Key Appleseeds 'Around Midnight'

This is my second in a series photo essays on New York City street musicians. I took the photographs for this piece and recorded him playing May 8, 2008. I have long been intrigued by street musicians and my desire to learn more about them inspired this artistic exploration.

This essay is on Key Appleseeds, a street musician who plays the harmonica and guitar while singing rock and the blues.

He performs original songs as well as covers.

He is from Nagoya Japan and has been playing in the subways for about eight years. He said that when he came to the U.S. he planned to play in the streets but his final motivation came when a girl broke his heart.

For more information on Key, please see his MySpace music profile
http://www.myspace.com/keyappleseeds

Each photo essay that I do in this series will be accompanied by a painting.

— Aaron Porter
http://www.aaronporter.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Key
• Appleseeds
• guitar
• harmonica
• singer
• rock
• rhythm
• blues
• busker
• street
• musician
• interview
• Japan
• New
• York
• City
• subway

[LEVIonline]

Key is a gift. what a voice. I love him!!!

repsect form your fan,

LEVI

[aeporterarts]

I agree, Key is a gift!! I will make sure he gets your message.

[lewisnyc]

I was stunned the first time I heard Key at the 14th St./Union Square subway station. I heard the voice from a long way down the platform & I went to investigate, assuming I was going to find a very old black man from the deep south who had found his way into the New York City subway system. Instead, here was this waif of a Japanese guy who was channeling something great & wondrous; namely authentic blues indigenous to the Mississippi Delta. I tip my hat with respect to this great performer.

[CelebrityHolmes]

I first heard Key a few years ago at the 6th Ave L stop I think.. just really F*#$ing amazing. As honest and emotive a voice as I've ever heard. I've been living in NYC for close to 20 years now and hanging out here for longer. I think about how Rent's getting crazier every day and how sometimes it feels like the douchebags are taking (have taken?) over. Then, when I least expect it, I bump into something rare and beautiful like Key and I remember why I bother.