Yamagata, Edwards, Hazlewood and Ellis all performing June 25
By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times
If your taste in music veers in the direction of solo artists — singer-songwriters who craft songs that blend insightful lyrics and pleasant melodies — and you’re looking for a show to attend on June 25, you’re in good shape.
There will be a number of top flight solo artists performing around the area tonight including Rachel Yamagata, Jonathan Edwards, Ben Hazlewood and Robert Ellis.
Yamagata will be performing at the World Café Live at the Queen (500 North Market Street, Wilmington, 302- 994-1400, www.queen.worldcafelive.com).
Rachel Yamagata released her first album “Happenstance” in 2004. The singer, who hails from Fairfax, Virginia, has been working on a new album which was originally expected to released early this year.
But, things rarely go as expected in the music industry. Yamagata has signed with Thirty Tigers Records. The new album “Tightrope Walker” will have a birthday release in the fall. Yamagata’s birthday is September 23 — a birthday she shares with other creative artists such as John Coltrane, Bruce Springsteen and me.
Gripped by the indecisive nature of true Librans, Yamagata weighs all decisions heavily — especially when it comes to making her music.
“It took awhile to get the final version of the songs on the new album,” said Yamagata, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from her home in Woodstock, New York. “It was so close. It’s like — get it finished already. Even with the tracking, I was making changes right up to the end. At one point, I had to let go. It can be painful.
“It was mostly recorded at my home in Woodstock, New York and we did some at Village Recorders. A lot of it was done in an organic set-up in my living room or outside. I live on 12 acres with a lot of nature that is conducive to being creative.
“I worked in a really comfortable environment. I recorded a lot at home — whenever I felt the inspiration. There were a lot of advantages in doing it at home. Unlike in a recording studio, you don’t have to look up at a clock. I wanted complete freedom without pressure from a studio.
“I have a complete studio set up in my home and my boyfriend is a recording engineer. This is the first record where I took on more of a producer role. I did a lot of trial-and-error with the arrangements and musicians. Producing it myself, I was able to work on instincts.
“Some of the production ideas I used are ones I wouldn’t have arrived at with another person adding input. I didn’t have to record songs in parts. I worked hard on 15 songs doing a lot of revisions, re-recording and re-tracking — revising them until they felt really interesting to me. I used banjos, mandolins, sax and drums. I even sampled patterns of rain on a stool.”
The new album is organic — and diverse.
“Even with the songwriting, I had to deal with making decisions,” said Yamagata. “There was a lot of reworking of the songs. I took a different approach this time. Last time, I had a billion songs. This time, I stuck with 15.
“The songs are all very different. It’s like a new sound for me. They are very big and there are edgy, angular arrangements. It’s not as traditional as some of my earlier albums –it’s riskier. It’s more of a positive record.
“The theme of ‘Tightrope Walker’ — I loved the idea of perseverance and of taking risks…of pursuing what you love no matter what. It’s about the relentless pursuit of your passion and not giving up. It’s more empowering than anything I’ve done before. Metaphorically, it aligned with my career.”
Video link for Rachel Yamagata — https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=y_0GbrmMxXI.
The show at the World Café Live at the Queen will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17 and $25.
On June 29, Downingtown native Liz Longley will share the bill with Delta Rae at the Queen.
Longley is a talented singer-songwriter who graduated from Downingtown High and Berklee College of Music in Boston and is now one of the brightest young talents in the Nashville music scene.
Her new album “Weightless” will be released on August 26 and she will follow with a headline album support tour in the fall.
Jonathan Edwards
If it seems like singer-songwriter Jonathan Edwards has been around forever, there is a good reason. He has been around forever. His first album “Jonathan Edwards” was released 45 years ago and contained the classic hit “Sunshine.”
Edwards is still recording and touring. Currently, his live shows are in support his new album “Tomorrow’s Child.” One of those shows will take place June 25 at The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com).
“I pretty much just do shows on weekends these days,” said Edwards, during a phone interview Tuesday while on a family visit in West Palm Beach, Florida. “Some of my shows are solo and some are with other musicians. The show at Steel City will be solo.”
“Tomorrow’s Child” was produced by four-time Grammy Award nominee Darrell Scott. On the album, Edwards is accompanied by such roots music luminaries as Shawn Colvin, Jerry Douglas, John Cowan, Vince Gill, and Alison Krauss.
“My manager suggested working with Dale Scott,” said Edwards. “It was instant bromance and love. He suggested to the album like we all used to. He suggested to have all the musicians in the same room — listening to each other and playing together — and to just let the tape roll.
“The album happened so quickly — and so easily. It took just three days. We recorded it digitally but I wish we could have gone to tape. We still used vintage microphones. We recorded it at Southern Ground Studio in Nashville. We got the record to include as much of the room sound as we could.
“With the musicians, it was an instant family. We recorded the album like we were singers in the round performing onstage. I don’t think there was a ‘Take 3’ on the whole album.”
Since 1971, Edwards has released 15 albums, including “Blue Ridge,” his standard-setting collaboration with bluegrass favorites the Seldom Scene, and “Little Hands,” his collection of children’s songs, which was honored with a National Library Association award.
With such a catalogue from which to draw, putting together a set list for a show can be a daunting task.
“Putting together a set list is a low point in my day — and always at the last minute,” said Edwards. “I try to do songs that people know. When I play an old song, I put my brain back into the time when the song was created. And, I try to slip in some new stuff. I keep it as spontaneous as possible.”
