Keller Williams' KWatro came to town last Friday. I was anxious to see what songs and what style would be played. I had heard Keller do funk, bluegrass, rock, reggae and pop. Among a few others I am failing to mention. With the addition of three other musicians there is also an entire new ensemble to experience. I had head heard Keller play with The Keels, The String Cheese Incident and Yonder Mountain String Band. After little research I found that two of the musicians, Gibb Droll on guitar and Rodney Holmes on drums had played with Keller Williams previously on other projects and Danton Boller would be providing the bass.
Song selections for the evening included fan favorites the likes of Mantra*, Breathe, She Rolls, and Ninja. My personal favorite of the evening, also appearing on Keller’s latest album, was ‘The Drop’. Like most of his tunes, it is very intricate but the unique syncopated hook reminds me of a death-metal like rift.
The dynamic of this new ensemble allows Keller to do some extraordinary things. First of all, being able to rely on Rodney Holmes for crunchy beats gives Keller Williams the freedom to take a new refreshing take on repertoire classics. Bassist Danton Boller seems very versatile in switching genres and providing a solid foundation for the group to work. Lastly, Keller and Gibb Droll on guitar can run through variations on a melody so very masterfully. Watching the guitar duo reminded me of old pals running a billiards table; setting them up and knocking them down with ease.
Near the end of the evening, Keller Williams announced that he would be setting foot on Mulberry Mountain this summer by joining the ranks of the Highberry Music Festival lineup. This announcement marks his third consecutive time to appear on the lineup. With his two previous performances being nothing short of electrifying, we are quite thrilled to see what he has in store this summer.
*although not on the set list, Mantra was played after the first set break.
