Keeper is a songwriting jazz duo who have performed together since the fall of 2018. Vocalist Cordelia Tapping and bass player Tyler Wagner create original pieces and put their own spin on existing compositions by delivering a unique, soft-toned sound to their audiences.
According to their Off the Hook Arts bio, Keeper brings “quiet intensity, angular and unlikely harmonies, and metric geometry together in a concise and shiningly resonant style. Their contrasting backgrounds span jazz, classical, and folk traditions, fusing parts of all three in a bare bones, direct, and honest set of songs.”
Wagner is from the Twin Cities area of Minnesota and began playing classical music when he was eleven. He currently attends the New England Conservatory, studying jazz performance but plays genres ranging from classical and hip hop to rock. Wagner’s musical flexibility is a great strength that allows his music to reach many different audiences.
Wagner’s duo partner, vocalist Cordelia Tapping, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from the New England Conservatory. During her time there, she taught music lessons, served as the Marketing Director for the inaugural year of the EM Nova Fellowship, and interned for Music for Food. In September 2019, Tapping joined the faculty of the Franklin School of Performing Arts, where she teaches voice lessons. She has performed at numerous festivals throughout her music career, including the Off the Hook Arts Festival in Colorado, Jazz Central Studios in Minneapolis, Rockwood Music Hall in New York, the Yellow Barn Music Festival in Vermont, and the Celebrity Series in Boston.
You can listen to Keeper’s recent and original composition ‘Laundry Song’ on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XQ5QRLWjfY
Keeper is currently using their time in quarantine to create music for their social media fans and followers. Check out Keeper’s Facebook page for more information and to watch their virtual performances.