Smooth Artist Interviews
How did this new single and overall concept for it come about, and what are your ultimate goals with it?
WARREN A. KELLER : I've always been a great lover of 70s funk! The simple but catchy hook of the A section just came to me, and when I sent the demo to my producer, Blake Aaron, he called back immediately and said, "I love this riff, I'm singing it already!" and indeed, proceeded to sing it back to me! LOL As always, he came up with a great B section, and elevated my arrangement to the next level. Our goal is to see this single soar, and to keep growing our presence so that we can continue to create great music for our wonderful fans!
Who would you say has been the single biggest influence in your life in getting you to where you are now in your career?
WARREN A. KELLER : I’d have to give that shoutout to my wonderful, late mother, Roslyn. She was an incredible classical pianist and teacher, and she made sure that my sister, Lisa and I were involved in music. Whatever genre I was working in, she was always my biggest fan. I wish she was here to see my return to music, and having this level of success with it.
How would you finish this sentence? “I don’t like to go a day without_________?
WARREN A. KELLER : Playing my instruments! I’m not sure about other musicians, but missing even a day or two can really adversely affect my ability to play saxophone and flute. I’ve come to a point in my career where I love to stay connected to my horns, and even practicing has become a joy. There are those occasional days when nothing feels quite right, but the best medicine for that is to simply ‘keep up the chops!’
Going back in your life as far as you can remember, what song or performance is the first you recall hearing and being affected by?
WARREN A. KELLER : I have powerful memories of riding in the back seat of my dad’s car and listening to the incredible hits of the day that would jump off of the AM radio! Manfred Mann’s “Doo Wah Diddy” and Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” especially come to mind; but anything Mersey Beat or Motown helped spark my lifelong love affair with music!
What’s your favorite non-music activity?
WARREN A. KELLER: Just walking in the woods with my wife, Christine, and my dog, Millie. We’re lucky to be surrounded by many acres of forest and pasture. I love nature, particularly in the fall and winter, and I find great peace and a quiet joy there, among the trees and the birds. An occasional drive to, and a walk around an old village is wonderful too!
What are you most proud of at this point in your life and career?
WARREN A. KELLER : Oh, several things: being recognized by radio broadcasters and enjoyed by thousands of fans around the world, making most of the major contemporary jazz charts, including SmoothJazz.com, RadioWave Groove Jazz, and Smooth Jazz Network, being played by Dave Koz on his Sirius XM Lounge, having several tracks in regular rotation at cable TV's Music Choice, and over 5M streams across all platforms!!"