NEAF '13 Feature Artists: Michelle Lewis

Myself, being a songwriter and musician of the "sad song" persuasion, Michelle Lewis is a breath of fresh air for me. She is an extremely positive and energizing person and that can be fully witnessed through her live performances. An artist who is just happy to fill the air with her music and do her best to make an impact on even just one person. I have to say, its nice to see some presence from the strong songwriter ladies at this year's fest (I mean, really, we do have enough plaid and beards to go around for a while). I can say that I am truly happy to catch her set and welcome her to the New England Americana family...check out what she had to say about our questions below:

1)      First and foremost, who are you, what do you do? That is, what band are you in or are you a solo artist, what have you guys been up to leading up to the festival, anything exciting we should all know about? 

ML: My name is Michelle Lewis and I'm a singer/songwriter from Boston. I have one full length album (This Time Around) and two EPs (Broken and the Paris EP) under my belt. I just recorded three new songs for my next full length release, and recently returned from playing shows in Budapest.

2)      New England Americana and the Fest firmly plant their roots and morals in “community”. The event is a culmination of a community of musicians and artists that is going on all year. What does that community mean to you?

ML: It's so refreshing to see artists caring about and promoting each other, rather than the usual "it's all about me" attitude. Noel and John take the time to get to know you, care about your needs, and are honestly enthusiastic about what each artist is bringing to the festival. And that camaraderie spreads throughout the whole festival, from artists playing on each other's songs to attending each other's sets, and it's a pretty great thing.

3)      Name a record that shaped you as a musician early on. What music initially made you want to sing, or pick up an instrument and make music?

ML: I think I really got struck by the albums in my dad's record collection around the age of 14. Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel, You Don't Mess Around With Jim by Jim Croce and Sweet Baby James by James Taylor were all in heavy rotation. And then the wave of female singer/songwriters hit in the 90's (Jewel, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos) and it was all over, I knew I wanted to be one of them.

4)      What are you listening to now that you think folks should be aware of?

ML: I just downloaded the the Sarah Jarosz album, Build Me Up From Bones, and it's wonderful. And I recently became aware of these sisters from the Midwest, Lily & Madeleine, who are only 17 and are putting me to shame! They just have this amazing harmonization only sisters could have, and their sound is really lovely.

5)      Music  festivals, in general,  are fairly well known for surprise sit ins, improvisational jams and collaborations. If you could see any two of this year’s acts collaborate on stage at this year’s NEA Festival, who would you like to see?

ML: That's easy - myself and Eva Walsh :) This will be the first full set we have ever played together and I can't wait, she plays such beautiful fiddle.

6)      Why is creating music important to you? Why do you pick up your instrument and write songs? Why do you play that dive bar on a Thursday night? What keeps you going?

ML: Beauty and people. I have an intense need to make things around me beautiful. Whether it's a meal, a flower arrangement or a song, I want to make something beautiful for people to enjoy. When someone comes up to me after a performance to tell me how a certain song resonated with them, it makes me want to keep writing, singing and performing to bring joy to others, too.

Michelle can be found online at ALL outlets:

michellelewismusic.com

facebook.com/michellelewismusic
youtube.com/MichelleLewisMusic
soundcloud.com/michellelewis

twitter.com/michellelewis

And be sure to check out her set (with another one of my favorite ladies, Eva Walsh, sitting in) on Sunday  at the Brattle Stage at 1:00 PM.

Oh yeah! And on top of that, Michelle has some great other shows coming up too..

Sunday, October 6

The Burren

247 Elm Street

Davis Square, Somerville

8 p.m., free 

Tuesday, November 5

Club Passim

47 Palmer Street

Harvard Square, Cambridge

8 p.m., $15

Opening for Grace Pettis.

NEAF ' 13 Feature Artist: Andrew Kramer of Comanchero

Today we have a very special feature. A gentleman who not only plays in the festival with his band this weekend, but was also the co-engineer of the New England Americana recording project that will be released tonight! Very exciting stuff. I give you folks the co-owner of Riverview Studios and bass player/mandolin playing/whatever stringed instrument that is laying around player for Comachero (and all around good dude), Mr. Andrew Kramer.

1)      First and foremost, who are you, what do you do? That is, what band are you in or are you a solo artist, what have you guys been up to leading up to the festival, anything exciting we should all know about? Your chance for shameless self promotion…go!

Hi!  My name is Andrew Kramer.  I am Comanchero’s Bassist, and I occasionally get to play mandolin with the band as well.  Professionally, I am an audio engineer, so I also handle the band’s recording projects and assist with live sound as needed.

Comanchero frontman, Sam Margolis, and I are partners at Riverview Studios in Waltham, MA.  This is where the band practices and records, and where we recently completed the ‘New England Americana Project, Volume 2’ compilation album.

