Music:

Member Since: 4/25/2006
Band Members:

Proudly presenting the following artists for your consideration in 2008/09...

David Jacobs-Strain
DavidJacobs-Strain.com

"The show at the Fur Peace Station last night was simply outstanding. David Jacobs-Strain opened with a spectacular set. A thoroughly young musician while still being totally at home with the tradition and idiom, his performance was stellar! Add to this his marvelous voice and there you have the new guard coming on strong." "...If there is any more perfection in life than this on a late summer evening, I need to know about it!"
--Jorma Kaukenon, Online Diary, August 27, 2006, Fur Peach Ranch

Biography
It seems a little odd to be referring to someone in their early twenties as a veteran, but for blues guitarist David Jacobs-Strain, it’s a moniker that’s both deserved and humbly accepted. After picking up a guitar at a garage sale when he was only nine years old, Jacobs-Strain’s mother quickly insisted on him taking lessons, which in turn opened the youngster up to the wondrous world of American folk music. His musical immersion was further supplemented by listening to old country blues songs on the radio in his hometown of Eugene, Oregon. But the real turning point for Jacobs-Strain came a little further down the road, after witnessing Taj Mahal perform live.
Unlike many young blues artists, his main instrument is the acoustic guitar, and in addition to playing classic slide style, Jacobs-Strain also gets into some fancy picking sometimes reminiscent of Michael Hedges. In a way, he recalls another outstanding blues-influenced guitar player, Kelly Joe Phelps.
While Jacobs-Strain embraces American blues traditions, there is nothing conventional about the way he throws himself headfirst into his music. From the steamy Mississippi Delta to the dusty plains of the Midwest, Jacobs-Strain draws from a vast musical landscape and one not simply restricted to American shores. Ask him about his influences and the names of Indian slide guitar players flow just as freely as American ones.
“I play blues and I play slide guitar, but I’m not a traditional act,” explained Jacobs-Strain. “I have been influenced by a lot of stuff that is not really part of the blues or the tradition that I am coming out of. I’m not really interested in reproducing old songs note for note, but finding my own way of playing. The cross pollination of different styles is certainly important to me. But it’s not like I’m not trying to take blues and combine it with something in particular. I’m just trying to find my own voice within the blues, and I think bringing in those textures and sounds can really open up the language of the genre.”
In drawing from such a wide musical palette, Jacob-Strain aims to offer up a vibrant glimpse into the diversity of blues music. He feels there is a perception that mainstream blues is stale and long past its used-by date, something he feels isn’t far from the truth, based solely on the myriad of people out there doing Stevie Ray Vaughan covers. But Jacobs-Strain is also aware of the musical balancing act that comes with being a bluesman. In attempting to breathe new life into a discipline that he embraces and loves, he must also remain respectful of the genre’s origins and traditions. “I think a lot of people think of blues as being people like Stevie Ray Vaughan,” said Jacobs-Strain. “But there is so much more to it. I recognize that ‘the blues’ is a marketing term more than anything else, and that there are so many forms of music that are part of the blues that don’t fit into the marketing category at all. For me, it’s just a way of emoting in a direct and raw kind of way … And when people get past that marketing hurdle, they will see just how broad it is.”
So while it's strange to refer to someone so young as a "veteran,' it's not inaccurate. David Jacobs-Strain is a veteran bluesman. He has shared the stage with the likes of Los Lobos, Bob Weir, David Lindley, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Janis Ian, Taj Mahal, Sonny Landreth, Lucinda Williams, and Del Rey and Steve James. They all know what you can now find out: David Jacobs-Strain is the real deal; he's a dynamic blues prodigy. Like a diesel powerhouse of raw energy, David speeds across the landscape of the Country Blues to the earthbound grooves of the Mississippi Delta, with his driving slide guitar and fervent vocals. His passion stretches the limits of the blues with blazing guitar breakdowns that verge on psychedelia. Board the train and find out for yourself!
Discography

Chris Ayer
ChrisAyer.net

"Ayer's effort has it all--tight arrangements, excellent musicality and imaginative lyrics. If you're looking for great music, this is the place indeed."
-- Performing Songwriter Magazine, March 2007

