He grew up in Syracuse, NY, where he often sat at the top of the staircase in his home, listening to his father play a variety of pieces by Chopin, Beethoven and Mozart. By age 5, his father had taught him most of these pieces by ear. When he was 10-years-old, Kellman heard Duke Ellington for the first time and began studying jazz intensively. While building his skill as a jazz pianist, Kellman was constantly composing and producing songs. Kellman's musical foundation stems partly from his long devotion to jazz. He was often inspired by the story-like musical nature of the collaborations between pianist Brad Mehldau and composer Jon Brion. Other important influences come from classical music and soundtrack composers, including greats such as John Williams, Danny Elfman, Stravinsky and Ravel. "