Description

Jim Keller of Tommy Tutone

While By No Means is his fourth solo album, Keller’s musical career stretches back to 1978 when he co-founded the band, Tommy Tutone, and co-wrote their hit, “867-5309/Jenny.”

Friday, November 11

Show: 8p | Doors: 7p

Tickets: $15

 

A composer, musician, producer, and manager, Jim Keller is a bit of a musical jackknife - a statesman of those intoxicatingly simple yet covertly multidimensional tunes that speak to something both nostalgic and recurrent. 

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

In 2005, Keller returned to recording and performing. With a voice aged by time, whiskey and promises, he’s got the sound of someone who could have been Tom Petty’s therapist.  He’s made four solo albums to date: Sunshine In My Pocket (2005), Soul Candy (2011), Heaven Can Wait (2014), and By No Means (2021).