Black Jake & the Carnies profile picture

Black Jake & the Carnies

About Me

Black Jake and The Carnies sing of murder and bloody corpses but somehow they make it all entertaining and interesting. They race through bluegrass flavored songs as if they have a jug of moonshine in one hand and a bottle of amphetamines in the other. If you're a bluegrass purist or a fan of Peter, Paul, and Mary folk music, you'll probably hate Black Jake and The Carnies but I don't think they care. They are having too much fun. If you like punk music and you like bluegrass and you have an open mind, Black Jake and The Carnies will make you smile.
"Where the Heather Don't Grow", The Carnies' debut record was released in April and is available now!
.. var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document·location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document·write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); .. .. try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6116626-2"); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {}..


Myspace Layouts - Myspace Editor - Image Hosting

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 19/10/2004
Band Website: blackjakeandthecarnies.com
Band Members:

Black Jake -- lead vocals / banjo / songs
Gus -- fiddle
Zach Pollock -- mandolin
Caleb Lee Johnson -- vocals /train whistle/jug/limberjack/slappin' hisself
Joe Cooter -- bass guitar
Chris Westhoffer -- guitar
Billy the Kingpin LaLonde -- drums / washboard / vocals
Jesse Miller -- Accordion

Influences:

Sounds Like: Sounds:
1/06/09 - The Ark from zman
9/12/08 - WDET Detroit Today (last 30 mins)
5/17/08 - Record Release - Elbow Room
5/17/08 - Record Release - Elbow Room (Semi-live)
3/17/08 - Elbow Room
2/28/08 - WBSR's Phoning It In
8/31/07 - Elbow Room (semi-live)
8/31/07 - Elbow Room

Reviews/Previews:
Metro Mode - Wigout Recap
Recoil Magazine - Album Review
Detroit Wig Out
Country Home (Denmark) - Album Review
The Washtenaw Voice - Album Review
Western Herald: Album Review
Americana Daily: Album Review
Detroit Free Press: Blowout Wrap-up
The 780.00s: Album Review
Detroit Free Press: Blowout Preview
Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange: Album Review
The Muse's Muse: Album Review
American UK: Album Review
Metro Times: Ark Preview
Detroit Free Press: Ark Preview
The Current: Ark Preview
Jackson Citizen Patriot: Best of 2008
Whatz Up: Album Review
All Music Guide: Album Review
Toledo City Paper: Preview
Jackson Citizen Patriot: Concert Review
PPNA: Full Freight Banjo
The Post-Rockist: MTB Concert Review

On the web:
Carnies on Pandora Radio
CD Baby - Buy the record
Reverb Nation
Last FM
EPK on SonicBids
Photos on Flickr
Videos on UTube

Type of Label: Unsigned

My Blog

New Blog, WEMU, etc

Black Jake & the Carnies have started a blog at: blackjakeandthecarnies.blogspot.com/If you visit, you will find random rants, political discussions (the Carnies represent a wide range of political vi...
Posted by on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:15:00 GMT

It's An International Shakedown

Zach informed us the other day that our album has been illegally downloaded 1258 times. Intrigued, I did a little research of my own and have reached a total closer to 2000 downloads in countries on...
Posted by on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:10:00 GMT

Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange Review

Where the Heather Don't Grow A review written for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange by Mark S. Tucker ([email protected]).Heh!, these guys have originated "crabgrass", a blend of bluegrass, Americ...
Posted by on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:51:00 GMT

Recent Press/Reviews

Hey all,Below are links and text for a few recent reviews and press articles.  My favorite quote is from the Muse's Muse: "If you're abluegrass purist or a fan of Peter, Paul, and Mary folk music, you...
Posted by on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:49:00 GMT

Playing the Ark in Ann Arbor this Tuesday - Jan 6

Happy New Year friends! Just one more reminder that we will kick off 2009 with a very special show next Tuesday at the famed Ark in Ann Arbor.  We will be playing all the old favorites as well a...
Posted by on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:08:00 GMT

Whatz Up, Fort Wayne, IN Review

Black Jake & The Carnies Where The Heather Don't Grow They call themselves "The Original Kings of Crabgrass," and once you hear the synthesis of banjo, fiddle and mandolin-fired bluegrass/Pi...
Posted by on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:44:00 GMT

Ella Sharp Art and Wine Fest Review

Another review, this one of a recent show, from the Jackson Citizen Patriot.  Thanks to Rochelle and Dave, and everyone else that made the event a success.Art and wine enjoyed by all, unlike my T...
Posted by on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 03:57:00 GMT

AMG review by Steve Leggett

Review by Steve LeggettBlack Jake & the Carnies are a curious octet out of Ypsilanti, MI who specialize in a kind of raucous acoustic Americana that tosses post modern Appalachian murder...
Posted by on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:01:00 GMT

We are taking July off

We decided a while back that we'd take the entire month of July off from playing gigs, and we're stickin' to it.  We've had to turn down a lot of really great sounding gigs to stick to our promis...
Posted by on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:58:00 GMT

Recent Press

June 16th 2008 ..."My favorite part, however, was watching the crowd's reaction to Black Jake and the Carnies, who hail from Ypsilanti. Band leader Black Jake plays banjo, and for this show he was bac...
Posted by on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:50:00 GMT