Bluesman Keb' Mo' loves his musical 'journey'

Motown legend Smokey Robinson and Grammy Award-winning bluesman Keb' Mo' will visit Lisle this weekend for a pair of outdoor concerts at Morton Arboretum.

The shows, part of the arboretum's "In Tune With Trees" summer concert series, open Friday, July 24, with Keb' Mo' featuring a special guest, the subdudes, followed by Robinson's performance the next night.

And Keb' Mo' (aka Kevin Moore), whose expansive style has earned him three Grammy Awards in the best contemporary blues category, shed a light on his journey as a musician.

Q. What have you been working on? It's been a couple years since your last record.

A. I'm working on a new record (due out in the fall) right now. I've been working on some live cuts, too, all new material. I'm also working with (blues guitarist) Coco Montoya, coproducing his next record with my keyboard player, Jeff Paris.

Q. Is it tough to stay challenged musically?

A. It's easy to stay challenged, there's so much musical ground. That's never a problem.

Q. Your upcoming show in Lisle is outdoors. Do you have a preference about whether you play inside or out; do audiences respond differently?

A. I don't have preferences. I like them all (laughs).

Q. Have you been happy with your success? Do you feel you've reached a certain place with your music that you've hoped for?

A. There's no destination. Everything is a journey. You know, I look at the music. Like, what am I doing creatively? How am I connecting with the people? How effective am I?

Q. How do you determine how effective you are?

A. I really don't know how effective I am. I guess I just know if people keep calling me (laughs). If they stop calling me, I know I'm not effective anymore. That I've bored everyone to tears. I just keep going and, as long as I keep challenging myself and keep my eye on the ball, I think it's OK.

Q. A Grammy every few years probably helps.

A. I don't always get one (laughs).

Q. What do you do with your Grammy Awards, by the way?

A. You just put them on the shelf and look at them. People like to hold them and look at them when they come by the house. The Grammy Foundation is much deeper than just the Grammy Awards; they do a lot of great things each year. Just by getting the award and participating in it, you're in a small way giving a lot of inspiration back as well. You're being able to participate in an organization that supplies information and inspiration to the music community.

Q. Who inspires you musically?

A. I got a chance to play with one of my guitar heroes of all time, David T. Walker. He came out and played on my record. And the other night I was YouTubing B.B. King, and I completely rediscovered him. I never forgot him, but you get to know somebody and you see them now as they are now. I was looking at B.B. King 40 years ago and was like oh, holy marony. It's like, OK, yeah, all right. You kind of like re-up that respect.

"In Tune With Trees" summer concert series

Where: Morton Arboretum, I-88 and Route 53, Lisle

Featuring: Keb' Mo' at 7 p.m. Friday, July 24. Tickets $47 the day of the concert.

Smokey Robinson at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 25. Tickets $52 the day of the concert.

Tickets: Call (630) 725-2066 or visit www.mortonarb.org.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=308429">Catching up with Motown legend Smokey Robinson <span class="date">[07/24/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>