Comanchero teamed up with our good friends from The Honky Tonk Knights to record a song for the album.  We had loads of fun recording a ‘Spaghetti Western’ style version of a traditional folk song called 900 Miles.  The collaborative process was great.  It was a fun challenge for us to arrange and record the song, which Bob Moon (lead guitar) found in a book of old folk songs.  And working with the Honky Tonk Knights was a blast. 

It was truly an honor and a pleasure having so many great musicians through our studio to make this record.  Similarly, Comanchero has had a number of other exciting events leading up to the festival.  We did a small European tour this summer, including a music festival called Youbloom, in Dublin.  We had five songs licensed by PBS for a show called Road Trip Nation, and our song ‘The Other Side Of Town’ was recently featured in Relix Magazine’s September 2013 sampler CD.  The New England Americana Festival is always a highlight for us, and a great way to end the summer!

2)      New England Americana and the Fest firmly plant their roots and morals in “community”. The event is a culmination of a community of musicians and artists that is going on all year. What does that community mean to you?

Over the past several years, I have witnessed the local Americana community growing larger and tighter.  We are lucky to have such a thriving music scene here in Boston and in the northeast.  While every musician/band has his/her own unique style, we are all part of the same web, knit from the same fabric.  We’re all in this thing together!

I remember playing shows way back when, that made no sense whatsoever – Singer-Songwriter > Metal band > Hip Hop duo > Comanchero > Comedy act… you get the picture!  These days, people come out to our shows and they stay to enjoy the whole night, because the music flows better and the night is more cohesive.  You know what you’re gonna get, and in the end it feels good!

With our work in Riverview Studios, Sam and I have produced a series of compilation albums.  We made a holiday music compilation called ‘A Highlife Holiday’ and a St. Patrick’s Day compilation called ‘Everyone Is Irish’.  If you haven’t yet heard them, you should go to our page and get the FREE downloads: http://riverviewstudios.bandcamp.com/.  Producing these recordings and the recent New England Americana Project has been an amazing way to connect with other like-minded artists.  All while pouring our hearts into doing what we love to do – making music together.  Comanchero’s involvement in the local Americana community, and our dedication to music have made this all possible.

3)      Name a record that shaped you as a musician early on. What music initially made you want to sing, or

pick up an instrument and make music?

When I first picked up the bass, circa 1991, I was listening to a lot of classic rock.  I played my Led Zeppelin, IV, and Pink Floyd tapes until they nearly wore out, and listened to a lot of radio.  WZLX, WFNX, WBCN, WUMB, and WMBR, were some stations that really shaped me early on.  I would stay up late at night, tuning in local radio shows and making mix tapes, hitting record on an old boombox placed in front of the radio.  It didn’t matter what genre or style, it was exciting and it soothed the soul. 

A friend introduced me to country music, listening to Merle Haggard, Jimmy Rogers, Hank Williams, and Ralph Stanley at his parents’ house.  Family members would come from near and far, including the French Canadians, to ‘have a tune’ - a weekend of jamming and singing country music together.  I remember thinking how cool it was that these folks live far apart, but still get together every year to sing and play music together.  I could see this happening over time with my friends, and knew that we were building a musical family tradition of our own.  That sense of family still inspires me to make music.

4)      What are you listening to now that you think folks should be aware of?

I’m often listening to old vinyl in the studio, WUMB radio in the car, or to Pandora while doing house work.  I’ve been enjoying the Sarah Jarosz Pandora station in the morning, Willie Nelson’s station during the day, and Tom Waits’ station in the evening.  I like hearing the variety of musicians associated with an artist I’m following, and getting turned on to new stuff that way.  In fact, I learned of Sarah Jarosz from listening to the Chris Thile station!

5)      Music  festivals, in general,  are fairly well known for surprise sit ins, improvisational jams and collaborations. If you could see any two of this year’s acts collaborate on stage at this year’s NEA Festival, who would you like to see?

How many one-man-bands are their?  Can we pair Eric Royer and his amazing guitar-machine up with a similar multi-instrumental one-person act?  Could we still call them one-man-bands at that point?

Second choice; we get all the bass players on stage and play Spinal Tap’s ‘Big Bottom’.

6)      Why is creating music important to you? Why do you pick up your instrument and write songs? Why do you play that dive bar on a Thursday night? What keeps you going?

I can’t imagine life without music.  I am lucky to have multiple musical outlets in my life – songwriting and recording in the studio, playing shows, having a tune with friends and family in the living room, or singing in the car – it’s all good!  I even get to work with other people’s music, as an audio engineer on stage and in the studio.  

You don’t need to be a musician to experience the power of music.  Sometimes all you need to do is give yourself the gift of a night out, to see your local musicians perform.  We musicians feel that positive energy in the room, and it is shared and recycled; listener to musician, musician to listener; between you, and between us; full circle.  These are the kinds of things that keep us going.  

Check out Comanchero’s album, The Undeserved, and other free downloads here: http://comanchero.bandcamp.com/music  

Comanchero will be  playing at Tommy Doyles on Saturday at 8:40 PM.

