JIM KELLER ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM ‘DAYLIGHT’ FOR MAY 31st

JIM KELLER

DAYLIGHT

New album out May 31

via Continental Song City Records

“Listening to Jim Keller makes me feel like I have big plans and all my hair” Tom Waits

First single “She’s The One” out now

Watch official video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Hl4xZbLv-Y

“From now on it would be a mistake to miss any music Jim Keller makes. He has found his place and is not going back.” Bill Bentley, Americana Highways

“Tom Waits, John Prine, a touch of Beefheart and Harry Chapin in one person.”

Gerry Jungen, radio producer

Multi-hyphenate US singer-songwriter Jim Keller is set to release new album Daylight (Continental Song City Records) on May 31, the second in a trilogy with celebrated producer Mitchell Froom and renowned musicians David Hidalgo, Bob Glaub and Michael Urbano.

The project came about when Jim Keller and Mitchell Froom met up in LA, and after multiple meals and cups of bad coffee at the Snug Harbor on Wilshire Boulevard, with hours wasted talking about every album made before 1972, decided to work on some music together. They spent a few months sending songs back and forth — and Keller made two or three trips west from Brooklyn — before settling on a project idea. They’d record three albums, with the same band, same narrative character, and in the same sonic landscape. They agreed they needed David Hidalgo and Bob Glaub in the band, with Mitchell handling keyboards and Keller on acoustic guitar. With them in place, Mitchell brought in drummer Michael Urbano from San Francisco.

The album trilogy, dubbed Tres Caminos, began with the recording of first album By No Means in Michell’s home studio. With David Boucher co-producing they recorded 10 tracks in five days, all live, very simple. One pandemic later it was time to get the band back together for the second album in the trilogy. The same crew met up in January 2023 and recorded Daylight. This time they met at Valentine Studio in the Valley, an ancient studio built in the early 60’s with a vibe (and gear) unchanged since then. Again, they played live, five days, and this time recorded 12 tracks.

The resulting Daylight is a continuation of their concept, with a dozen new songs. Simple and straightforward. The third and final album of the trilogy will come out in 2025.

About Jim Keller: Keller first got attention years ago when, as part of San Francisco group Tommy Tutone, he co-wrote and performed “867-5309” (“Jenny Jenny”), a classic power pop tune that made 80’s radio so listenable.

After migrating to New York, he jumped the fence, running Philip Glass’s publishing company and taking over management of Glass’s career as director of Dunvagen Music.

In 2005, Keller returned to recording and performing and with a voice aged by time, whiskey and promises, he’s got the sound of someone who could have been Tom Petty’s therapist.

A cult figure in the music business, Keller’s gigs at New York’s Rockwood Music Hall and Nashville’s The 5 Spot are legendary. If the best players in town aren’t on stage with him, they’re in the audience, singing along, playing along, making the sort of noise that would get you locked up in a lesser town.

The 2021 release By No Means produced by Mitchell Froom (Los Lobos, Crowded House, Randy Newman) and backed by Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo on guitar, introduced Keller to European media and fans and was received with great enthusiasm. Daylight is the second album of a trilogy that Keller and Froom agreed to work on. The third album is scheduled for 2025.

Daylight track listing: