Keith James - The Music of Yusuf Cat Stevens
Keith James is a long standing, well-respected and inventive concert performer. He specialises in playing intimate, carefully researched biographic style concerts of those he has studied and revered as writers over the years.
He weaves the story of Cat Stevens’ life from his early pop career, life threatening illness and spiritual journey around a performance of his beautifully crafted and memorable songs. Keith has performed well over 100 of these concerts since 2017, all of which have been incredibly well received, with many sold out.
It is hardly surprising that to mark its 50th anniversary Yusuf has entirely re-recorded and re-released his remarkable Album Tea for the Tillerman. Each of the unforgettable 11 songs re-conceptualized and re-imagined and gifted back to us among all the uncertainties of 2020 - 2023.
This concert will give you far more than just the music itself. There is a huge amount of insight into the history and the spirit of Cat Stevens and his early pop career. From his illness that changed him existentially and spiritually into an incredibly thoughtful to the loving singer songwriter. With songs that are remembered instantly for their uplifting sense of vision, truth and human fragility.
Talk about the background and embryo of each song. Some of which will be performed as all of us remember and some carefully and intuitively re-voiced and respectfully re-interpreted with rich, balanced guitar arrangements and a more personal vocal approach.
Yusuf campaigns on many educational and humanitarian issues, he was awarded the Man of Peace award by the Nobel Peace Laureates. In 2015 and he received the Lifetime achievement award from BBC Radio 2 and the Ivor Novello Award for outstanding song collection. He has received two honorary doctorates and awards for promoting peace from two organisations founded by Mikhail Gorbachev.
‘Keith James’ Concert was truly memorable. My tears started as soon as he introduced the first song, and I came away thinking the human spirit will not be defeated. Currently on tour across the UK. Catch him if you can. He is such a lovely human being and so talented’ The Hay Festival
‘Some of the most atmospheric and emotive music you will ever hear’ The Independent
‘Thank you for a fantastic concert last night at the Kenton Theatre. You sang so well and the way you told the stories about the songs and sang them so clearly made us see them in a whole new light, it was beautiful' Henley Festival
‘Keith James has become a pillar of trust. A sublimely intimate and engaging voice' Sunday Times
Studio
£18.50