Jazz pianist Paul Keeling grew up in San Diego, his musical upbringing reflective of the Del Mar jazz scene, with classical music and choral studies, and an important exposure to the music of Pat Metheny in the 1980s. The youngest of five children in a musically gifted family, a typical Del Mar family outing often included live classical chamber music. His father Charles David Keeling, a scientist by trade, was an accomplished pianist.
After graduating Torrey Pines High School, he began a four year association with trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos in the 1990s, leading him to an appreciation of the classic post-bop music of the 1960s Blue Note era.
Keeling moved from San Diego to Vancouver in 2007. His debut full-length The Farthest Reach, featuring original and classic jazz material in trio and quintet expressions, was released in 2012.
He returned to San Diego on January 14, 2012, to perform at 98 Bottles on Kettner Boulevard, accompanied by bassist Rob Thorsen and drummer Duncan Moore.