You have recorded “Alone With The Blues” a CD, where you are playing harmonica and singing alone, without any other musicians, for the entire CD. There are now compilations released in this format, but as far as I know, you are the first to have intentionally recorded such a project from beginning to end, in one day, and without over-dubs. Would you call these recordings unique in the present day?
Yes, as far as I know, what you are saying is true and this is one of the things that people say makes “Alone With The Blues” a special album. In general, musicians do not have creative control of the records that they make. With deeTone records, I am able to record and release music that I feel passionate about. It is a real pleasure.

What were your goals when you recorded “Alone With The Blues”?
I wanted to make something that could hopefully, stand the test of time; a record that would continue to sound good and that people would always want to listen to.
I wanted this album to look good as well. The idea was to cut an album where I did everything myself including song writing, production and playing and singing alone. I am told that ‘Alone..’ is the first record of its type, if that is true, then fine. However, my main goal was to make a record that used classic blues elements but to present them in a different way while using my own songs.

Who do see as your audience for “Alone With he Blues”?
People who appreciate listening to music that is recorded well and enjoy lyric driven songs that tell a story will love this record. I am playing and singing alone, good for those who enjoy music that is presented in a pure form. And of course, anyone who plays harmonica or who enjoys listening to harmonica being played. Children seem to love “Alone With the Blues” and sing the songs to their parents. I like to hear that.

Where did you get the idea to record a solo voice and harmonica CD? Was it from Sonny Boy Williamson’s acoustic European recordings?
No. I had often thought it was a great idea. I love the pure sound of the harmonica with voice alone. I looked for the right studio for weeks, one with a wooden floor and an analog tape recorder instead of a computer. When I found it, I booked a date and starting recording, the songs went very well and I had an album in one day.

How did the early years with harmonica influence your solo CD?
When I started, I played alone and acoustically without the idea of ever playing with a band, as I was interested in other things. After playing this way for years, I bought an amplifier but still played mostly alone. The idea of “Alone With The Blues” was to capture the purity of those early ideas with the harmonica and voice and to get that sound and feeling onto tape and to then release the finished album on deeTone records.

You play amplified harmonica on some of the songs.
Yes. I purposely recorded the songs in such a way as to not be so obvious which were done acoustically and which were done with an amplifier. When I stared with harmonica, I was into what I call the transitional harmonica style. That is the style between the more country sounds of “Jaybird” Coleman, Deford Bailey and Sonny Terry and the more amplified urban styles of Little Walter, James Cotton and Walter Horton.

I only had a few harmonica records. A Trumpet and a Chess LP of Sonny Boy II, a Bluebird LP of John Lee Williamson (Sonny Boy I) and a Vanguard record of Junior Wells, who played in the style of the two Sonny Boys. I made the different sounds with my hands, as they did and only used the amplifier to make the harmonica a little louder. This is the way that I play on “Alone With The Blues.”

Thirteen of the fourteen songs are self-penned and they have definite style diversity.
Yes, quite a few ideas came up in the studio. Two of the songs, “Strange Things Are Happening” and “Need To Make A Dollar” were given songwriting awards.

You brought five amplifiers to the session. Why five and what were they?
All Fenders; I had a 1965 Princeton Reverb, a ’64 Black-Face Concert, a ’68 Vibro Champ, a ’66 Vibrolux and of course my 1955 Bassman.
Every key in music has a different sound and color and so does every amplifier. The idea was to have as many different sounds and colors on the album as possible. I used four amplifiers, separately and in various combinations. I didn’t use the Vibrolux after all. I also used different keyed harmonicas.

You founded deeTone records, wrote, produced and released “Alone With The Blues” an album unlike any self-release done before. The blues musicologist, ‘Fessor Mojo described your work as follows:
“Drawing on the rhythms of Sonny Boy II, the field hollers of Leadbelly, the broad tone of Little Walter, the political activism of J. B. Lenoir and the attitude and punch of Junior Wells… Keith Dunn brings a fresh sound to the acoustic harp. His sparse cinematic lyrics recall his fascination with the films of Truffaut, Vadim and Hitchcock.”

That is quite a description. How would you describe what you wish to do with your music?
To display the passion, spirit and joy of the masters of the past while maintaining my independence and love for the music in the present with the goal of bringing the music by way of recordings and live shows, to as many people as possible in the future.