Keenan McKenzie has his own bands: the Riffers are a popular dance-oriented swing combo with a three-horn front line, while the Keenan McKenzie Orchestra is … well, a jazz orchestra organized by the man himself. But it’s a good way into our long chat that any of this comes up—after he’s told me all about his musical parents, his mentors and idols, esteemed colleagues, work for other groups, and dabblings in funk and folk—and even then, only referred to somewhat euphemistically as “my own projects.” The point is, Keenan seems like a musician who craves the spotlight less than he craves opportunities to sit in and tag along—something he gets to do a lot of, with his playing and arranging talents. Asked about his professional highlights to date, his answer seems to support this inference: “Just the chance to travel and play events with some of my favorite musicians,” he says.
He’s not uniquely gracious, of course—plenty of sidemen had successful careers without leading bands. But Keenan has reason to be boastful, having achieved both. He features regularly in line-ups playing some of the biggest dance festivals in the US, Europe and Asia, and has the clout to assemble an all-star virtual band with members stretched “from Beijing to Los Angeles,” with whom he has recorded two albums of original tunes. His projects have won thousands of fans worldwide, many of
