I wanted to compile a video that would prove once and for all what a lucky man I am. After all, I got to see Jason Antone, Levi Kreis, Eric Himan, Tom Goss, Nathan Leigh Jones, Garrin Benfield, Amy Regan, Shaun Hague, Jake Walden, Coyote Grace, Gareth Asher, Avi Wisnia, Jeffrey Johnson, and Namoli Brennet all perform live last year. They appeared at the World Cafe Live!, PSALM Salon, Joe's Pub, Sullivan Hall, MilkBoy Coffee, NightCat, World Cafe at the Queen, and Black Fox Lounge. Yep, I am a freakin' lucky man. Enjoy the highlights of my "show season."
Support independent musicians by attending their shows in your area, and buying their merchandise. You will not only feel better, you will undoubtedly be assured a better seat in heaven when the shows start.
Clockwise: Matt Doyle, Chris Riffle, Stewart Lewis, Andy Moore, and Shaun Hague.
This year several Eps were released from some great musicians. EP stood for Extended Play Single, a single with a few supplemental tracks. Now, they are more of a demi-album, a smaller collection of songs put out by an artist. It can be more affordable for all concerned - the independent artist who has to pay the costs, and the fan who can get new and fresh music at a lower cost. Take, for example, Broadway star Matt Doyle, who is an out singer/songwriter when not appearing on stage. Currently, he is featured in the New York production of War Horse. But earlier this year, he released the EP Daylight. It is a wonderful collection, beautifully written and sung. Check out this clip as he sings If Morning Can't Wait.
Though he was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Chris Riffle now calls New York City home as he pursues his career in music. Earlier in the year, the out performer released I Am Not From Here, a strong acoustic collection of songs song from the heart. Here he sings the title track from the EP, I Am Not From Here.
You can find I Am Not From Here on iTunes and Amazon.
Stewart Lewis sings Shine from the album In Formation. Earlier this year, he released the EP Stumbling For Truth. I have seen the out singer/songwriter perform a few times, and have loved him every time. The five-song collection is filled with honesty and love, a welcome addition to any collection.
You can find Stumbling For Truth on iTunes and Amazon.
I have been fascinated with the music of Andy Moore since I saw her performing with Eric Himan many years ago. So I was quite thrilled to hear she was releasing new music, and had to buy it right away. 5 In Common is a beautiful group of songs, sung with a simplicity and beauty that is hard to match. I have the first two album from the out lesbian, and love them both. Check out as she sings Cemetery off the EP.
I first heard of Shaun Hague when Jake Walden announced they would be touring together. When I went to see them, I wasn't sure what to expect, but was blown away by him and his music. Shaun adds a bluesy touch to his Rock-infused Pop, with plenty of heart and soul. Watch as he sings Make It A Great Day from the EP The Time Is Now. I took this video at the show at the MilkBoy Coffee this summer.
You can find The Time Is Now on iTunes and Amazon.
I was thrilled to be going to see Jake Walden on July 15th, driving to MilkBoy Coffee in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. It's been a couple of years since I last saw Jake, when he played with Tom Goss in Washington, DC. But this time, Jake would be the closing set, with Amy Regan and Shaun Hague there to prime the crowd for Jake's electric set. I was looking forward to the show, for I knew we'd be hearing some of the new music set to be released on the 26th, Same Something Different. That was something that certainly drew me to be even more excited about a show that promised to be sensational.
I saw Jake shortly before the show, and got my first hug of the night. He seemed relaxed, especially for Jake. Now, if I were to describe seeing Jake perform, I would use words like, twitchy, exposed, intense, and even edgy. He seems to be a conduit for his nervous energy, and practically vibrate with that energy, channeled into the most expressive and glorious expression of his talent. This post features videos and pictures I took at the show, so you can share the wonderful experience with me.
He began the show in Jake's own way, singing The Line, the song that opens all of Jake's shows. The song originally appeared on Walden's debut album, Alive And Screaming. It has one of the most beautiful lines in the chorus, "I don't wanna learn in the morning, that I was only dreaming tonight." Le sigh...
Soon we start hearing the music from the upcoming album, Same Something Different. Here, I will start with the joyous and beautiful first cut off the album, Even In Your Doubt. The simple, yet lovely melody drives the song, and makes me want to listen time and time again.
The eighth cut on the new album, Almost Brave, was an interesting one, to be sure. The first few bars grabbed my attention, and Jake's voice came in and snapped that lead, and on the chorus, claimed my heart.
As the final song of the performance, Jake delivered a strong and beautiful version of We Are Not Broken, a song that was first featured on the first album, but was reimagined and included on the new album as well. Jake was kind to mention me in his dialog before the song, but also take note of his thoughts on a video, cause I will be reminding people of it when it is time. But, without further ado, this is We Are Not Broken.
After the show, I was able to catch up with him once again, and tell him how amazing the show was. And I was surprised to find the new album there for sale! So I had a head-start on many, but can tell you the album is amazing! It is just om damned multi-dimensional, so beautiful, so textured. And there is so much joy found in it. You can find out more about Jake Walden here. You can find his first album on iTunes here, or on Amazon.com here. And if you aren't quite convinced about buying the new album, I will remind you tomorrow with a video or two.
