It's always nice when the young ones not only
step up to the bat, but also take a good shot at knocking it out of the park.
Such is the case with Keith Hallett, and his Debut Album "Bear With Me".
Consisting
of 10 Tracks, 5 Originals and 5 Covers, Keith does not waste any time showing
us what he's got, and not long into this dynamic release you come to quickly
realize that Keith is the real deal.
"Bear With Me"
shows that Keith, only 19, is not only a great guitarist with a wonderful
bluesy voice, but it also shows that he has a amazing grasp of the blues and
all it's intricate styles, even at his young age.
As original as
Keith is, he will still remind you of a lot of the young greats whose footsteps
he now walks beside and there is no doubt in my mind that Keith Hallett is
destined for the same accolades as well.
"Bear With Me"
is a Album I highly recommend, filled with lots of surprises, twist and turns,
you are bound to appreciate...
Young blues players often get saddled with too much attention at the start of their careers, simply because they're young. It's most commonly observed with young guitar slingers. Think of the hype surrounding Jonny Lang a few years back, or Colin James closer to home. These guys blow out of the gate with lots of praise, but it leaves them little room to develop in their careers over the next few years. Once the age novelty wears off, where do you go? It's almost as if you've used up all your good buzz and publicity at the start.
We've had a couple of 'em in this province too. JP Leblanc of Bathurst impressed everybody right out of the gate when he started playing shows in his mid-teens, already blazing on the guitar. But J.P's been wise. He hasn't overexposed himself, and has followed a smart learning curve both in his music and education...concentrating on his university studies, while still doing shows and albums, but not going for risky big breaks in other markets. He's inching into new markets in the States and Europe, developing his
French - language audience with a francophone album, just keeping a cool head.
Fredericton's young Keith Hallett seems to be on a similar path. He hit the local scene while he was still in high school. The last year was sort of a coming out party for him, with lots of shows around, getting his playing and band in order. Now, he's gone from a novelty, to a solid draw, attracting crowds on his name and fame alone. It's almost like he's drop the kid-phenom tag already, and has certainly been accepted by local players and fans alike. It's understood he's good, and will put on a pro show. There's no question in anyone's minds that he has a career in the blues ahead of him.
Which brings us to his first album, which was just released this past weekend. It's called Bear With Me. It's a smart selection, showcasing what he does best. There are five good originals, and five smart covers, plus lots of guitar playing, straight and slide. The covers are classics. Sure, we've all heard Robert Johnson and BB King before, but Hallett proves he can handle them, and make them his own, plus not sound young. Hallett growls thru the vocals, makes the songs tough, not smooth or slick, like they were meant to be heard. Son House's Preachin' Blues is one of the more sinister early blues around, a tale of a guy who's going to get religion, and become a preacher, just so he can make money and not do any work, a heaven of his own. Obviously, you have to sing a song like this like you mean it, and you certainly can't doubt it when you hear Keith's version.
Hey he's actually a nice guy, so don't get any ideas. But he doesn't come across like one on this disc. Ditto for his slide playing here, stinging and intense.
Of course, it's the originals that show the true promise. Hallett's already learned to move out of bar blues, putting a swing on his opening cut, She's the One, mixing up the tempos on the other tunes. I like his band configuration too, adding keyboard player John Claydon, who gives the tracks lots of colour with his organ and wurlitzer piano. Most notable though, are the lyrics. Already Hallett's showing he's not going to settle for the same old words and themes. He's still getting there as a writer, but it's great to see where he's headed.
All in all, you won't go wrong with this CD, I can recommend it to any blues fan, and it's head and shoulders above at least half the blues discs that have come out this year by the older veterans of the North American scene. And you don't have to think of him as a kid, not one bit.
The East Coast Music Awards, Festival and Conference (ECMA) isn’t just about the awards gala. It’s about celebrating the music of the Canada’s East Coast over a four-day period.
This weekly feature will give The Western Star’s readers a glimpse into what they can expect from the different music venues — everything from roots and rock to blues and gospel.
Keith Hallett
Nineteen-year-old blues guitar player Keith Hallett of Fredericton, N.B., has been turning heads for some time.
A guitar player since the age of 13, Hallett got into the blues at 15, and has enjoyed studying and playing it ever since.
Since his appearance on the music scene, Hallett has packed in many festivals and special events such as the Dutch Mason Blues Festival, the Mont Tremblant Blues Festival and the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival.
He has had the opportunity to open for such groups as Grady, Paul Rishell & Annie Raines, Watermelon Slim and The Workers, and has shared the stage with big East Coast blues names such as Matt Andersen, Ross Neilsen, Morgan Davis, John Campbelljohn and Thom Swift.
Last year, Hallett’s hard work paid off in the form of the 2007 Galaxie Rising Star Award, presented to him during the annual Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival.
Hallett has been selected by the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival to compete in the 2009 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn. next month. He will be representing the Festival and New Brunswick in this competition.
Hallett’s debut album, “Bear with Me,” was released in September 2008
Tracklist
1.She's The One 2:55
2.Preachin' Blues 3:50
3.Travellin Riverside Blues 2:07
4.Bear With Me 3:58
5.Sweet Little Angel 5:12
6.What I Can Do 4:37
7.On My Way Back Down 3:32
8.Crazy About My Baby 3:31
9.Ramblin On My Mind 3:59
10.Four Till Late 2:16
Nineteen year-old blues guitar player, Keith Hallett of Fredericton, New Brunswick, has been turning heads for a few years now. He has something to say through his music and the audience feels it instantly. Keith has been playing guitar since the age of 13, got into the blues at 15 and has enjoyed studying and playing it ever since. In a very short period of time, Keith has been able to play many festivals and special events such as the Mont Tremblant Blues Festival, the Dutch Mason Blues Festival and Fredericton's prestigious Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. He has had the opportunity to open for such groups as Grady, Paul Rishell & Annie Raines, Watermelon Slim and the Workers, and has shared the stage with names such as Matt Andersen, Ross Neilsen, Morgan Davis, John
Campbelljohn, Thom Swift and The Lee Boys.
Last year, Keith's hard work paid off in the form of the 2007 CBC Galaxie Rising Star Award, presented to him during the annual Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. Keith Hallett's future is a bright one. Loaded with a ton of talent and audiences falling in love with his infective style on a daily basis, he is sure to be around for a long time to entertain us.
Keith
Hallett - Preaching Blues @ The Capital Bar Complex
