21 AUGUST 2026 (TORONTO, ON) — Kiefer has shared the wistful new single “Memory Bomb,” an evocative modern jazz dreamscape featuring Walter Smith III, Flanafi, and Shibo that is the title track of the pianist’s forthcoming Blue Note debut out Sept. 25. Memory Bomb was produced by Kiefer with Shibo and CARRTOONS and features an impressive cast of collaborators that also includes Erick The Architect, Tony Stone, Planet Giza, Nate Smith, Cisco Swank, Relyae, Rae Khalil, Amber Navran of Moonchild, and more. Memory Bomb is available for pre-order now on Blue Note Store exclusive color vinyl, black vinyl, CD, and digital download.
The album title ‘Memory Bomb’ is the poetic way of saying ‘A Dream.’ For Kiefer, there are three types, the sort you experience when you sleep, the wishful longing type, and the ambitious type – and those themes populate the direction of some, if not all, of the songs on this album. There’s a real lyrical feel to Memory Bomb as it tells a story, and thanks to its improvisational moments, one that changes every time you listen to it.
Kiefer is a great believer in embracing new influences and new styles by way of collaboration with others and that’s where the journey to his first Blue Note leader album started. His first priority was to get his two best friends—CARRTOONS and Shibo—to co-produce the album with him as they completely understood his sound, his harmony and were both extremely adept at drum programming. This mindset of innovation through collaboration extended to the inclusion of a whole host of vocalists, rappers and stellar musicians to produce interesting combinations leading to something new and exciting.
Kiefer will embark on a Fall tour that kicks off October 1 following the debut of Over The Breaks, a new festival curated by the pianist and producer that will take place at the Lodge Room in Los Angeles on September 18-19 featuring a line-up that includes GENA (Karriem Riggins + Liv.e), CARRTOONS, Luke Titus, Shibo, and more. Find more info at kiefermusic.com.
KIEFER – TOUR DATES:
Sept. 18-19 – Over The Breaks – Los Angeles, CA
Oct. 1 – Arts at The Armory – Boston, MA
Oct. 2 – Elsewhere – New York, NY
Oct. 3 – Songbyrd Music House – Washington DC
Oct. 5 – The Drake Hotel – Toronto, ONT
Oct. 7 – The Alluvion – Traverse City, MI
Oct. 8 – Bop Stop – Cleveland, OH
Oct. 9 – Sleeping Village – Chicago, IL
Oct. 10 – Icehouse – Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 13 – Dazzle – Denver, CO
Oct. 16 – Nectar Lounge (Earshot Jazz Festival) – Seattle, WA
Oct. 17 – Star Theater – Portland, OR
Nov. 1-3 – Blue Note Tokyo – Tokyo, Japan
Raised in San Diego, Kiefer Shackelford’s upbringing consisted of parents who were both aerospace engineers and keen pianists who both influenced him in their own way. His mother taught him at a very young age how to read music and play piano including simple Bach minuets. His father was a big lover of jazz, and Blue Note in particular, whose records included the hard bop of Sonny Clark and the soul jazz of Gene Harris. Kiefer would endlessly listen to Kind Of Blue, and after reading Miles Davis’s biography at 13, he knew he wanted to become a jazz musician. All during high school he studied jazz piano with a local teacher and went on to attend UCLA where Blue Note legend guitarist Kenny Burrell, who was head of the jazz program, became one of his tutors all through his college career.
After college Kiefer got signed to Stones Throw Records where he began to establish his musical identity and gain notice with a series of releases including Happysad, Between Days, and It’s Ok, B U. His musical resume now includes collabs with Dr. Dre, De La Soul, Pete Rock, Anderson .Paak, Kaytranada, Terrace Martin, and many others. Kiefer is part of the collective FATHERS—with CARRTOONS, Nate Smith, and producer Kenneth Blume—who recently released their self-titled debut on Blue Note.
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