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Keith Hollis
Jazz organist, pianist, composer, stand-up comedian and actor
About Me
Keith Hollis was born in Los Angeles. He was raised in a
musical family and started piano lessons at age 7. Keith attended middle school
and high
school at Crossroads School for the Arts in Santa Monica, CA. At 15 years old
Keith began
performing with Mickey Champion, Evan's Walker and Rick Taub at the original
Babe and
Ricky's Inn in South Los Angeles. Keith was helped along at Babe and Ricky's by
B.B.
Kings pianist ,James Rudy. Mr. Rudy was a kind and inspiring mentor, Mr. Rudy
would let
Keith stand behind him while on-stage to watch him play. At the same time
Keith's best friend Joseph exposed Keith to the mighty sounds of Duke Ellington,
Horace
Silver and Johnny Hodges. Before long Keith was fully immersed into blues,
and jazz music. Keith attended U.C.L.A. and New England Conservatory where
he studied
jazz piano performance with Panamanian composer Danilo Perez. Keith got ahold
of his
first Hammond Organ and Leslie speaker and recorded his first funk record with
JP and
Rebellion, with members of the Greyboy
All-Stars which included three of Keith's original compositions. In 2005 Keith
started his
own organ group Keith Hollis and the Po' Boyz
performing original music. Po Boyz, which Keith still performs with and leads,
plays
original high energy organ funk-rock and soul-jazz.
As a sideman Keith toured the United States, Europe, Japan, and Africa for
Grammy Award
winning, and Rock and Roll Hall of fame, singer Solomon Burke until his passing in
October
2010. Keith has played behind English soul singer Joss Stone for a tour ,
performed the
funk with
saxophonist Candy Dulfer and played NOLA Jazz Fest with Solomon Burke and
members of
the Blind Boys of Alabama. While on tour with Solomon Burke Keith was blessed
enough to
stage with Carlos Santana, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Derek Trucks
and Susan
Tedeschi, Maceo Parker, Buddy Guy, Joan Baez and Sharon Jones and the Dap
Kings. Keith
has been lucky enough to perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival,
Bonaroo
Music Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Nontrodden Jazz
Festival,
Glastonbury Music Festival, Roskilde Music Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival, The
Hollywood
Bowl and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
When he's not on the road Keith runs The Drop Site Recording Studio, a comfy
recording
studio and production facility. He also teaches intermediate and advanced organ
and
piano
students in funk, blues, rock and jazz improvisation. As of 2015 Keith now
spends his
time living between Boston, MA and Los Angeles, CA doing music, recording and
other
creative things - like filmmaking and improv comedy. Keith has recently studied
improvisational acting at the
Groundlings School in Los Angeles. Keith's ancestry is of Sicilian, Irish and
Ukrainian
decent. He was raised Jewish and was a Bar Mitzvah at age 13.
My Jazz Story
I love jazz because... I was first exposed to jazz... at 15 thru my buddy in H.S. - listened to Johnny Hodges I met [musician name]... The best show I ever attended was... Lionel Hampton at the Hollywood Bowl The first jazz record I bought was... Art Tatum My advice to new listeners... Or whatever else you have in mind.