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Averaging more than 150 live dates
a year, the Juno award-winning Jack de Keyzer Band (Tony Ajo, drums, Alan Duffy, bass, Chris Murphy, saxophone) has toured
throughout Canada, the USA, Mexico and Europe and has performed at many major blues festivals & corporate events including
the B.B. King Blues Festival and the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
He’s recorded and toured
with dozens of top blues legends throughout his lengthy career, including King Biscuit Boy, Bo Diddley, Etta James, Otis Rush
and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - and is now an accomplished producer having created CD’s for Andrew James and Crossroads
Blues’ own Kevin Mark.
His songs have appeared on
video, rock & blues radio charts, other artists CD's, motion pictures, TV soundtracks and most recently on the Bravo!
Channel for the Talkin' Blues series.
An exciting entertainer, soulful
singer and electrifying guitarist, Jack de Keyzer sets the stage on fire wherever he performs and now we’re proud to
give you a little insight into one of Canada’s best-known blues singer-songwriter-guitarists.
CB: Thank you so much for taking the time out to chat, Jack. Let’s start
off by talking about your brand new live album "Silver Blues". What led you to record a live CD?
JDK: My pleasure. I was performing
with Blue Rodeo as part of their 20th anniversary live show/DVD release (Burning Snowman-Warner DVD) in Toronto last December.
I played with them in the early 90's and am featured in the video. After the shows, I counted back and thought, "I've been
writing and recording for 25 years, it would be fun to resurrect some of the old tunes, give them a face lift and record them
in front of a live audience” ....So that's what we did.
CB: You’re
known for recording your studio albums live off the floor. Was there a different approach when planning for the live record?
JDK:
Not really… only difference was the live audience.
CB: Was it tough
choosing which tunes to record? How did you decide?
JDK: I went back through my catalogue and started playing various
tunes on my acoustic. I felt that if I could still get behind the songs lyrically and could modernize them to fit my current,
R&B/soul/jazz style, then I would do the project. Happily, I found that the tunes held up.
CB: There’s even mention of a Silver Blues DVD release. When will this be available and what can fans expect
from it?
JDK: The DVD is finished. We are currently working on the cover art and expect to have an early summer release.
CB: You’ve toured throughout Canada, the USA, Mexico and Europe. Are
there any great festivals and/or cities that really stand out?
JDK: To me, it really is the people that make the event.
When the crowd is into it and the band is grooving, it's a wonderful feeling. Montreal Jazz fest is always a great vibe, also
the Spectrum. Harbourfront Toronto is a wonderful venue. Harvest Jazz in Fredericton, Kitchener Blues, Brews &
BBQ's. Kingston’s Limestone Blues Fest... there's too many to list.
CB: Are there any festivals you’d really
like to play, but haven’t had the chance?
JDK: Montreux, Woodstock 3…
CB: We must talk about your impressive list of awards. They include five Maple Blues Awards, two Real Blues Magazine
Awards, a Durham Region Music Award, a Jazz Report Award and of course the Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year (Six String
Lover).
How have such awards and recognition for your work impacted on your career?
JDK: Thanks. Awards are very
helpful to promote an artist's career. In the blues and jazz world any publicity we receive is extremely helpful because there
is not a lot of airplay and media attention given to these styles. I'd say the awards have very much helped my career.
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| Jack performs at the 2002 Maple Blues Awards |
CB: What suggestions do you have for young artists trying
to establish themselves in the blues genre? What would you change about your musical journey – if anything?
JDK: Study your favourite artists and use their styles as a template in
every way. Write songs in that style, work on your technique, your singing. Look and act professional. Keep your live show
up-beat and energetic… engage the audience. Dress up, too! I don't like to see musicians standing on stage who look
like they just got back from cleaning the garage! B.B. King looks great, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Chuck Berry. Not only
do they have great sounds, but they look like pros, too. If you don't behave like a pro, no one will take you seriously.
CB: That’s great advice, Jack. Let’s go back to the beginning. What and/or
who inspired you the most to pick up the guitar and sing? Who inspires you now?
JDK: I've always been a guitar freak.
