For those not in the know, Chris Rottmayer is a jazz pianist, composer, and jazz vibraphonist living in Madison, Wisconsin.

Chris has been a freelance jazz pianist since 1990, was a pianist for Walt Disney World from 1999 to 2020, and has released six albums as a leader; which began within Reactive Synthesis (2013) and culminates with the just-released Playing Favorites.

Playing favorites is a spontaneous collaboration between Chris and Kelsey Wallner, born from a 2025 festival booking in Madison, WI. Kelsey and Chris have worked together previously in Madison, playing gigs and making music.

Kelsey now lives and works in the Denver area, after completing a Master’s Degree in Jazz Voice at the university of Northern Colorado.

1. Everything Happens To Me [4:41]
2. One Note Samba [4:06]
3. Voyage [7:34]
4. Velho Piano [4:56]
5. On The Street Where You Live [6:42]
6. Firm Roots [5:19]
7. Sail Away [9:31]
8. I’m Too Sweet [5:28]
9. Love Ain’t Free [5:26]
10. Love Dance [10:13]
11. Never Will I Marry [5:53]

The jazz pianist, composer, and jazz vibraphonist opens his new recording on the cheerful Everything Happens To Me and then we get the Latin hipsway of One Note Samba, the lavish Voyage and both the beautifully dulcet Velho Piano and the gently strident fare of On The Street Where You Live.

Along next is the strongly rhythmic Firm Roots which is in turn backed by the languishing Sail Away, the impassioned I’m Too Sweet, the sheer elegance of Love Ain’t Free, the set rounding out on the grooved finger-snapper, 10 minute opus Love Dance, coming to close on the effectively atmospheric Never Will I Marry.

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