Product Description
RELEASE DATE 11/14/2025 - DAVE KELLER - LA BREA
La Brea exists where Soul, Country, and Roots come together. Spare. Stripped down. Intimate. Inspired by hard-to-pigeonhole artists like Solomon Burke, John Hiatt, and Arthur Alexander, it may prove to be Keller’s best yet. Recorded by legendary Boston engineer Chris Rival. Eleven all-new originals. Keller singing with a depth and an intimacy that is startling at times. “I held this one close to my chest,” Keller says. “I almost didn't want to release it.”
DAVE KELLER
La Brea
Tastee Tone Records
Drop Keller’s La Brea CD into your home entertainment device or your late model automobile and the captivation will begin. Few singers are as compelling with a first listen than Keller. In his “Different Than I Planned” track, it sounds like it could have been included on Van Morrison’s 1970 Moondance LP as its feel, vocal nuances, and just perfect accompaniment by Kevin Barry’s delicate lap steel and guitars, Jesse Williams’ delicious bass lines, Madco Giovino’s supportive drums and percussion, and Tom West’s organ and electric piano enhancements.
“If I had one last piece of paper, one last pencil too, I’d take that piece of paper and write a song for you. A song that tells a story, a song that will last all time….” is the opening line of “When You Land” accompanied by Barry’s use of a high capo and lap steel while Keller’s emotive and soulful voice captivates you in the vortex of his God given gift of a talent that few possess. Once again, Barry’s lap steel brings back memories of how David Lindley also enhanced his vocalist, Jackson Browne, years ago.
La Brea is Keller’s 11th CD, and he had been nominated three times in the past 11 years for a Blues Music Award for the Soul Blues Album and, in my opinion, his latest release should finally earn this The Blues Foundation’s coveted award. All 11 songs were written by Keller. He describes these songs as “I realized that the most important thing is that I love them. And if I didn’t put them out there, I’d really regret it. Life is shorter than we know. And, God forbid, if I only get to make one more album, I want it to be this one. Thank you for listening.”
No, thank you for releasing them, Mr. Keller!!! He closes out the CD with “I’m Telling You Now” by also adding his electric guitar skills. As it ends, you’re mostly thinking, “I want to play this CD again!”
I’d say, according to a Spinal Tap grading of La Brea, it truly “goes to 11” in satisfaction with the multiple factors of Keller’s vocal range, abilities, and diction supported by his talented bandmates. Sometimes when I listen to a CD for review, my wife may waft into the room and say, “Who is this? I really like it!” I call this “passing the wife test.” Such was the response from her hearing the first song on La Brea. I trust that you’ll have that same enjoyment of such lovely, intimate, and soulful music so gracefully offered by Dave Keller.
– Pete Sardon
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