Jazz Articles about Keb' Mo'

About Keb' Mo'

Album Review

He's known as one of the founding jazz fathers of Hammond B-3 organ funk, but Jimmy Smith has always played the blues. Born in December 1928 in a suburb west of Philadelphia, Smith has been performing since he was 12, at that time in a song and dance act with his father. After a stint in the navy, Smith took advantage of the GI Bill to study bass, piano and music theory upon his service discharge. During this period Smith ...

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Album Review

Keb' Mo': The Door

by Ed Kopp
December 1, 2000

Combining country blues with folksy pop is about as sensible as coating barbecue ribs in chocolate sauce, but Keb' Mo' fourth release The Door works amazingly well. To these ears, it's the best since his 1994 debut.Some blues purists grumble that Keb' Mo's sensitive blend of blues, folk and pop is watered down to please the masses. True, Keb' Mo' is wildly popular compared to most blues artists, and yes, his music is mellower and more radio-friendly than ...