Matthew Santos, Ben Joseph and the Mathematics, and Jennifer Hall at Schubas on 9/3/11

I was invited by Jennifer Hall to her CD release party on 9/3/11. My friend's husband was mocking me for leaving what was a perfectly good beach day to drive in from Michigan, risking life and limb, navigating thunderstorms, to attend this show. It was well worth the effort. Good thing we were early at 8:30 or I would have missed the unexpected good fortune of hearing the opening act, Matthew Santos. He is self-described as a folk-rock-soul singer. Unknown to me before this night, he is clearly an up and coming star having already recorded the hit "Superstar" with Lupe Fiasco and having the likes of Phil Collins supply him with drum tracks for his release. Here is an interview and live performance from 2008:



I approached him after the show with my blog cards and complimented his scatting prowess. Now I know why he looked at me like "whatevs lady ". So I did not know his background, that he has been singing since age 6 (and is now 28), or that he has famous musicians like Lupe Fiasco performing and recording the hit "Superstar" with him and giving him props.

Here is the song "Superstar" for your listening pleasure:

	Lupe Fiasco - Superstar .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Embedded here is another video from a show in Iowa that features the both Matthew Santos and his beautiful girlfriend/violinist/back-up vocalist, Chihsuan Yang:

with other guests.

Video of Matthew and Chihsuan performing "Summertime" and "Shadows in a Shoebox" at Schubas on 9/3/11:



Needless to say, I was caught completely off guard and blown away. I was not expecting such a great opening act. We will for sure be able to say that we met him at this small bar in Lakeview before he was huge. I will also be able to offer self-mockery about handing him my blog card. You never know, he may actually read this and think "well at least the music blog lady has good taste". Due to the music stand awkwardly blocking a direct view of Matthew on stage (what up with that?), his performance gets a 4.5 out of 5 guitar rating!

Jennifer Hall performing "Young Things": (see previous post on Jennifer Hall CD Review) -



Jean Harlow


Jennifer Hall at Schubas



Jennifer Hall's vocals did not disappoint. Her vocals were perfect and revealed no sign of first CD release party jitters. Live, she not only can deliver a ballad with finesse but can rock out hard. For some reason just listening to her release did not make this obvious to me. Her look was Jean Harlow, high red platform heals, black skirt and top, and her platinum blonde locks coiffed for the occasion. Jennifer has the talent and looks to succeed in the singer songwriter arena. My main constructive criticism of the performance was in the showmanship. As is true with many vocalists who are not playing an instrument, it is a necessary skill to figure out what to do with your hands and body during a show. Maybe adding a little microphone bling as a prop would be useful. Jennifer also cussed a bit too much and unnecessarily, to fill empty air time. This brings down the class and undermines professionalism. An alternative suggestion would be stories or intros. I personally respond well to stories that introduce and give background to a song. These intros can be precisely mapped out and the delivery can be fine tuned with humor. Jennifer mentioned before one song that it was "about a guy" and that was it. Lastly, it is crucial to introduce your band mates correctly. Although she acknowledged her faux pas, one must be prepared for this basic ritual. It may be that in time these refinements would work themselves out. I am always left wondering in these situations why a performer is not coached or sensitively advised by a peer or mentor, about showmanship. I can't be the only one who notices "areas in need of improvement" right? Having said this, I did greatly enjoy the show as did my friends. We are looking forward to seeing how future shows improve and whether these blemishes are ironed out. Jennifer is opening for the Redwalls at Lincoln Hall next. I look forward to reading the review.

Jennifer Hall - In This - CD Review

In This - Jennifer Hall – CD Review

Jennifer Hall has a background in musical theater and has performed, since the age of 12, in over 20 musicals up through high school (including Annie, Oliver, Fiddler On The Roof, Aida, Into The Woods etc.). She also loves jazz and blues and listened to lots of Ella Fitzgerald, Bonnie Raitt, and Billie Holiday. Other favorite artists include Jeff Buckley, old soul singers, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Wilco, and Radiohead amongst others. This well-rounded and eclectic taste for music both old and new has clearly shaped Jennifer’s songwriting and vocals.

I was able to catch a glimpse of Jennifer’s talent and a foreshadowing of what is destined to be an exciting CD release party when I found myself last minute at Uncommon Ground during a singer-songwriter showcase night in July. That night, Jennifer sang a duet with a fellow singer-songwriter, Jessica Robbins. I like to think I have the ability to “discover talent” and if I am right, Jennifer Hall will become a known name soon. She is already securing gigs at Schubas and Lincoln Hall (and they are picky about their bookings). I have not personally met Jennifer Hall yet but am looking forward to her CD release party at Schubas on 9/3/11 and the opportunity to see her mesmerize us with her exceptional vocals during her live show.

