Dave Keller

You Get What You Give

Tasty Tone Records

Montpelier, Vermont’s Dave Keller has been schooled by the very best. He studied acoustic blues with guitarist Paul Rishell; and soul blues with guitarist Robert Ward. After releasing the Dave Keller Band debut in 1998 he began to be mentored by Mighty Sam McClain who lived in nearby New Hampshire. After his 2011 album “Where I’m Coming From” won the award for Best Self-Produced CD at The International Blues Challenge, Keller began to back Johnny Rawls and was mentored by him too.

In 2014 Keller released “Soul Changes” recorded in Memphis at Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell’s Royal Studios and the album resulted in Keller’s first Blues Music Award nomination as “Soul Blues Album of the Year”. Keller followed-up with 2016’s “Right Back Atcha”.  Keller signed with Bob Trenchard’s Catfood Records in 2018 and his last studio album “Every Soul’s A Star” received another BMA nomination in the same category. Earlier this year Keller released “Live at the Killer Guitar Thriller”. This new album is Keller’s ninth overall.

“Back in June, after the murder of George Floyd, I watched this country seething with anger and pain. As someone who has built his career performing Black music, and who has received priceless gifts from Black mentors, I asked myself: ‘What can I do to help? Due to Covid-19, all my summer gigs had been cancelled, and I had some extra time on my hands. So I thought, ‘What if I record my new originals with some of my friends, and donate the money from album sales to groups working for racial justice and equity?”

Fueled by his love of soul-blues and gospel Keller unites with musicians and singers to create a special album of duets. Joining him to raise money are Rawls, Annika Chambers, Trudy Lynn, Dawn Tyler Watson, and others; all donating their talents for this purpose. The Dave Keller Band includes Ira Friedman, piano; and the rhythm section of bassist Alex Budney and drummer Jay Gleason. The horn section includes saxophonists Mark Early and Mario Perrett, and Tom Palance, trumpet. Also added are Garth Retallack, trombone; guitarists Chris Robertson and Vince Allen, and six backing vocalists. The album is produced by Keller, and was recorded by Roger Stauss at the Sugarhouse Soundworks in Waitsfield Vermont in July and September.

The duets include Chambers joining Keller on the lead track “One More Tear”; Carly Harvey joining him on “That Thing We Do”; and Annie Mack singing with him on the title track. Lynn sings with Keller on “Your Kind of Fool”; while Watson shares the duet on “God Is Love/Love Is Everything”. On “Land of The Lonely” Keller shares a duet with Rawls; while on “The Evil That Men Do” Keller, Lynn, Chambers, Mack and Rawls each take a verse. Also sharing vocals are Joe Louis Walker, Chad Hollister, Brother Bob White, Katie Henry and Toussaint St. Negritude.

The musicians on this album represent a great diversity of styles…Some are known around the world. Some are known only locally…most importantly, their music and ‘soul’ move me. I am proud to call each of these wonderful human beings a friend”.  Right Back Atcha, Dave!

Richard Ludmerer

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