Keb' Mo' to tour NZ
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 2:28 pm

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After performing at the East Coast Blues & Roots Festival in Australia , Keb' Mo' will return to New Zealand for two concerts in Auckland and Wellington.

Just as McKinley Morganfield became Muddy Waters and Henry St. Clair Fredericks became Taj Mahal, Kevin Moore became Keb' Mo' once he got deep into the blues. Born and raised in Compton, at the age of 12 he began playing a guitar. As a teenager he also blew trumpet and French horn. In his first band, a calypso outfit, he also played upright bass and steel drums.

Keb' Mo' draws heavily on the old-fashioned country blues styles, but keeps his sound contemporary with touches of soul and folksy storytelling. "The blues", he says, "is my history, my culture. It's always been around me. I always wanted primarily not to be a blues guy, but a songwriter.. But the blues gave me depth." 1990 found Moore portraying a Delta Bluesman in a local play called Rabbit Foot and later playing Robert Johnson in a Danny Glover hosted docudrama called "Can't You Hear The Wind Howl". This theatre and film experience coupled with his songwriting background has resulted in numerous projects for Keb' Mo' including composing the original music for the play 'Thunder Knocking On The Door', film soundtracks including 'One Fine Day', 'Tin Cup', 'Mumford', 'Holes' and 'All The Kings Men' as well as Television acting and performing credits on 'Touched By An Angel' and 'The Promised Land'. He has composed original music for television series as varied as Martha Stewart Living and Freddie.

His eponymous debut Keb' Mo' released in 1994, received immediate critical acclaim drawing attention to his fresh blend of evocative songwriting, soulful vocals and masterful acoustic and slide guitar work. It also earned him his Gold Record. Just two years later came Just Like You, a Grammy Award winner for Best Contemporary Blues Album. In 1998 Slow Down, his second Grammy winning album confirmed his arrival as a fresh voice inspired by a classic idiom. His third release, 'The Door' revealed Keb' Mo' as a writer and singer who communicates with absolute authenticity, heart to heart. Though a departure in format, 'Big Wide Grin' is a showcase for Keb' Mo's innate ability to create real music for real people of all ages. The project, intended to be a musical bridge for family listeners, is filled with positive messages that resonate with every listener.

2003 was proclaimed The Year Of The Blues by Congress and Keb' Mo' was at the forefront of the celebration. In addition to appearing in Martin Scorcese¹s film 'Feel Like Going Home', he also joined in as a member of the band and featured artist in the year ending extravaganza concert at Radio City Music Hall which was filmed for a theatrical release called 'Lightnin' In A Bottle'.

2004 was a busy year for Keb' Mo'; composing original material, producing and releasing 2 new recordings. 'Keep It Simple' was self produced and earned him his third Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Later that year he followed up with a special record project called 'Peace: Back By Popular Demand' which features covers of classic songs culled from the tumultuous 1960's peace and protest era. 2005 was a creatively diverse year for Keb' Mo' as he focused on songwriting (with the Dixie Chicks 'I Hope' Grammy nomination for Country song of the year), producing (the subdudes) and music for television and film ('Freddie' on WB Television, 'All The Kings Men' and 'RV' both films to be released in 2006).

As Keb' Mo' sums up: "With my songs, I hope to create a sense of community. This music is made so that people who come around it all kind of have something in common."

KEB' MO' TOUR DATES:

- AUCKLAND - TUESDAY 18TH APRIL @ TOWN HALL
- WELLINGTON - WEDNESDAY 19TH APRIL @ OPERA HOUSE

Tickets on sale Monday 20th February through Ticketek