Meet Kait Dunton | Keyboardist & Composer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kait Dunton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kait, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
I strive to always be honest with the music I write & perform. It’s a simple but effective way to stay true to myself, especially as I evolve and change as an artist. Honesty in communication and evolution. We are different every day – every moment! – and I feel that the only way to communicate deeply with others is through honest expression. Music is such a powerful way to convey the human emotions that we all share, and the more open your channel of communication, the more deeply it will resonate with others. If you’re feeling sad, be sad. If you’re feeling joyous, be joyous! Live in the moment.

When I perform, I tap into what I am feeling in that very moment, in that particular room, and if it’s live – with that particular audience. And when I write music, I start from a playing & feeling place, and not an intellectualizing place – Heart first, head second. . The foundational ideas for my music start while I’m sitting at the piano and improvising on a feeling. When a groove or a melody or any kind of idea stands out to me, then I focus on it and dig in and see what else develops. The honesty in evolution that I mentioned above has to do with being open minded about how our lives change, and the music that goes with it. You don’t have to pigeonhole yourself into a single concept – your art reflects your life and where you are in it at the moment – let the music flow and grow along with it!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My story is about perseverance and patience and a simple concept that isn’t always easy: Do what you love. I have been playing the piano since before I can remember, but it has taken me well into my adult life to finally reach a place of confidence and contentment with what is clearly my calling: music. No longer do I shy away from the idea of being an artist. I am here to share my joy with you! I am here to write, play and sing songs, to improvise, to groove and dance on the keys! For so long (too long) I considered music first as a hobby and then as a kind of conduit into finding a Real Job. For a long time that Real Job was in academia. Performing, improvising, artistic development etc. were just a bonus. I didn’t believe – or I was too scared to believe! – that it was possible to commit full time to those things. But in my heart of hearts, I knew that performing, improvising and being an artist were what I truly loved to do. and what brought me the most joy. Now I realize and fully understand that being able to share that joy with others is invaluable and is important, fulfilling work.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to some of my favorite spots to hear music! The Baked Potato in Studio City, the Hollywood Bowl on a warm summer evening, a jazz session at The York in Highland Park… During the day we could walk around Hermosa Beach or go to the Huntington Botanical Gardens in Pasadena – plus lunch at the classic Pie ‘n Burger!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I owe so much to my mentor and friend John D’earth, trumpeter, improviser & educator. His playing and teaching style profoundly affected who I am as a musician. From my first encounter with him, it was clear that music is about way more than the notes – it is the story behind the notes, and how everyone has their own unique story to tell. “Jazz is a problem you have to work out,” he would say. Meaning: jazz is personal, improvisation must come from the heart. Anyone can learn how to play an instrument and learn music theory, but what you do with it is up to you.

More recently, i’ve had the incredible pleasure of working with vocal coach extraordinare, Kate Conklin. Her style of teaching reminds me very much of John’s in the way that she focuses on the Whole Person. To grow musically, you must also grow personally. We have been working on singing, specifically, but we focus a lot on developing and nurturing the self as the foundation to vocal flexibility and freedom… and joy! Kate has instilled me with a deep sense of confidence and inspiration as I move into the next step of my artistic development. Thank you!

Website: www.kaitdunton.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kaitdunton

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kait_dunton

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaitdunton

Image Credits
Photography by Charlie Weinmann