Keith Dunn is a harmonica
player, singer, producer and record label owner. Born in
Boston, he currently resides in Rotterdam, Holland. He
has over thirty years of blues experience. He possesses
a deep-blues voice and is an exciting harmonica soloist
who never overplays.
Keith’s stage presence and charisma as a bandleader
brings him to major festivals and venues all over the
world. He is also an in-demand back-up musician. Keith
has performed at the Sunflower River Blues Festival with
Big Jack Johnson in
Clarksdale, Mississippi, Big Jack’s hometown. In Europe,
he is a featured member
of the Big Jack Johnson touring band.
Keith’s songwriting, described as having “the political
activism of J.B. Lenoir and the attitude of Junior
Wells,” is highlighted on Alone With The Blues, released
on his own Deetone Records label (DCD 5501). On these
recordings, Keith plays and sings his songs alone,
without overdubs or guest musicians. One of the songs,
“Need To Make A Dollar,” received an ISC Award.
Since the release of Alone With The Blues, Keith Dunn
has performed his solo show at the SPAH Festival in St.
Louis, the Åmål Blues Fest in Sweden, the Blues Live
Fest in Finland, the Koldo Mitxelena Cultural Center in
San Sebastian, Spain, and the prestigious Hohner
Harmonica Festival in Trossingen, Germany. He has played
numerous radio and television shows, as well as
festivals, in Norway, France, Italy, Poland, Belgium,
Greece and Holland.
He is active with record production and produced the
critically acclaimed album, She’s Magic, also on Deetone
Records, (DCD 5502) for finger picking style guitarist,
Willem van Dullemen.
Keith’s musical
christening came at gospel practice sessions that he
heard in the
family home. When Keith was nine years old, T-Bone
Walker came to town and gave a free outdoor concert at
the field where Keith played baseball. This was his
first blues concert. He bought his first harmonica
shortly after his twelfth birthday and was soon playing
at parties and with street players around town.
As a youngster in Boston, he listened to the radio
station, W-I-L-D. Curtis Mayfield and Smokey Robinson
were early favorites. He became very active in the
politics of the day and thru these activities, started
listening to Archie Shepp and John Coltrane. Keith had
records by Sonny Boys I and II. Though his style was
developing, he still played purely acoustic harmonica.
This was all about to change.
Seeing the Junior Wells –Buddy Guy Band, provided
Keith with the model for the formation that he wanted.
His first band, Blue Lightning, played material by
Wells, Jimmy Rogers, Rice Miller and two artists that he
often went to see at that time, James Cotton and Muddy
Waters. His second band, the Honeydrippers, was a
guitar/saxophone driven unit that played everything from
Monk to Muddy. This experience had a big influence on
Keith.
Keith Dunn's style is lyrical, melodic and
percussive. It differs from that of most other harmonica
players. It reflects his love of big bands and jazz
singers; and is not surprising considering the time that
he spent in the company of artists such as Jimmy Rogers,
James Cotton, Hubert Sumlin, Roy Eldridge and Big Walter
Horton. His style and dedication saw him through
successful stays in Boston, Providence, Austin and
Dallas, Texas and San Francisco before bringing him to
Europe.
With his harmonica master classes, recording
productions, solo performances, gigs with his band and
guest appearances with artists such as Big Jack Johnson,
Keith's fans enjoy the benefits of his three decades
plus, around music. A dedicated artist, Keith Dunn
provides the authentic blues experience.