John Keek – If + When

Hailing from a family filled with musicians, John Keek began playing the saxophone when he was 14, inspired by jazz. Through time though, he gravitated to other genres too, eventually coming to combine elements of jazz, R&B, hip-hop and pop into a smooth, contemporary blend. It’s a fusion that’s already caught the ear of one King Krule, who asked if John could join him live in the US (including opening for him at a secret show in LA).

Previously, Keek had only posted two tracks online – ‘By Your Side’ and ‘Give It Up’ – but his latest single is probably his boldest statement yet. Taken from his upcoming EP to be released on Big Dada later this month, ‘If + When’ has been inspired by Keek’s move from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Kicking off with soulful, swirling vocals that reverberate around the track and classic R&B piano melodies, it’s a tune that gradually morphs to become a jazz-inflected juggernaut filled with cascading brass and sax (naturally).

“It’s a song about uncertainty,” John explains. Yet, he sounds supremely confident on ‘If + When’. It stands at little more than two and a half minutes, yet he makes ample use of that short space with an entrancing, genre-bending odyssey.