Keith LuBrant
releases
Sometimes There Are No Words
Keith started his guitar journey like so many others around the time guitar instrumental albums from guitar labels such as Shrapnel Records were popular. Take Paul Gilbert and Bruce Bouillet's scale sequencing, along with the combination of technique and tasty blues/jazz from players like Howe and Kotzen. Add the melodic playing of Steve Vai and the funky right hand of Nuno Bettencourt, and you have the ingredients that mixed to influence Keith's guitar playing.
He started playing in the bars and clubs around New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. He then took a turn in a different direction and started creating music for film and TV. You can hear his music on thousands of television shows featured on hundreds of network channels, such as ABC, CBS, NBC, MTV, VH1, to name a few. He also worked with Philips Lighting on music for their training media, wrote the theme song for a Mattel Hot Wheels Custom Motors commercial campaign, and has had music featured in movies, such as Lizzy Borden Took an Ax and Dogs and Cats 3.
His latest guitar rock instrumental album, "Sometimes There Are No Words", is set to be released on Guitar One Records. The album features longtime musical partner John LeComte on bass and Will Regnier (who tours with a range of artists in Quebec including Gregory Charles, the Orchestre Métropolitain, Alexandre Da Costa, John Roney and Polychuck) on drums. In Keith's words, "The combination of these players created something really special." Keith further states, "I wanted to create a love letter to the guitarists that helped shape my playing into what it has become today. This album was a blast to do, and the final result is something in which I take great pride."
Artist Interview
Who are your musical influences?
There are a bunch. I grew up in the day of the “guitar shredder”, but I always appreciated guitarists who put a priority on a melody. Guitarists such as Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Richie Kotzen, Greg Howe, Nuno Bettencourt and Paul Gilbert always could balance monster technique and great melodies. That is one thing that I really tried to bring home on this guitar album. I wanted both the guitarists and the non-guitarists to enjoy the music.
What album has had the greatest impact on your life as a musician?
That’s a real tough one!
I know Steve Vai – Passion and Warfare would be in there. The tones and soundscapes that he created on that album were incredible. To this day, I think “For the Love of God” is my favorite piece of guitar playing.
What song do you remember most from your childhood?
I just remember all the great guitarists and solos. I grew up in the “hair band” age of music, so there were a lot of great talented guitarists that could showcase their talents in a song. It’s a shame the music became cookie-cutter at the end, but music is always changing.
I also enjoyed a lot of the grunge era bands like Alice In Chains, that came in after.
Queensryche – Operation Mindcrime was and still is a tremendous album from start to finish. I am not a drummer, but that snare sound…..oh that snare sound. I do remember that album.
But I DO remember the urge to play air guitar each and every time I heard the guitar solo from “Lay It Down” from Ratt! Warren DeMartini was a big influence on me.
What’s your favorite accomplishment as a musician thus far?
Having the ability to still create music and have fun with it. I have put out a guitar instrumental album (Sometimes There Are No Words), three vocal albums (Who I Am, Searching for Signal and Face in the Crowd), and another album with a band called Clockwork (the album is called Legacy). Music in over 1,100 television shows, movies, tv commercials, etc.. and I am still having fun!
But I guess to answer your question, it was pretty cool hearing my music in television shows and movies, but I am super proud of this guitar album, Sometimes There Are No Words. The way everything came together so fast. It really was a great experience. A lot of times there are things on albums we artists put out that we would like to change, but I extremely satisfied with how this album turned out.
What's new in the recording of your music? How has your music changed over the years?
The older I get, I am not as much concerned with “what” to put out, or how will people react to it. I just want to record projects that are interesting to me. For example, the guitar instrumental album that I recorded was always on my bucket list, but I was more known for vocal albums. I finally just said, forget about what I “should” do and just have fun.
We start learning an instrument and have so much fun unlocking all these new techniques….why stop having fun? If you want to put out a guitar album, go ahead!
What inspires you to write the music you write? What made you want to play the instrument you play?
What inspires me IS the guitar. One can never say that he or she mastered it. There is always something to learn. Usually, by learning something new, a new song or technique might come from that.
If you could play anywhere or with anyone in the world, where or with who would it be?
I’ll be sneaky and say that I would love to play on the G3 stage, so I can play with multiple guitarists. Who wouldn’t?
If you could change anything about the music industry today, what would it be?
Personally, I think it’s great having the ability to grab some recording gear and put out an album, but now that everybody can do it, there is just so much that one can have access to. I found myself losing track of bands that I have liked throughout the years and have put new material out. Also, I enjoyed listening to an entire album and really diving into the albums. Since we are now in a playlist/singles era, listeners usually listen to a song, maybe the album and then in a week, they are on to the next. Sometimes the bands get lost in the shuffle. So when you used to go out and buy that album/tape/cd, it was an investment and you made sure you got your money's worth!
What are your biggest obstacles as a musician?
I am always challenging myself with new guitar techniques. Right now, I am currently in a jazz blues “bender” and really enjoying playing over changes. It really has me refocused and feeling like that middle schooler that picked up a guitar for the first time.
What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
To be honest, it basically is free. All of my music is available on all the streaming sites. Now are artists getting a fair royalty percentage? I would say definitely not.
What is the best way to stay updated on current news; gigs, releases, etc
My website: www.keithlubrantmusic.com has all the info and links on there.