THE KEESHEA PRATT BAND

                    

       

                 



The Keeshea Pratt Band

The Houston based, International Award Winning Keeshea Pratt Band possesses the skill and artistry reminiscent of Blues old school Motown; a rarity among bands of any genre today. The 9 piece musical collective, lends its energy and passion to traditional blues, contemporary blues and offers a preview to the future of blues. The musical artistry and dexterity of The Keeshea Pratt Band allows it to journey unapologetically across the genres of classical, jazz, Southern rock, soul, gospel, country and back again.

Keeshea Pratt is the siren featured on the microphone with soaring and soulful lead Mississippi inspired vocals. She is supported by a talented and diverse group of singers and musicians representing 5 states (Texas, California, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi) and Japan. The 4-piece horn section produces thrilling chorded in-sync rhythms that rival those of big bands. The make up of this phenomenal band is , Kiana Smith (Bassist and Vocals), Brian Sowell (Lead Guitar & Vocals), Eugene Botts (Keys & B3 Organ), Dan Carpenter (Saxophone), Brent Nabors (Baritone Saxaphone),  Misaki Nishidate (Trumpet), James Williams III (Trumpet), and Adrew Acuna (Drums)

In January 2018, The Keeshea Pratt Band secured first place in the Band Division for the 34th Annual International Blues Challenge held in Memphis, Tennessee. The polished professional soul stirring toe tapping performances assured the judges that KPB was primed to headline major festivals and concert stages as a noteworthy authority on the blues scene, nationally and internationally.  Since that time, they have travel the country performing on some of the biggest festival stages while “Keeping The Blues Alive”.

About Keeshea Pratt

About Keeshea Pratt - Keeshea closeup looking down and thinkingSinging since the age of six, Keeshea Pratt has shared the stage with several notable national figures including bluesman Bobby Rush, Eddie Cotton, opera singer Grace Bumbry, soul singer Musiq Soulchild, and gospel icon the late Reverend James Moore.

Pratt has accomplished what few Mississippi based singers before her has ever achieved: The ability to attract fans from all walks of life without ever straying from the intricate roots that nurtured her awarding winning voice in the first place.

Pratt’s impressive musical range and undeniable charisma changed the landscape of local entertainment by displaying the kind of vocal immediacy and vulnerability possessed by few singers and leaving you wanting more.

About Keeshea Pratt - Keeshea face closeup looking directly at cameraDraped with amazing style, class, and sophistication, Pratt takes you on a journey through all genres of music. “I always get asked the same question,” says Pratt, “What type of music do you sing?” My answer has always been the same… “I sing it all.”

There has been an elite array of influences with unique sounds and styles that has cultivated Pratt’s alluring and spirited presentation. She’s an artist that appreciates all genres and refuses to be put in a box, and her connection with her audience allows her to tap into whatever their mood is and render an offering of shear vocal pleasure.

Some of Pratt’s accomplishments include “The Jackson Free Press Artist of the Week 2011”, “The 2012 Female Artist of the Year in the Jackson Music Awards”, and a featured artist the 2010 Chicago Blues Festival. However, her love of music continues to ignite her passion causing her to dig deeper into the depths of her musical soul to give her audience more of what they crave for this dynamic vocalist.

Recently in 2018 Pratt lead her band to a higher elevation when they represented Houston in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis winning by a landslide and “took the blues music world by storm” as stated in the Houston Press. Pratt’s win was the first in Houston’s history earning her the well-deserved honor to be newly crowned “the queen of the blues!”

Believe by The Keeshea Pratt Band Album Cover ArtShe is unique in her own right, her style is all her own, “influence” by the greats, however, this grit and energy can’t be borrowed. Pratt will continue to reach higher and work harder to ensure the purity of her craft is never diluted… because it is the greatest gift to yourself and your fans.

Her road to the top of her musical game has been filled with the type of conviction that now causes a younger generation to look to her as a musical influence.

Having sang, performed, studied her craft, triumphed and failed Pratt now has a story about life to sing about to the world and is spreading her wings to do what so many of her adoring fans have longed for… her… living in their radio!

She is taking her music career to another level and is positioning herself to become a sought after recording artist. She and her band recently released their debut album “Believe” in May 2018. Pratt now resides in Houston, TX with her family. Are you ready for Pratt experience?

Keeshea Pratt, natural de Jackson, diu que va créixer al voltant de la música. El seu pare, Terry "TL" Harris, ha estat director d'artista durant més de 25 anys, i la seva mare, Catherine McCoy Harris, és cantant coral i tocava piano a la New Hope Baptist Church, on Pratt va cantar el seu primer solista.

"Fent aquest sol, sabia que l'església no seria la meva cosa", diu. "Sempre anaven les meves arrels i la meva presa de terra, però sabia llavors, a l'edat de 6 o 7 anys, que anava a ser un animador".

Malgrat això, Pratt diu que no va continuar la música fins que no va esser  gran, tot i que va cantar en cors, concursos i concursos de talents. Després de l'escola secundària, es va matricular al Tougaloo College abans de formar part del Grace Bumbry Black Heritage Heritage Ensemble. Pratt va cantar internacionalment amb el grup durant l’estiu de 1994 abans de tornar a casa.

Els públics de Jackson van conèixer millor Pratt després de marcar un concert regular al Hilton Jackson i a la Grille Room Steam Room. Amb el pas del temps, es va fer coneguda en el panorama musical local, però cap al 2010 va posar la seva carrera d'entreteniment en suspens durant uns set anys.

Ella, el seu marit Grailyn Pratt, i les filles Blaike i Isabella, es van mudar a Houston, Texas, el 2011. Aleshores, sis anys després, va rebre una trucada del baixista i productor Shawn Allen. Va parlar d’ella del seu músic de Houston, Kai Hicks, i li va preguntar a Pratt que cantés per a un projecte. "Crec que ho hauríeu de fer", li va dir Hicks.

Pratt diu que estava vacil·lant per tornar a la música, però Hicks va valorar, correctament, que era miserable tenir un treball normal i no ser un animador.

"Va dir:" Heu d'entendre que quan Déu us dissenyi per ser una persona en concret, independentment del que feu, no funcionarà fins que no sigueu només qui us cridés per ser ", diu Pratt.

Ella va acceptar unir-se a Allen, que tenia una estipulació: volia competir en el Blues Challenge Internacional.

"Tot el que ha passat no formava part del meu pla", diu Pratt. "Només anava a competir, i li vaig dir:" competiré i, després, he acabat. " Però no vam tenir l'oportunitat de competir el 2016, així que vam començar a treballar, Shawn em va portar a l'IBC (el 2017). Realment volia que veiés què era i volia que pogués veure el gran que podia. en realitat estarà en blues. Va creure en mi i em va dir: "Crec que tens el que cal per conquistar aquesta cosa".

Després d'ella, Pratt diu que es va plantejar la idea de no només entrar en el repte, sinó guanyar-la. Van començar a formar una banda amb músics que van conèixer a través de melmelades, amb el guitarrista principal Brian Sowell, el saxofonista Dan Carpenter, els trompetistes Misaki Nishidate i James Williams III, i el bateria Nick Fishman.

Vuit mesos després, la Keeshea Pratt Band es va dirigir a Memphis, Tenn., I es va emportar un dels màxims honors en blues.

"En un període de 24 hores, la meva vida va canviar", diu Pratt. "Fins i tot si volia deixar-ho, no puc deixar-me. Sempre que arribo a casa i veig cantants que solien fer fons per a mi fent les seves coses, m'adono que és la meva responsabilitat seguir pressionant. He de fer-ho per ells, per fer-los saber, "Seguiu endavant".