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About

Bio

Keefer is a musician, multi-style cellist, and performance artist based in Brooklyn, NY. He is bringing life and innovation to the instrument, and trailblazing newfound intersections of the greater art spectrum. As a musician, he began playing solo shows through Sofar Sounds with cello and loop pedal. He self recorded and produced his first album, Purity, releasing it in September 2024. Keefer then formed a rock band, performing Purity under the moniker "Keefer & The Romance." They have performed at venues such as Bowery Electric, Arlene's Grocery, and Berlin under A. As a cellist, Keefer has arranged and recorded with the likes of G Eazy, Leon Bridges, and Jay1. Keefer performed with up and coming electronic pop duo Fifteen0eight, playing shows in Boston, New York, San Francisco, and London. Keefer is sponsored by NS Design, Westminster Effects, Fishman amps, Doerfler bows, and Jargar strings. As a performance artist, Keefer performed a 24 hour nonstop improvised piece for cello and vocals entitled “Purification Process” in May 2024. He received advice on its execution from renowned performance artist Tehching Hseih, and garnered press from The Boston Globe, WGBH, WBZ Radio, and more. Later that year, Keefer completed an instructional performance art piece by Yoko Ono, entitled “Secret Piece.” From 5am-8am, Keefer played open G on his cello in Great Meadows in Lexington, MA recording and filming in 360 degrees. Finally, Keefer performed an experimental social media piece entitled Offering, posting 100 videos in 6 hour increments for 25 days, pairing viral clips from history and culture with an original song. The content brought forth a wide range of reactions, silence, and comment during its duration, and remains online and in the algorithm as offering.vid.

In a world overrun by imitation, saturated with recycled truths and ceaseless noise, Keefer stands alone. As a musician, cellist, and performance artist, Keefer is not simply reacting to the times - he is reshaping them. Defiant against the tide of baselessness, Keefer is breathing new life into form and function, holding his practice sacred and creating through manifestation of will, not whim. Rabidly self-sustaining and fiercely driven, Keefer is a flashlight, an athlete, a mirror, and a true artist. As a musician, Keefer is a creative force of immense centrifugal energy. He began playing solo shows through Sofar Sounds, writing, singing, and performing original songs on cello and guitar using a loop pedal. He wrote, recorded, and produced, his first album, Purity, as a solo artist with minimal help or input. The album follows Keefer through a mission to find single-minded presence and love in the wake of disaster, sorrow, and tumult. While writing Purity, Keefer played numerous solo shows in Boston, New York, and Washington DC. He moved to New York in September 2024, to build his audience there and assemble a band. While living in Brooklyn, Keefer created Keefer & The Romance, an alt rock group that he leads as front man and electric cellist. The band couples youthful wallowing with hard earned knowledge, innocence and experience, and is inspired by bands such as Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds and Have A Nice Life. Keefer is currently working on his next release, and plays constantly as a solo act and as The Romance. As a cellist, Keefer has brought his background and wide range of interests to the instrument in a myriad of ways. Keefer arranged and recorded on three tracks off G Eazy’s new album Freak Show, including a song featuring Leon Bridges entitled One Day. He has also arranged and recorded for UK rapper Jay1, on a track entitled Broken Promises featuring Barny Fletcher. Keefer performed with up and coming electronic pop duo Fifteen0eight, accompanying them with cello loops and rhythmic chopping. The group toured Boston, New York, San Francisco, and London. Keefer is sponsored by NS Design, Westminster Effects, Fishman amps, Doerfler bows, and Jargar strings. As a performance artist, Keefer is trailblazing new avenues of intersection in art and music. In conjunction with Purity, Keefer performed an original performance art piece entitled “Purification Process,” singing a ten word mantra and creating improvised looped songs nonstop for 24 hours. He received advice on its execution from legendary performance artist Tehching Hseih, an endurance performer known for his one year pieces. The piece was live-streamed and released, and was covered by The Boston Globe, WGBH, WBZ Radio, and more. Keefer completed an instructional performance art piece by Yoko Ono, from her book “Grapefruit.” In the instructional piece, Ono asks the artist to play one note with their accompaniment being the woods from 5am to 8am in the summer. Keefer did just this, playing open G on his cello in Great Meadows in Lexington, MA. The piece was recorded in 360 degree video and audio, and will be released soon. Finally, Keefer performed an experimental social media piece entitled Offering. He posted 100 videos in 6 hour increments for 25 days, pairing viral clips from history and culture with an original song. The content brought forth a wide range of reactions, silence, and comment during its duration, and remains online and in the algorithm as offering.vid. Keefer is planning a plethora of new pieces, video installations, and more, which will be performed and released over the next year.

Photos

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Press

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Influences

Here is a list of people and projects who have influenced what I do.

This list is updated periodically.

Currently Reading:

Year of  The Monkey- Patti Smith

My Year in the Art World- Matthew Isreal

Tehching Hsieh
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds- Push The Sky Away
Ragnar Kjartansson- The Visitors
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Miller & Shellaberger- graves
RongRong- Purification Process
Kyle Fields- Wise Little Old Boy
Alison Bechdel- Are You My Mother?
Donald Alfred Winnicot
Yoko Ono & John Lennon- Rolling Stone Magazine
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Copyright  Keefer Glenshaw

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