Four decades into a stellar career of uncompromising musical integrity, Edwards continues to deliver with songs of passion, songs of insight, songs of humor, all rendered in his instantly identifiable, pure and powerful tenor.
Video link for Jonathan Edwards — https://youtu.be/TfQR724hfoA.
The show at Steel City, which is presented by Diving Cat Studio Gallery, will start at 8 p.m. with tickets priced at $25. The venue will also host The Doubleclicks on June 26.
Robert Ellis
Like Edwards, Robert Ellis is a singer-songwriter and guitarist. Unlike Edwards, Ellis’ career as a professional musician spans just a few years rather than a few decades.
Ellis, who will be performing on June 25 at MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 215- 925-6455, www.milkboyphilly.com), just released his eponymous fourth album on June 3 via New West Records. The 11-song, self-titled set is his most personal statement yet and a summation of his career thus far.
Ellis’ previous albums were “The Great Re Arranger” in 2009, “Photographs” in 2011 and “The Lights from the Chemical Plant” in 2014.
“I grew up in a small town is south Texas called Lake Jackson,” said Ellis, during a phone interview Wednesday. “It was a company town for Dow Chemical. The chemical industry was the driving force there.
“With all the lights at the chemical plants, it looked like New York City at night. That’s what inspired the title song from my last album. The album was all about finding beauty in an unlikely place.”
The recently-released album was self-produced by Ellis at Sugar Hill Studios in his hometown of Houston, Texas with engineer Steve Christensen (Steve Earle) and mixed by John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.).
“The new album stylistically took on its own life,” said Ellis. “. I think the harmonic choices are pretty incestuous. Lyrically — I was going through a lot so there’s a lot of personal stuff in there. I’m a story writer. At times, I start with me and then the character takes off on his own.”
Ellis is not a naturally prolific songwriter.
“I have to work at it,” said Ellis. “When I was younger, it seemed a lot easier. Now, it seems like there are so many options. Sometimes, a song will start with a melodic idea. Sometimes, it’s an image. Sometimes, it’s a phrase.
“I do know that I write a lot of stuff that doesn’t grab my attention and just sits in my computer. To put out something, I have to really believe in it. Some songwriters write 10 songs a year and they go on an album. If I’m constantly grinding away at songwriting, I find nuggets.”
Video link for Robert Ellis — https://youtu.be/S420yAdavVQ.
The show at MilkBoy Philly, which has Tom Brosseau as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18.
Ben Hazlewood
The television show “The Voice” has boosted the careers of a number of artists. Ben Hazlewood, will perform at on June 25 at The Voltage Lounge (421 North Seventh Street, Philadelphia, 215- 964-9602, http://voltagelounge.com/) as part of “The Grow Wild Tour,” was one of the top competitors on “The Voice” in 2012.
But, unless you were watching via internet, you probably have never heard of him because it was the Australia version of “The Voice” not the American one.
One of the original contestants on Australia’s first season of “The Voice” (Joel Madden’s team), Hazelwood has come to the United Staes to pursue a musical career here. He released his seven-song EP “Vanta” in the states on June 3 and now is out on an introductory tour.
Earlier this year, Hazlewood released the single “Wanted.” The video went on to win MTV’s The Freshman competition in March and was added into rotation on mtvU. The first single, “Paint Me Black,” was released in 2015.
“I’ve been living in Australia for the last eight years — Sydney and Melbourne — but I was born in Wellington, New Zealand,” said Hazlewood, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon.
“I grew up in a musical household. My mom was a performing arts teacher. She had her won school. My dad was a singer-songwriter. He was a huge fan of (New Zealand bands) Split Enz and Crowded House.
“I’ve always been around performing and it’s become a big part of me. Even at a young age, I loved singing and performing. I’d sing with my dad and his mates. I also sang at the performing arts school that my mother had.
“When I was younger, I played rugby and field hockey. Then, I gave up sports in high school and spent time making music with bands. And, I’ve always been doing solo stuff even when I was playing in a band.”
Hazlewood released his debut album “Loveless” in 2013. It was mostly a pop record but it definitely had R&B and soul in its DNA.
“I started working with a producer named Duncan Sparks in New Zealand when I was 14,” said Hazlewood. “It wasn’t until a few years go that I went off on a solo career. Duncan had moved to Nashville and we got back in touch. I got him to produce my new record. He knew what the sound was that I wanted — and the vibe that I wanted.
“The whole EP was written and recorded in Nashville. We co-wrote all the tracks but one, which I wrote myself. We started writing together about a year ago and got a lot of stuff together. This is just the first installment.”
The EP was recorded at Sparks’ studio with some of additional recording done at Ocean Way Recording in Nashville.
“A lot of the instruments on the album were played by Jeff Duncan (real name of Duncan Sparks),” said Hazlewood. “We used the drummer from my band and had a girl come in and play cello. The whole vibe if the EP is pretty anthemic with a lot of space. The live show has more of a rock element.”
Video link for Ben Hazlewood — https://youtu.be/dGUIOrCS7tI.
The Grow Wild Tour, which also features Round2Crew, Bad Feelings, Will Jay, Dylan Holland, Zach Matari, The House On Cliff and Rivers Monroe, will start at 4 p.m. at the Voltage Lounge. Tickets are $15.