I caught the performance of singer/songwriter Amy Regan on the 15th, on the same bill as Jake Walden and Shaun Hague at MilkBoy Coffee in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. She opened the show, and did a great job pulling the crowd into her music. Whether on the guitar on at the keyboard, she delivered her songs with a heartfelt approach filled with honesty and charm. Part of that charm came from her between-song banter, little snippets from the live of a singer/songwriter, like her discussion about breaking it to her family that she was pursuing music, and the ensuing music. This is On My TV Screen.
When she moved to the keyboard, she had a sweet section of the set. That included one of my favorite songs of hers from the evening, Afterthought. I think it stayed in that sweet spot in her voice, a rich bottom side that is rich and full.
For more about Amy Regan, check out her official website here. You can find her music on iTunes here, and on Amazon.com here.
I didn't know much about Shaun Hague when I went to see him playing live at MilkBoy Coffee. When I heard he was playing with Jake Walden, I purchased his EP, The Time Is Now, from iTunes, and really loved it. But you never know if a performer is WYSIWYG - Old computer talk for "What You See Is What You Get" or if his talent might suffer in a live translation. First thing I notice is the cool and easy feeling, a serene confidence, that Shaun brings with him to the stage. He is the antithesis of the brash rocker, with a quiet bravado that will let the set talk for itself, for he won't waste the time and energy telling you he is great, he'll just prove it. And he sits down to play.
A few bars into his set, I had my answer. Hague was made to deliver a great live show, with impressive guitar skills and a voice perfectly shaped for the music he plays. He leads with a song off the EP, and while I might have missed the first 30 seconds of Make It A Great Day, I made due in post-production (LOL) to give you a taste of the first thing I heard.
Hague also included some new music in his set, like the fantastic song, Last Rights. With it's driving guitar propelling the song forward, the strength of the music paired with the vulnerability of his vocals, makes for a truly winning experience.
There was yet another new song, one that I was crazy about then, and only more so now. Once A Lover, Never A Friend starts out with a wandering feel, a little loose, a little ethereal. The vulnerability in his voice from the last song is transformed to a strength, and pulls me in for a more intimate telling of the tale. When he uses the guitar for percussion, it's as if it was the beating heart of the song...
During the show, Shaun covered three really amazing American singer/songwriters, Bruce Springsteen, Warren Zevon, and, finally, Roy Orbison. While his voice is not even remotely like Orbison's - but then again, does anyone have a voice like that? - Hague takes the superbly written song, bends and molds it into a performance that is very Shaun Hague, one that left me cheering and hoping for much more. Here is his performance of You Got It.
You can find more about Shaun Hague at his official website here. You can purchase his EP, The Time Is Now, at iTunes here, and Amazon.com here. I also discovered in my post-show research that Shaun has played with another of my California favorites, J. R. Richards, who has made it on the blog several times. And, of course, Jake Walden. I have to say, since the show, I was thinking about how nice it would have been for them to perform a song together.
I went to see Jake Walden, Shaun Hague and Amy Regan this past Friday, and have been working away since I came back, working on videos and pictures, and giving a listen to Jake's new album, Same Something Different. Sometime soon I hope to give a fuller account of the show and the new album, but I have to say, it was a fan-freakin-tastic night. I've seen Jake a couple of times now, and this was my favorite to date. He was in great voice, and had playful banter with the audience. Jake played a couple of old favorites, but mainly played new material from the album, which he had at the show, but is officially released next Tuesday, July 26th. Here is a preview of Jake's show.
The show opened with Amy Regan, who has yet to get back to me about song titles and videos, so I won't run them quite yet. But the Hoboken, NJ, resident was charming, with a sweet voice, especially in the lower end. I was reminded of the fantastic Fiona Apple when she was performing.
I didn't really know much about Shaun Hague prior to the evening, just that he had an EP on iTunes that I purchased and listened to in preparation. I liked it, but, frankly, was not sure what to expect. Well, Shaun Hague, you've made a new fan in me. His voice is husky and expressive, packed with layers and depth. And, as Jake told you earlier, Shaun has a huge cool-factor going on. He is certainly a working musician, having played in bands for amazing acts like Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Amos Lee. But it could just be the fact his music is so damn good that gives him that amazing cool.
There will be more coverage coming soon. Until then, you can fin out more about Jake Walden here, Shaun Hague here, and Amy Regan here.
In preparation for the release of a new album, Jake Walden is getting set to take to the road. The singer/songwriter kicks things off in Chicago, Illinois, next week, and move to the East Coast for a couple of weeks, ending with two shows on July 16th in Washington, DC. In fact, the pictures above were taken by me the last time I saw Jake play in DC, when he played with Tom Goss. That was a great night! With Jake on the verge of releasing a new album, Same Something Different, there should be great new music, and a real excitement with the tour. I am trying to decide between the DC & Ardmore dates, cause I don't want to miss it.
For more complete information on the dates, check out Jake's schedule on his tour page here. And you can always visit his official website here. You can sample or purchase his first album, Alive And Screaming, on iTunes here or you can check out the Deluxe version here. You can find the Deluxe version on Amazon.com here.
Singer/Songwriter Shaun Hague will be opening for Jake on the tour. He also has a new release out, the EP The Time Is Now. You can hear his music and discover more about him by checking in on his official webpage here. You can find him on iTunes here, and on Amazon.com here.
