- Music
- 10 Jan 17
One of the most renowned saxophone and clarinet players brings his life into stage. NewBliss is an amazing memoir of Keith's musical path, including his moments of light and his addiction.
Keith Donald’s one-man show NewBliss will be performed in Dublin at the end of next month on Tuesday February, 28.
NewBliss is not just a play; it’s a musical memoir, with 5 instruments, 10 songs and 900 lines of verse. The unique show tells the story of Keith’s professional journey from his first public performance on BBC Radio at the age of ten to becoming an admirable musician worldwide.
Keith recounts the highs and lows of his six-decade long career, which for more than thirty years was spent under the shadow of alcoholism. It is an insight into the life of a musician, from pit orchestra gigs to pay the bills, all the way through to sold out stadium tours.
NewBliss was written during 2014 after twenty years of Keith's sobriety. With brutal honesty and humour, in music as well as words, he tells us about the mistakes he made, the hearts he broke, the huge successes and moments of light, the promises he couldn’t keep and the loss of friends and colleagues on the way. Finally, he reveals how he eventually found redemption. It’s a raw, heart-breaking and at times comic story, told first hand by its survivor.
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Keith Donald is a renowned saxophone and clarinet player who is most well-known as a founding member of Irish traditional band Moving Hearts. In a career that has spanned over fifty years he has played on over eighty albums and worked with artists including Van Morrison, Mary Coughlan, Ronnie Drew, Christy Moore, Don Baker, Louis Stewart, Gerry Mulligan, Zoot Sims, Barney Kessel, Vusi Mahlasela, Mary Black, Tom Robinson, Fiachra Trench, Noel Kelehan, and dozens of others in many genres.
Keith is also a composer for theatre, film and television but his first love is jazz and he has returned to it repeatedly throughout his life. His musical career has taken him all over the world, from Johannesburg to New York and every major city in Europe.
Keith Donald’s one-man show NewBliss will be performed in the John Field Room in National Concert Hall, Dublin at 8pm on Tuesday February 28, 2017. Tickets priced €20 are available from www.nch.ie / (01) 4170000.