My first idol was Hank Marvin from the Shadows (I grew up in England). Next it was Jimi Hendrix, Clapton and Jimmy Page. Through
that music I got into B.B., Albert, Freddie - the King Family! Muddy, Wolf and Jimmie Rogers, Chuck Berry, Charlie Christian,
Hubert Sumlin. Also rockabilly guys - Cliff Gallup from Gene Vincent's band. I loved his sound. I've always been attracted
to the cleaner-toned guitar players. These days, my taste runs more to soul jazz. I love Grant Green and Kenny Burrell. My
favourite all-time vocalist is Marvin Gaye. I love a lot of the soul singers - Wilson Pickett, Bobby Womack, Stevie Wonder.
For blues singers I listen to Robert Johnson, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Eric Clapton.
CB: Your performance schedule keeps you busy, reaching over 150 dates a year.
Do you delegate your bookings to
an agent – or do you handle the business side as well?
JDK: I do both. 50/50.
CB: What suggestions would you have for artists in choosing the right agent to build and handle an intensive performance
schedule such as yours?
JDK: My #1 suggestion is to do it all yourself initially. That way you have a handle on how
the biz works and you feel all the responsibility for the show. It's really like running your own small business. That was
my Achilles heel. It took me years to understand the biz and start doing it myself. I wish I had started that aspect of it
earlier.
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| Gettin' in the groove |
CB: What inspired you to establish your own “Blue Star” label? What are your goals with
your record label?
JDK: With the advent of "digital",
the art of recording became affordable to artists for the first time. My earlier CD's were always funded by exec producers,
because the costs were at least 3 times what they are today. With exec producers, come demands and compromises. Once I saw
that I could produce my own music, Blue Star Records emerged. That was in 1999.
CB:
You have recorded and toured with artists such as King Biscuit Boy, Bo Diddley, Etta James and Otis Rush. What were some of
the highlights for you? Any crazy/fun/entertaining stories to tell?
JDK: Yes! I've played for bikers, 65 year old burlesque
dancers, doctors, lawyers and Indian Chiefs. In front of 25,000 and in front of 25! One of the craziest was at the Albert
Hall in Toronto. I had my eyes closed and was playing a deep slow blues, when suddenly I felt this presence in front of me.
Opening my eyes I slowly looked up and I saw the enormous head of a tiger less than 3 feet away from me. He was held on a
heavy chain by a beautiful girl wearing a black studded leather bikini! Man! I was not dreaming... I backed up a couple of
feet and played the quietest solo of all time, until they both got off the stage!
CB: If you could record with any living artist today, who would it be and why?
JDK: B.B. King. I have been
a B.B. fan since I was a teen. I first saw him at the Palace Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario in 1971 and they were rocking! I
have been on a couple of shows with B.B. and have seen him perform about a half dozen times. I love his music. Another guitarist
I would love to at least meet (and take a few lessons from) would be Kenny Burrell.
CB: What’s next for Jack de Keyzer? Do you foresee producing other artists’ albums more
often?
JDK: Right now I am completing work on the
Silver Blues DVD which should be available late Spring/early summer 2006. I just finished mixing and producing a CD for Winnipeg
blues/folk/rock artist Tracy K. It will be available at www.tracyk.ca. Next, I am producing and mixing a CD for Kitchener
blues diva, Cheryl Lescom, who's CD I also played guitar on. She's on Flaming Cheese Records who incidentally have an awesome
new gospel release by LA's Mighty Revelators. After that, an acoustic CD with my good friend John Mars (www.johnmars.com)
and then I will start work on a new all original CD that I hope to have completed by year’s end. The tunes are all written.
I also am featured on Harmonica Shah's great new release on Electro-Fi. It's a really fun record. Add about 10 shows
a month and life is GOOD!
CB: Jack, we sincerely thank you for answering our questions. Any final comments?
JDK: Yeah… never visit
a sausage-making factory!
On that note, be sure to check out Jack’s
brand new CD "Silver Blues" over at his website www.jackdekeyzer.com and don’t miss the show when it hits your town. You won’t be disappointed.
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| If you don't move at a de Keyzer show, you ain't got no pulse! |
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