Kiefer’s ‘Memory Bomb’ Brings Jazz Improvisation and Hip-Hop Production to Blue Note
The Los Angeles pianist and producer’s September 25 debut assembles rappers, vocalists and jazz players around a collaborative sound he calls “Over The Breaks.”
Kiefer is set to release Memory Bomb on September 25, 2026, marking his solo debut as a leader for Blue Note Records. The pianist and producer introduced the project with “NewLevels NewDevils,” a collaboration featuring Tony Stone, Erick The Architect and CARRTOONS.
Produced with longtime collaborators Shibo and CARRTOONS, the album is built around the space where jazz improvisation, beat-making and hip-hop arrangement overlap. Blue Note’s announcement describes the record as a collaborative project rather than a conventional piano showcase, with guest appearances from Nate Smith, Walter Smith III, Cisco Swank, Relyae, Rae Khalil, Amber Navran of Moonchild and Planet Giza.
That guest list underscores Kiefer’s position within a newer Los Angeles creative ecosystem where jazz musicians, rappers, producers and electronic artists move fluidly between scenes. His approach is rooted in live musicianship but shaped by programmed drums, layered textures and the logic of hip-hop production. The result is a project designed to feel both technically intricate and immediately groove-driven.
Kiefer has described the title Memory Bomb as a poetic way of saying “a dream,” with the album exploring sleeping dreams, ambition and longing. Blue Note characterizes the music as wistful and narrative-minded, while still leaving room for improvisational shifts that allow the songs to change across repeated listens.
The release also represents a meaningful step for an independent-minded artist entering one of jazz’s most historically influential label systems. Kiefer’s Blue Note debut keeps the focus on collaboration and genre movement, positioning Memory Bomb as a contemporary jazz statement with strong ties to hip-hop’s producer culture rather than a retreat into traditionalist revivalism.