Jennifer’s debut release, In This, features eleven diverse tracks that emphasize Jennifer’s versatility, vocal style, and her years of honing her skills as a singer-songwriter. Her writing is very dynamic ranging anywhere from folk, Broadway musical, jazz ballad, blues, and pop. The first song on the new release, “I’ll Follow” is boldly sung a cappella. Brave for anyone, even a veteran singer, to do. This sparse vocal as well has the second track, “Green and Blue” reminded me of a talented ex-Chicago jazz singer, (admittedly one that I adore and previously studied under) Jackie Allen, who also came to write her own songs and performed in Chicago and elsewhere for many years before moving to Indiana. “Green and Blue” is beautifully written and sung. At first listen to In This, you can identify Jennifer as being experienced in musical theater. In particular, the third track “When we were good” and sixth track “Forget my name” could both easily be used as Broadway numbers. The second thought I had when listening to my favorite track, “Young Things” was: is Jennifer related in any way to Bonnie Raitt? This song, through use of a jazzy, bluesy vocal, shows passion, depth and the creativity that underscore Jennifer’s talents. “Oceans”, an outstanding well-written ballad, reveals Jennifer’s vulnerability. I might actually cry when she sings it live. Jennifer had a long list of favorite singers and bands listed on her Facebook page, but left out a favorite of mine that she must surely identify with, Brandi Carlile. “Like I lie to you” both vocally and instrumentally could be Brandi’s.

All of the comparisons and similarities made in this review are a testament to Jennifer Hall’s talent and ability to morph her vocals into different genres of music. In This is a great first release that gives us the highlights of what Jennifer is capable of. Each song has its own flavor and she definitely does not demonstrate the “every song sounds the same” style that many songwriters fall prey too. I am looking forward to hearing more from Jennifer and seeing what direction her claim in the music arena takes. She certainly should remain “In This” and stake her claim.

If you want more on Jennifer Hall, and you should, check out, jenniferhall.com (coming soon), the FB page: facebook.com/jennhallmusic or the band camp site: jenniferhall.bandcamp.com. Upcoming CD release party is at Schubas on Saturday, 9/3/11 ($10 cover). Don’t miss it!

Rachele Eve and Singer-Songwriters at Uncommon Ground on 7/23/11

Last minute, my husband and I walked over to Uncommon Ground on Clark and Grace at 10pm for a little music and a beer (having the grandparents in town allowed us this rare freedom to part with our children on the spur of a moment).

The line up this night in the singer-songwriter showcase included Jessica Robbins, Jennifer Hall, Rachele Eve, Gabe Leibowitz, Matt Crews, Adam Hitchell, and Ty Maxon. I sat next to Jessica Robbins who had a lovely voice and coincidentally happened to be the roommate of Rachele Eve. Sometime in 2010 I was listening to an interview that Rachele did for XRT and her voice reminded me of some of my favorite artists (Rachel Yamagata, Feist and Melody Gardot). I wrote her name down on a piece of paper and lost it somewhere. Seeing her perform was on my list, even pre-blog. Tonight she did back up vocals for Ty Maxonl and did not do any of her own songs. This was really just a tease. See her video below for the real thing.



I particularly appreciated Jessica Robbins, Jennifer Hall, and Ty Maxon as talented singers and writers. Jessica's vocals are feminine and demure. Jennifer did a duet with her and clearly had a strong voice with great range. I would like to see her in a solo performance. Lastly, Ty was a talented guitarist, writer, and vocalist. The back room at Uncommon Ground is a very small room with great acoustics. The intimidation factor should be as low as it gets. The performers tonight did not do well with eye contact or great story telling (which I realize is a skill that needs developing for most folks). Adam came close, telling a funny tale of flooding in the lobby of his building but did not connect to the audience with any eye contact. Just my observation and hopefully meant as constructive criticism. It is tough to get up in front of an audience especially if you are generally shy.

Here is a song videotaped at a previous Uncommon Ground gig by Ty Maxon:



I found this video of Jessica Robbins singing an Iron and Wine song with Adam HItchell (Adam was not seen by me live tonight but worth seeing in the future):



Jessica will be performing at SPACE in Evanston on August 9th. Check her out!

Note to self: Do not forget about the local singer-songwriter scene easily enjoyed in an intimate setting at Uncommon Ground for low to no cover. Great food, drink, music, in a relaxing atmosphere. It is also great to support the local music scene and singers trying to make it in a very competitive music world.