Keb' Mo' -- tell me more

I also like Keb quite a bit. I am also from Chicago,and his blues are not the same as Muddy Waters. Still like him though.

I would be careful - I only like that first one, and find the rest to be too MOR in style. I don't mean to dis the opinions here, just to point out that the first one has more 'edge' than his others, and for me that makes a difference.

I agree with Redkiwi. His first album was arguably in the blues vein and was underproduced in the classic "man and guitar" style. Keb and his guitar stood out. I'm not certain that "edge" is the word. I'd say that it was more in the blues camp and underproduced if compared to most pop stuff. From there he moved into something else. Maybe what Budrew above calls adult contemporary. When he first came out there was a little talk that he might be part of a renewed blues movement (Corrie Harris, Alvin Youngblood Hart, etc) and you never heard any of that talk after his second album.

Easy..e is, IMHO, right too in that Keb is no longer in the blues area at all. You might still enjoy him but it is just watered down blues at best if that is what you are looking for based on his first album. But I can't say I blame him. Blues is not a big seller. He probably did no want to die broke in the usual, and not so grand, tradition of great blues singers. You can almost hear him trying to reach a broader audience after his first album and you really can't blame him.

He slept on my nephews couch in Colorado when he was in that neck of the woods when he was a nobody. Had a chance to meet him a couple times. He is a nice guy and no slouch on the guitar.

You might enjoy his later stuff but it is not the same style as his first album. I enjoyed his first album, his second less so, and was completely disappointed in everything else. Just my opinion.

I remain,

I completely agree with Clueless. The first album is exceptional. After that, it starts going down hill pretty quickly. Unless, of course, you're really into that "adult contemporary" style.

The sparse instrumentation really lends well to showcasing his voice and phenomenal guitar work.

No matter what you think about the later albums, you absolutely MUST NOT buy Big Wide Grin. It's like catching your parents having sex. You don't even want to think about it, let alone see it...And it may change your view of him forever. It's THAT bad!

(Come to think of it, I don't think I've listened to Keb' Mo since then...seriously.)

Thanks for the information, gang. If you compare Keb' Mo' with blues singers like Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, or Muddy Watters, I have no problem with either calling Mr. Moore's blues, "watered down" or admitting that I still find enjoyment in it. And, I am basing that on hearing only his first album -- and the concensus seems to be that this is, as I feared, his most authentic, rootsy, or edgy. I have music in my collection for all different occasions and moods and there is a place within that collection for artists like Norah Jones and Keb' Mo', although
I wonder how much "water" can be added to Mr. Moore's music before I
will rebel. I was hoping to hear that his other albums followed artistic lines similar to his first. So, given this input, I am going to tread carefully. Based on the input I have received here -- and based on my search for SACD's -- I have ordered another Keb' Mo' album. I have chosen BIG WIDE GRIN. Just kidding. I have chosen JUST LIKE YOU on SACD. After it arrives, I will follow up and give my impressions.

Thanks to all for your input!