I am trying to do some stand alone audio recording with a multi-platform audio interface that has a wav recorder. Do I need both my active speaker and a monitor to be able to record.  Also is there anything else I need in this audio recording set-up besides the aforementioned and the audio cable that connects the ai to the keyboard controller. The ai can work as a standalone or with Sonar or Mackie Controlled DAW.

It is not clear exactly what you are trying to do, but in general, the role of the Mixer in a recording scenario is ... It acts as the centerpiece of the operation because it takes inputs from the musical entities/devices you wish to record; it also routes those signals out to the recorder device. And it is responsible for also routing out to the sound system.

The Mixer has channels that deal with each incoming musical device and for signal returning from the recorder. You choose to listen back or send signal depending on what you are doing. But those routing decisions are made at the device acting as the centerpiece (the mixer or audio interface)

Your keyboard’s stereo outputs would connect to two inputs of your Mixer, the Mixer is responsible for sending the audio to the recorder, and is also responsible to send signal to your speakers so you can monitor (listen to) the results.

Mixers can handle a number of incoming signals and they combine the signal and reroute it to the destinations which is to your DAW (acting as the recorder), and to your speakers (so you can listen to what you are doing).

The mixer can be the audio interface. Often mixers play the role of audio interface because they are the routing centerpiece of the system. Every music device, (keybds, microphones, guitars, etc.,) connect their audio outputs to the mixer where you decide where the signal goes from there.

There are three primary scenarios for recording Setups:

Original Record: signal all flows in one direction, toward the recorder
Overdub Record: signal goes in both directions, as you playback while adding a new track
Final Mixdown: signal all flows in one direction, from the recorder

In a situation where you are multi-track recording (adding tracks by overdubbing) you will need to simultaneously listen to signals from the source device while recorded tracks playback. Signals traveling into the mixer from two different directions.

But in general all musical devices connect to the mixer/audio interface, and it is there you direct signals to the recorder (be it a computer DAW or a fixed disk recorder) which also sends signals to your monitors (speakers). Everything goes through that device acting as the mixer/audio interface.

If you tell us the specific audio interface you are using we could probably be more helpful!