Keith James has become one of the most active and inventive concert artists currently performing in the UK.
An accomplished sound man with a BBC Maida Vale background, he worked for more than a decade as a record producer, working on albums with many of this country’s profoundly talented musicians and writers.
Realising his definite preference for live performance and following a detailed study, 2001 witnessed Keith begin a UK wide tour of concerts based entirely on his love of the songwriter, Nick Drake.
As Nick’s music had never been heard live by today’s music audience the concerts became a huge success; over the course of 17 years, Keith has played more than 1500 of these shows in the UK, Ireland, Holland, Spain, Italy and France.
Keith is fiercely independent and therefore his career has for many years, existed in a parallel universe, almost under wraps, esoteric and secretive.
He has enjoyed very little radio exposure, he doesn’t fit easily into any music category, and has never signed a recording or publishing deal. Despite this, he has released 13 CD Albums, all self-produced and self-published.
The most recent from 2017 is Tenderness Claws which features all settings of poetry to music including work by Jack Kerouac, Pete Brown (1960s British beat poet) William Blake, Allen Ginsberg, Federico Garcia Lorca and some of Keith’s own.
This time, and rather unplanned, he teamed up with amazing producer and sound artist, Branwen Munn.
Keith lives in a writing retreat, way up in the hills of Powys, Wales and some months of each year in Andalucía.
Since the mid ‘70s, his third home has been the Island of Naxos, Greece. He currently performs around 100 concerts per annum in Theatres, Art Centres and occasionally in other inspiring boutique spaces such as Galleries, Arts Cafes, Poetry and Literary festivals.
His brand new project of poetry set to music is the most exciting one yet! Keith has chosen to work with the astonishing work of Pablo Neruda, Maya Angelou, Kahlil Gibran, Frida Kahlo and Kate Tempest. Recording has already started; the album will be released in March 2019 with concerts also planned for next year.
Perhaps Keith might give us a sneaky eafrul of that project when he plays live at The Stables on Thursday (September 27).
To book tickets click here
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