One of the rising stars of the Lansing area music scene, Vermont native Elden Kelly is a guitarist, singer and songwriter whose audiences have learned to expect the unexpected. Mixing diverse elements that speak about something fresh, relevant and new, his interest in international styles, introduced to Elden by his father at a very young age, led him to the oud (a fretless Egyptian lute) and the glissentar (a 12-stringed fretless guitar) instruments which he now incorporates into his performances. His musical style blends jazz and neo-classicism with Middle-Eastern influences and American roots music.
Receiving his Bachelor’s Degree with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music in 2008, he instructed keyboard harmony courses at the conservatory and served as faculty at the Allegro Music School. He accepted a teaching assistantship at Michigan State University that same year and moved here from New England to serve as a graduate assistant to bassist and world-class Jazz Studies chairman Rodney Whitaker, whose own comment after watching Elden’s solo act at a local club was simply, “one badass player”
In addition to guitar clinics and private lessons, Elden is often seen and heard at the new jazz series at Mumbai Fine Dining in East Lansing, either with others or on his own. He’ll be doing his amazing solo show once every month at this venue. Try to get out and enjoy, not only spectacular Indian cuisine, but an artist whose skills and passion are guaranteed to move you.
It’s not an overstatement to say that after watching this young, joyful artist, you may feel you’ve seen someone who is yet to be discovered by a much larger world of admirers.
