Riff

“The story of Shake Keane has never been more inspiring or relevant to the times in which we live. Born in St Vincent, the trumpeter was an integral part of innovative bands led by Joe Harriott and Michael Garrick in the 1960s, and defied expectations of what a West Indian musician could achieve in post-war Britain. Keane was an accomplished poet whose writing revealed a rich, multi-layered personality with a sharp wit and strident humour. Philip Nanton’s excellent biography charts Keane’s eventful, border-crossing life, from his homeland to sojourns in the UK, Germany and New York, and creates an engaging portrait of a restless, complex soul.” ~Kevin Le Gendre

“This beautiful, evocative biography of Shake Keane explores with equal passion Keane’s double life as poet and musician and his innovation as a virtuoso in both art forms. Nanton brilliantly contextualises Keane’s life through the multiple lenses of Caribbean nationalism, post-war migration, the formation of Caribbean literary identity – and adds another chapter to the small but growing canon of works celebrating the contribution of Caribbean musicians to the British jazz scene. A compelling and captivating read.” ~Hannah Lowe