Keller Williams Dream

Artist: Keller Williams (website)
Album: Dream (eCard)
Label: SCI Fidelity (website)
Release: 02/06/2007

After reading about the concept for KW’s new album, Dream, I was more than a little excited to check out the results. I’m pleased to tell you it’s an absolute success. Basically, Keller assembled a list of every artist he’d love to collaborate with, and the results are pretty impressive. From SCI Fidelity’s website:

A word from Keller:

“welcome to my dream come true. the concept of this recording was to collaborate with my heroes and make a record that i would be proud to crank in my pimped out golf cart when i’m 80.”

You can see Keller and the WMD’S this summer at Summer Camp and Bonnaroo.

Keep reading for some Keller commentary on collaboraters from the album, as well as mp3 samples and video for the first single, “Play This.”

From the Dream eCard:

bob weir – “cadillac” – MP3
recording at bob weir’s house in california was by far the most surreal trip of this project. the fact that he agreed to do it was beyond cool, but to invite me to his home studio was unexpected to say the least. it’s no secret that i love to cover dead songs, so to hear bob sing my lyrics is a dream come true.

michael franti – “ninja of love”
when it comes to energy and stage presence, michael franti is a true inspiration. it is almost impossible for me to sit, much less stand still, when he is on stage. the man brings the funk.

charlie hunter, “kiwi and the apricot” – “slo mo balloon”
for some reason unbeknownst to me, charlie hunter agreed to be a part of this project. was it because we share a booking agency and he couldn’t succumb to the guilt of not doing it? no. was it because i’m a super fan and i have every record he’s ever recorded and mention his name in almost every interview i’ve done in the past 5 years? i doubt it. maybe he really liked and believed in the songs. probaly not. for whatever reason he decided to do it, i’m extremely grateful.

bela fleck, victor wooten, jeff sipe – “people watchin’”
if there was ever a dream rhythm section for me, this would be it. jeff sipe on drums and victor wooten on bass. i was first exposed to jeff sipe way back in the days of col. bruce hampton and the aquarium rescue unit, which by the way if you haven’t checked out, don’t delay…do it today.

being able to hear béla fleck playing on something that i made up was a dream that i didn’t think would come true, and i was surprised when it did. from new grass revival to the flecktones, béla has become earth’s premier banjo player. speaking of the flecktones, the words “victor wooten” and “supreme bass player of the milky way” often share the same sentence as well.

the string cheese incident – “sing for my dinner”
the string cheese incident has been a part of my extended family since 1997. it was then that i started opening for them in actual music venues as opposed to restaurants, coffee shops and street corners that i was accustomed to. by opening for the band so many times in so many places, i received national exposure and for that i am forever in their debt.

steve kimock, john molo – “twinkle”
this track is a direct result of a dream that i had of being a bass player in a guitar trio. i first heard steve kimock and john molo when they were playing with phil lesh and friends on the “summer sessions” tour in 1999.. john’s drumming was so in the pocket and steve’s tones were so perfect that i was an instant fan. the following few years, i became acquainted with john molo by working with modereko on their “solar igniter” record.

john scofield – “got no feathers”
there are a few guitar players in my music collection that i feel have a distinct, signature sound. john scofield is one of those players.

sanjay mishra, amir chatterjee – “lil’ sexy blues”
i first heard sanjay mishra from the record he did with jerry garcia called “blue incantation”. it turned out we had a mutual friend in brad taishoff. he not only hooked me up with sanjay and samir chattergee but also with modereko (“celebrate your youth”). true tabla players are few and far between so it was a real treat to work with samir, the chemistry between he and sanjay was something to behold.

Video: “Play This”

[youtube TfvpZrPkn-s nolink]

MP3 – “Life”

MP3 – “Cadillac” featuring Bob Wier