(photo credits for first two pics to Johnny Arguedas)

NEAF '13 Feature Artist: Mark Whitaker

Today's New England Americana Fest featured artist is a gentlemen who I have a very great amount of respect for as a musician, songwriter, performer and friend. I first met Mark in a chance billing on a Tuesday night songwriter's gig. The crowd was pitiful, the room was dark and in a basement of the venue (due to an election party at the normal stage room), but to this day it is still one of my favorite shows I have played because of this guy's music. I just sat there in awe on my stool as Mark picked out some of the most beautiful and impressive banjo lines I have ever witnessed. To this day I am still blown away everytime I sit down around a table session to play with him and other friends, catch his full band, or just hanging out 'round noodling. All that, plus the guy has a killer, soulful voice and writes great, thoughtful songs.

Mark answered our good old questions. Check them out below:

1) First and foremost, who are you, what do you do? That is, what band are you in or are you a solo artist, what have you guys been up to leading up to the festival, anything exciting we should all know about? Your chance for shameless self promotion…go!

MW: I'm Mark Whitaker.  I'm a banjo player and singer-songwriter.  I often perform solo but have recently talked some other musicians into playing with me, so I also perform with a full band that includes fiddle, mandolin, and upright bass.  Our instrumentation definitely gives us a bluegrassy texture, but the style of music is closer to folk and pop.  (Still trying to find the best way to describe it.)  We'll be heading into the studio this November to record a full length album.  I'm aiming to have it ready to release by early next year, so stay tuned for that!

2) New England Americana and the Fest firmly plant their roots and morals in “community”.The event is a culmination of a community of musicians and artists that is going on all year. What does that community mean to you?

MW: That's a tough one because there are so many kinds of music and different aspects of music for communities to be centered around.  But as a performer I'd say community is about caring for your musical neighbors.  Presumably we create and share music with the hope that someone will care enough to give us their attention, their time, their money, their help, their opinion, etc.  Seems only fair that we give something of ourselves to others too.

3) Name a record that shaped you as a musician early on. What music initially made you want to

sing, or pick up an instrument and make music?

MW: The Beatles' made a huge impact on me in high school, particularly Abbey Road.  I was blown away by the range of moods they explored on that album.  It redefined the boundaries of creativity for me.

4) What are you listening to now that you think folks should be aware of?

MW: My favorite songwriter happens to be a Cambridge native named Noam Weinstein.  I met him when I moved to Boston in 2003 and played some bass for him on a few shows.  I've since become a super fan.  His music resonates with me on so many levels.  It's playful, insightful, tender, biting...  He's a wonderfully original musician and person.  Check him out! 

5) Music festivals, in general, are fairly well known for surprise sit ins, improvisational jams and collaborations. If you could see any two of this year’s acts collaborate on stage at this year’s NEA Festival, who would you like to see?

MW: I'd love to see David Gallagher jump in on vocals with any band playing a blues tune.  I can listen to him sing anything, but hearing him on songs with a bluesy/gospel vibe is especially satisfying.

6) Why is creating music important to you? Why do you pick up your instrument and write songs? Why do you play that dive bar on a Thursday night? What keeps you going?

MW: Creating music continues to be the most nourishing form of self-expression for me.  I guess that could change, but until it does I'll keep at it and will share it with whoever who wants to listen.

Mark can be found online at: http://www.markwhitakermusic.com/

And he can be found at the festival playing with The Whiskey Boys on Saturday night at Tasty Burger Bar, hitting the stage at 8:30 PM. Then, he will be playing a band set of his own tunes on Sunday at 5 PM in Winthrop Park. Be sure to catch this guy, he is truly a musical gift to this town and music community...plus, he may pop up in a few other acts as well. Who knows!

First Listen: Thomas Oliver "Old Men"

‘Old Men’ is a new track off of Thomas Oliver’s newest release “The Edge of America”.

Thomas Oliver harkens back to the time when country was country. This song is a bit of a throwback to country of the 70s for me. Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn and Charley Pride kind of country that I can bite into and get a good taste of the time for. It has a bit of that lonesome sound that I yearn for and instills a certain nostalgia in me that I didn’t know I wanted to feel. It’s a good thing.

The pedal steel makes its presence know right off of the bat and throughout the entire tune. Oliver’s voice is warm with that faint crackle needed to be a great country singer. The ensemble on the chorus plays a nice converse to the verse and the over all song. It has a great balance and rhythm to the structure. Has this been done before? Sure, but Thomas Oliver does it very well and in a world of people trying to make country music and falling short, the artist soars high above the competition.

They said old men, don’t sleep well in strange beds

when closing your eyes is an act of faith

All in all, the song has all the best elements of a good country song. Twangy guitars, a heartworn vocalist, and a soft waltzing rhythm section. I can say that I actually enjoyed this tune greatly and it is sticking with me long after my listening to it.

Check out Thomas Oliver online at: http://thomas-oliver.com/