Friday night I played a gig with a singer/songwriter named Jennifer Sluder. "Jenne" has been driving around the country in an old sub-compact car with her Yamaha guitar, a PA, and her solo acoustic CDs. I've run into a lot of people at gigs over the years. Many are very good. Most are long forgotten. Jenne is memorable. She writes simple songs that reminded me that my favorite songs have always come from places of hurt and hope. You can download her songs from her website and from Apple iTunes. I highly recommend "Song for Sarah". The way I figure it (depending on gas mileage) every download gets a deserving songwriter another ten miles or so down the road.
For those of you looking for a venue to try out your songs on a new audience, contact Fiddlers Dream in Phoenix. "Fids" usually hosts a Thursday night open mic, and they generally book two or three acts on weekend evenings. It's a completely unplugged, alcohol-free room. Attendance is sometimes sparse, but the folks who come out are a listening audience.
I met the duo JC & Lany at a radio show yesterday. J.C. writes folk/pop love songs. What this duo have going on vocally makes them special. With a background singing in hard working classic rock cover bands, Lany has Pipes with a capital "P". Timid types (like me) should take note of their swagger when they perform. They just go for it.
Go for it. We've been meeting once a month for a while now, and some of our songwriters have built up an impressive collection of their own songs. Consider that chefs don't aspire to cook for other chefs. Song circle is a nice, safe environment. Looking around the circle, I see more than a few people who are ready to face the dangers of playing to a real audience. There's no substitute for a real gig, and there is nothing quite like gigging to help you grow as a writer/performer. But I digress...
Also guesting on that radio show, JD Stooks was introduced as something of a punk rocker. I got a surprise when the first track started playing. This guy has a sound that'll make any recording artist a bit jealous. Think acoustic guitars surrounded by swirling pedal steel, synth, and moody drums. One of the fringe benefits of gigging with other artists is swapping CDs. I listened to JD's new single "Maker's Mark" and his full length album "Women and Gold" driving back up the mountain last night. Awesome stuff. Also available on CDBABY and iTunes.
And speaking of that radio show, a very different opportunity for performance exists at Erich Sielaff's Arizona Music Cafe on KKNT AM 960. Yes it's a conservative talk station, but Erich runs the show with a no "pee pee" rule - no profanity and no politics. If you're bringing your axe to play and leaving behind your axe to grind, even the most liberal performer (like me) should feel comfortable. Erich sticks to the music and makes your visit a pleasure. Check it out.
Now, why did I title this ABACAB (+ tag)? Was I paying tribute to Genesis? Or is there something else at work here?
Cheers,
Chuck Cheesman
