Catfish Keith's left foot provided the percussion throughout his more than ninety-minute performance, the entire length of which he remained standing. He is, indisputably, one of the most energetic and enthusiastic performers I've had the pleasure to observe, punctuating the music with spirited vocals, animated body language and his ever present smile. Clearly, Catfish Keith loves his work. However, to see him in performance is a revelation. While an obvious devotee of the old masters whose music he often performs, he is a deeply innovative artist, as well.
Every song becomes an occasion for extended elaboration.
To watch Catfish Keith play is to appreciate not only his immense technical and artistic abilities, but also to be reminded of the astounding creativity and almost compulsive commitment of those earliest blues masters. To listen to Catfish Keith sing and play his guitar is to sense their spirits tapping and nodding right along with us of the embodied persuasion. In addition to her roles as manager and sound engineer, she also runs Keith's recording label, Fishtail Records. Their apparent commitment to each other and to the music makes a Catfish Keith concert a joint venture. Kudos to the Cedar Cultural Center for sponsoring this appearance by Catfish Keith and Tom Feldmann.