KEITH VIVENS INDUCTED IN KINDER HSPVA JAZZ HALL OF FAME

As a prominent component of DocFest, Inc., the Board of Directors voted unanimously in 2014 to establish the HSPVA JAZZ HALL OF FAME, members to be highly successful and prominent alumni of the HSPVA jazz program, as selected by the Board.  Recipients will be inducted annually at DocFest, and, in most cases, will headline their respective DocFest concerts.

About BASSIST, Keith Vivens

HSPVA ’80

photo taken by David DeHoyos

Keith was voted “Best Bass Player in Houston,” 1998, by the critics poll in Public News Magazine. He co-leads the two-time Houston Press award-winning Funk Horn Band TKOh.

Keith is currently working on his second jazz fusion CD with the group Solar Wind. His first recording with the band will be available for sale at the concert with his original composition “Kemah Rita” on it. For the past few years, he has been hosting his steady gig every Monday evening at Eddie V’s restaurant West location on Kirby. He also has been hosting Friday and Saturday evenings at Ciro’s Italian restaurant on I-10 and Bunker Hill.

Keith is a devoted husband and father to wife Liz and kids Thalia and Matthew.

He has performed and recorded with artists Phil Woods, Wayne Bergeron, Enders Bergcrantz, Vincent Hearing, Anita Moore, Yolanda Adams, Yvonne Washington, Donny McCaslin, Shelly Berg, Bernd Konrad, Vincent Gardner, Chris Dave, Tom Garling, Dave Taylor, Mark Soskins, Dennis Montgomery, Victor Lewis, Dave Catney, Fritz Renold, Valero Ponomarev, Howard Hewitt, Shelly Carol, Bobby Lyle, Rayford Griffin, Peabo Bryson, Ricky Lawson, Paul Jackson, Jr., Everette Harp, Page Cavanaugh,Kirk Whalum, Mindi Abair, Branford Marsalis, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Randy & Michael Brecker, Joe Henderson, George Coleman, Joe Lovano, Hubert Laws, Ronnie Laws, Michael Manson, Joe Sample, Grammy Award winning “La Mafia”, Scott Gertner Band, The Franchise, Stanley Turlentine, Kyle Turner, Les McCaan, Above the Rim, Horace Alexander Young, Carl Fontana, Ben Vereen, Project KDK band, Dwight Sills, V. Michael McKay, Little Joe Hernandez, Archie Bell, Mickey Gilley, and Roy Head, just to name a few.

Keith is the first electric bassist to ever play and record with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and is currently in the recording studio working on his first CD of all original compositions.

http://www.keithvivens.com/