Daniel Kleefeld, Tulsa’s Well-traveled Piano Man
By John Wooley, Tulsa World Entertainment Writer

Often, during one of his upscale piano-bar gigs around town, pianist Daniel Kleefeld will play something that really grabs the attention of a listener. “People will come up and think it’s George Winston or someone like that,” recalled the soft-spoken artist with a smile.  “I’ll say, ‘No, it’s this guy here – Daniel Kleefeld,’ and I’ll hold up one of my CDs.” Now, he’s got two discs to hold up: 1997’s “Quiet Resting Places” and the new “Sail Into the Wind,” released on his own DMK label.

Compared to his first CD, “Sail Into the Wind” features more work by Tulsa musicians, including saxophonist Grady Nichols, violinist Maurice Sklar, flutist Karen Williams, percussionist David Sheridan, vocalist Alyssa Lane and guitarist Jeffrey Hiatt-Frink. “I have some wonderful friends, and I wanted them to be on the CD,” Kleefeld said.  “…just to have Grady on the album was a blessing.” He also wanted a few familiar songs on the CD “that people could relate to,” he said.  So he eschewed the all-originals approach of the first disc to include “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” along with classical pieces such as Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” and Debussy’s “Claire de Lune,” which is one of his all-time favorite classical works. “’Claire de Lune’ is a beautiful piece,” he said.  “For the disc, I’ve added some subtle changes and echoes and played it more freely.  I’ve tried to put my own stamp on everything.”

At the time of the interview, Kleefeld was getting ready to accompany Sklar on a tour of British churches.  Neither had been to England before, and Kleefeld felt that the visit could “bring me some opportunities.”  Even if it doesn’t, he’s already made one British connection that has worked how well – Graham Kerr, the famous “Galloping Gourmet.” “One afternoon,” Kleefeld recalled, “Graham called me out of the blue and told me his wife, Treena, was doing a poetry CD and looking for music… .  So she used my music for the disc.  I worked with matching the music to the poetry and they liked it; we’re in every Hallmark store in Canada now.” Closer to home, Kleefeld’s music can be found at,  Gospel Book & Music in Owasso, Grace Church Word Shoppe, Jarrett Farm, Fiery Brothers Music or via the Internet at www.kleefeld.com. “One of the reasons I did a new album is that everybody has been saying, ‘We want more music,’” he said.  “I mean, people have been telling me, ‘I play your CD at home at the office, everywhere.’  They’ve been saying that from the beginning, and it’s a real compliment.”