, and Richard “Sleepy” Floyd will play drums.
“They’re just the bread and butter of Indy area players,” she said.
Her 90-minute set list will include everything from Irving Berlin to Zubeen Garg to a few originals. She hopes to release a new disc of jazz/pop/classical covers by next year.
And, as gifted and as Strutz seems to be, her self-promotion seems more untested. Finding online video clips of her performances any more recent than the past seven or so years can be challenging.
“It’s interesting that you noticed that,” she said with a laugh. “A lot of musicians actually are introverts, and self-promotion can be tricky.”
In her available videos, her vocals, at times sultry and other times sensitive, serve as a fine marketing tool. Even in a friend’s unpolished cellphone segment of her 2018 performance of Gershwin’s “Embraceable You,” her voice and feeling reign.
“I always hope that I can capture the essence of a song so the audience maybe can feel it the way that I feel it,” she said.
As a childhood home-schooled and classically trained student, she completed at least six disciplined hours of piano practice per week.
“Generally speaking, I think home schoolers are very curious people because, really, we’ve been learning 24 hours per day,” she said. “In a day, you may never feel quite like you’re done.”
Strutz has performed concertos several times with the Indiana Wind Symphony, an opportunity she cherishes because she mentioned that keyboardists rarely get chances to perform with larger ensembles.
Yet, she acknowledged that, among collaborators, her time on stage with Ethan is becoming more precious.
“It’s such a great bonding experience,” she said.
She expects that to be evident when the two launch into a duet of Leonard Cohen’s classic “Hallelujah” and Ethan’s soprano blends as seamlessly as possible. Plus, the kid who can already do vocal beatbox also will scat with his mom.
And he’ll be dressed impeccably in his suspenders and bowtie. That scene and song perhaps will unfold even more tenderly to some in the audience who know quite well that the hall’s late, beloved namesake was a passionate, warm-hearted musician who dedicated her life to encouraging children and youth to make music via Philharmonic programs.
“Oh,” Strutz said. “He’ll definitely have a great time.”
About the concert
Who: Classical, jazz and pop singer and pianist Kelleen Strutz performing at the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic’s Jazz at Helen’s series.
When: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 16.
Where: Helen Haddad Hall, 315 Franklin St. in downtown Columbus.
Tickets: thecip.org.
