Tyler Kemp Is Everywhere: Inside the Life of Jackson's Busiest Musician
In Jackson, Mississippi, one pianist – Tyler Kemp – seems to show up everywhere music happens.
The Mississippi College faculty member's career has taken him from touring with rock bands to the symphony stage.
On a Thursday night, you might find Tyler Kemp behind the piano at Louise's in downtown Jackson. A few days earlier, he may have been accompanying singers at Mississippi College. A week before that, he could have been performing with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, playing an opera gala in Natchez or working on a new album with his band. For Kemp, it's just another day.
From Piano Lessons to a Life in Jackson Music
The Louisville, Mississippi, native arrived in Jackson as a student at Mississippi College and built a life around music. What started as piano lessons eventually became undergraduate and graduate degrees in piano performance. Today, he serves on the faculty at Mississippi College, where he has spent the last 12 years teaching while maintaining an active performing career throughout the region.
"I found a lot of opportunities here," Kemp says. "This was the big city to me, and it still feels that way in a lot of ways."
Music has been the constant throughout his life. Growing up, he studied piano, learned guitar and spent time playing everything from classical music to church music and classic rock. When he finished his undergraduate degree, he made a decision that surprised some of the people closest to him.
The Go-To Piano Player Across Jackson's Music Scene
Over the years, Kemp has become one of those musicians whose name surfaces whenever somebody needs a piano player. Jazz clubs, churches, the opera and fellow musicians all call. He has performed with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, played with Mississippi Opera productions and spent years accompanying singers and instrumentalists across the state.
A big part of his day is spent reading music and sitting behind a piano, but his interests stretch well beyond classical performance.
Soul City Swingers and the Hammond Organ
His latest project is Soul City Swingers, a soul-jazz group built around original music. Kemp has been teaching himself the Hammond organ, an instrument that requires players to work two keyboards with their hands while controlling pedals with their feet. The group is currently finishing a new album, a process he finds particularly rewarding.
"You play a gig and it's gone," Kemp says. "An album leaves something behind."
That desire to create something lasting is part of what keeps him invested in Jackson's music scene. He believes the city is full of talented musicians, and is always excited when he gets to connect with someone new on the scene.
What Tyler Kemp's Story Reveals About Jackson
For visitors, Kemp's story offers a glimpse into a side of Jackson that often goes unnoticed. The city has no shortage of headline acts and major events, but its music scene is built just as much by working musicians who spend their weeks moving between classrooms, churches, clubs and concert halls.
If you want to hear Tyler Kemp play, chances are you won't have to look very hard. In Jackson, he seems to be everywhere music is happening.
