California. Born in 1992 in San Diego, Kiefer started playing piano around age six, and was first introduced to jazz by his father. Growing up, he took classical and jazz lessons, and by his teens was an adept soloist and began experimenting with producing his own computer-based hip-hop and electronic beats. After high school, he moved to L.A. and enrolled in UCLA’s Jazz Studies program, where he was mentored by renowned jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell, flautist James Newton and pianist Tamir Hendelman. It was at the institution where he experimented jazz composition and live improvisation with programmed electronic beats.