Keith Price is a Canadian guitarist/composer living in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland, New Zealand) where he serves as Director of Music at the University of Auckland. He first learned chords from his Grandfather on a dark-red hollow-bodied guitar, and after hearing the intensity and rawness of John Coltrane at the age of fifteen, he was irrevocably drawn into the world of jazz.
Keith studied at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and the University of Manitoba before completing undergraduate and graduate degrees in jazz performance at Brandon University, where he studied with internationally recognized pianist and composer, Michael Cain.
His omnivorous listening habits are the foundation of his expressive musical style, which combines old jazz, new jazz, folk, noise, ambient, and funk. His sound is a mixture of colours, textures, and flavours from a range of genres and influences, filtered on stage through the process of improvisation. Whether performing with a double-quartet, a trio, or as a solo guitarist, Keith’s musical focus is on openness, imagination, and the search for a shared connection with audiences and fellow musicians alike.
‘The notes and chords he uses weaves a dream-like atmosphere … he doesn’t seem to be afraid of silence, and he knows how to use space, the result being that the atmosphere [remains] even though he doesn’t play constantly.’ –TicketMOMster
Keith has released ten albums as a leader, co-leader, and collaborator, most recently Poetry Legroom (2025), a co-led trio album with pianist Michael Cain and drummer Pheeroan akLaff that was named among JazzTimes’ top jazz releases of the month, and Session 23 (2025, Rattle Records), a quartet album led by drummer Ron Samsom. Earlier releases include Winter/Fog/Morning (LacLu, 2023), Trio Antipodes: Upside Downwards (2019, co-led with Jeff Presslaff and Graydon Cramer), Double Quartet (2017), The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (2015), Live at 101.5 UMFM (2015), Solo Guitar (2013), Gaia/Goya (2011), and Breakfast of Champions (2009).
Performance highlights include: Montreal International Jazz Festival, Wellington Jazz Festival, Tauranga Jazz Festival, CBC Canada Live, Yardbird Suite (Edmonton), Creative Jazz Club Aotearoa, Winnipeg Jazz Festival, Jazz on the Rooftop (Winnipeg Art Gallery), and the Western Canadian Music Awards; opened for Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper, and The Bad Plus.
Performed with: Michael Cain, Pheeroan akLaff, Troy Roberts, Curtis Nowosad, James Morrison, Matthew Steckler, Nathan Haines, Kevin Field, Roger Manins, Oli Holland, Ron Samsom, Maiko Watson, Amber Epp, Ron Paley Big Band, Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony, Rainbow Stage, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
Producer credits include: Apollo Suns ‘Dawn Offerings’ (2020) WCMA WINNER, Manitoba Artists In Healthcare (2013), and Michael Peters’ ‘Etherized’ (2011).