Keb' Mo' and Ledisi June 10, 2005

By Tiffany Lee-Youngren
FOR SIGNONSANDIEGO
Nicknamed by jazz drummer Quentin Dennard, Keb' Mo' (born Kevin Moore) doesn't consider himself a "true" bluesman. Despite his obvious blues influences (Delta blues maverick Robert Johnson left an early impression on the L.A.-born artist), Keb' Mo's style is more "pop blues" -- a hybrid of folk, soul and countrified picking, which he authenticates with a down-home, old-timey look and sound, alternating easily between electric and acoustic slide guitar.

Keb' Mo's skills landed him a spot portraying his esteemed hero in "Can't You Hear The Wind Howl?," a docu-drama narrated by Danny Glover that includes interviews with musicians and acquaintances who knew or were influenced by Robert Johnson.

Ever true to his fusion-minded brand of contemporary blues, Keb' Mo' collaborated with Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne on the title track for his "Just Like You" album, earning him a devoted following that coalesced in a 1999 Grammy for best contemporary blues album ("Slow Down"). He appears at Humphrey's in support of his latest offering, "Peace...Back by Popular Demand," a collection of protest song covers.