Ronnie Earl, Mighty Sam McClain, Robert Ward, Paul Rishell, O.V. Wright, Robert Cray, Magic Sam, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Wilson Pickett, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Otis Rush, The Isley Bros., Snooks Eaglin, Arthur Alexander, Son House, Blind Boy Fuller, Solomon Burke, Otis Clay, Bobby Womack, The Van Dykes, Barbecue Bob, Bessie Griffin, The Soul Stirrers with Sam Cooke, Tommy Ridgley, Professor Longhair, The Neville Brothers, Otis Spann, Ray Charles, Little Willie John, Bobby "Blue" Bland, B.B. King, Fontella Bass, The Temptations, Tyrone Davis, Clarence Carter, Sam Dees, Toussaint McCall, Clay Hammond, Marvin Gaye, Gwen McCrae, Little Buster and the Soul Bros., The O'Jays, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, Eddie "One String" Jones, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Freddie King, Reggie Taylor and Jon Geiger.
Get Dave's new album, Play for Love, at cdbaby.com:
When you think of Soul and Blues, what places come to mind…Memphis? Chicago? Vermont? No? Well, Dave Keller is trying to change that. With vocal and songwriting duties on Ronnie Earl’s new 2009 release, Living In The Light, it’s obvious Keller is succeeding.
Dave playing with Ronnie Earl:
With inspiration and high praise from Ronnie, Mighty Sam McClain, Paul Rishell and others, Dave Keller launches onto the Soul and Blues scene with Play for Love.
PLAY FOR LOVE is a Soul and Blues recording sure to complement contemporaries John Nemeth, Darrell Nulisch and Curtis Salgado. Interestingly, Keller is both Soul singer and guitar slinger, a rare contemporary find beyond Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed and James Hunter.
The CD was recorded 100% live in the studio. It offers 13 all original, highly varied blues and soul inspired songs about hurt, love, joy and hope. “Since my last record I’ve watched my two daughters begin their journeys through life, and have taken a hard look at my own. These are not songs that I sat down and tried to write. These are songs I needed to write.”
Not surprisingly, the songs champion determination and resolve over sadness and defeat. Passionate vocals and lyrics translate Keller’s honesty and clarity.
Another strength is Keller’s attention to spaces between the notes. His guitar playing has been described as tastefully subdued, melodic and brimming with the sensibility of an ensemble player. The recording features Keller’s touring band of Ira Friedman on Hammond organ and Wurlitzer electric piano, Jan Schultz on bass and Brett Hoffman on drums.
As a Massachusetts youth, Keller escaped an evil piano teacher, buying a guitar at 16 with money earned sorting bottles in a liquor store. He took lessons from the same instructor as Phish’s Mike Gordon, discovered Hendrix and his influences, and learned from Boston heavy Paul Rishell. After a stint running a blues radio show with Peter Guralnick’s son Jake, Keller immersed himself in Ray Charles, Son House and 40s and 50s gospel. Moving to icy Vermont, he worked at a food shelf and a battered women’s shelter, dabbled in progressive politics, and performed constantly. Between 1993 and 2001 Keller released three recordings: one acoustic, one electric blues (with guest Eddie Shaw), and one full of old school soul, horn-driven R&B and slinky funk.
Blues Revue Magazine wrote Keller is “a tough harp player, an interesting and gritty guitarist, a fine singer with a hint of Gregg Allman to his smoky tone, and a thinker whose interests stretch beyond typical blues boundaries.” Additionally Mighty Sam McClain stepped in to take him on as protégé.
With the release of his newest CD, Keller is ready to share what Ronnie Earl and Mighty Sam already know. He is ‘playing for love’, taking his honest, strong and soulful sound from the Green Mountains of Vermont to the international Blues and Soul scene.
"Your music is just very, very beautiful. It really speaks to me."
~Ronnie Earl, blues guitarist extraordinaire
"It's very compelling -- a beautiful record with no pretensions."
~Paul Rishell
"Keep your eyes open for vocalist Dave Keller, who is an up-and-coming blues talent that you'll be hearing a lot of in years to come."
~Rev. Keith Gordon, about.com
"Keller reveals an authentic soul man nature. His singing possesses the conviction of the African-Americans who have influenced him, but he doesn't look to imitate them. It's going to be necessary to put Vermont on the map of blues and soul."
~Jacques Perin, "Soul Bag", Paris, France
Thank You For Making My Ears SMILE lol That's what GOOD MUSIC Does to ME :-)) Got your Schedule, and Hope to Hear You Soon!! You Are A Treat Here in Vermont! Got a Bit Spoiled Living in CT Most of My Life...where entertainment in the Music Biz Is BIG! and One Day>>>You Will Put Vermont on The Map as A Great Place of Music! Smilezzzz cindi
Happy New Year! (kind of late... only by two days though) Hey, hey, hey... I thought I'd ask you if there was the possibility of sending a message to you when there was a certain song that I'd like to learn, but don't have the CD. Do you think that'd work? If I were to send you a site along with the song were you could listen to it and all.
Hey Dave, you should also mention for folks who just can't get enough blues that you will be playing at First Night Montpelier earlier in the day on New Year's Eve too. Check out the schedule at www. mdca. org
Hey hey. I have a new song posted on my blog. I'm really not sure about this one. I think it needs a little work. I'm looking for comments, so please tell me what you think... and possibably a melody idea too. I've tried extremely hard to put chords to it, but so far I've gotten no where.
My friends car is in the garage so I'm hoping I'll be able to catch the show tomorrow. And I have a question, last night you played a song, it was something about running away from problems...I think the chorus was three words...not sure. Anyways, What's that song called?