Biography
Chris got his start singing along to old cassette tapes of Elvis & Paul Simon on car rides as a kid growing up in Virginia. When his Dad got him his first guitar as a teen (cheap left-handed ones were hard to find), he began writing songs that same day. After moving to northern California, he started sharing his songs locally, while studying philosophy and music at Stanford University. Chris released his first EP, STATIC, in 2003 (1,000+ sold), and followed it up with a live album in 2004, an album of acoustic demos in 2005, along with a largely self-produced EP, NEW SONGS (2005).
"Ayer’s effort has it all—tight arrangements, excellent musicality and imaginative lyrics. If you’re looking for great music, this is the Place indeed."
- Performing Songwriter Magazine
"He's talented... the last thing he needs is a (John) Mayer comparison; this guy is beyond Mayer. He's Bright Eyes mixed with James Taylor in the form of James Dean."
- URB Magazine
After some time out of school spent writing and playing local bar gigs in northern California, Chris decided to head east, and moved out to New York City. Lately he's spent most of his time traveling town to town, playing for anyone who wants to listen.
"This is the Place" shows a sophisticated level of maturity for a young singer/songwriter... he’s got everything working in his favor. Imaginative choruses and pop hooks that eschew pure infectious melodies. Grab on and hold tight."
– smother.net
His first full-length album, This Is The Place, was recorded in Nashville and produced by Jason Gantt (The Chieftains, Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill). Collaborating with friends he's met along the way, Chris wrote and created a traveling album about looking to feel at home in the world. It blends his influences and the experiences of his young years into a cycle of songs that explore the journey back to the present moment. Never more at home than when he is out playing, Chris is back out on the road, and will be traveling and playing shows throughout 2007.
"This album has that controlled frantic pace, that almost feels like an album exploding from someone’s soul... A wonderful album, with some sparks of sheer creative bliss."
- Indie Launchpad
"Part street poet, part armchair philosopher, indie singer/songwriter Chris Ayer will leave you smiling whether you feel like smiling or not. You gotta love this guy... This Is The Place is a delightful discovery."
- BuddyHollywood.com
Discography

Eric Steckel
EricSteckel.com



Biography
Music has shaped Eric’s life since the day he was born. As a cranky infant he was soothed to sleep by the early 90s sounds of Country Music Television. As he learned to walk his first steps were to the cassette player where his personal favorites were The Allman Brothers and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Childhood piano lessons soon turned into Blues jams and before long he picked up his first fender Stratocaster. There was no looking back…..
After sitting in with some of the finest performers in his Pennsylvania hometown, Eric's passion for the Blues enabled him to soon share the stage with many nationally known artists including Bob Margolin, Debbie Davies, James Armstrong, Steve Guyger, Kenny Neal, Chris Beard, Tommy Castro, Joe Kubek, Bnois King, Solomon Burke, Ronnie Baker Brooks and Hubert Sumlin.
With a feeling and natural ability that could not be explained for someone so young, Eric delivered a Freddie-BB-Albert King influenced performance with an intensity and skill that belied his youth.
The Eric Steckel Band's debut CD, "A Few Degrees Warmer", was recorded live in April 2002 when Eric was a mere 11 years old. A Few Degrees quickly became a CD Baby Top Blues Seller and the record continues to delight Blues Guitar fans across the globe.
In November of 2003 the "ESB" appeared at the Sarasota Blues Festival where Eric’s powerful set and cameo appearances became the talk of the day. Before the night was over Eric was introduced by John Mayall as the youngest person ever on stage with the Bluesbreakers.
Eric left a lasting impression on Mayall and in the Summer of 2004, Eric appeared in Sweden, Norway and Denmark as a special guest with John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers during their Scandinavian Tour. In early 2005 Eric traveled to Los Angeles where he joined Mayall for session work on the Bluesbreaker's "Road Dogs" record.
The ESB developed their own faithful following through years of club gigs and festival appearances including opening sets in support of Marcia Ball, Tommy Castro, Shemekia Copeland and B.B. King.
The band released a studio record titled "High Action" in 2004 and traveled to Holland and Belgium in 2005 for a 10 concert tour promoted by Rounder-Europe and King Bee Music.
After relocating to Jacksonville, Florida, Eric was introduced to Duane Trucks who joined the band in late 2005 on drums. Music fans may immediately recognize Duane as Derek's younger brother and the nephew of Butch Trucks.
In celebration of Duane's arrival, the ESB released their third record, "Havana". Deeply rooted in the Blues, this live recording recalled the sound of the 60s and 70s Blues Rock era.
In support of the European release of "Live at Havana" through Rounder-Europe, the ESB returned to Holland in 2006 where they had the honor to open for Johnny Winter at The Paradiso in Amsterdam and appeared at the Tegelen Blues Rock Festival.
The Summer of 2007 marked another milestone for Eric as the band played several prominent American music festivals and earned rave reviews and new fans during tours in Holland, Germany, Belgium and Italy, including a prime time performance at the legendary Pistoia Blues Festival where he opened in prime time for John Mayall and Gregg Allman.
Eric greeted 2008 by emerging from the recording studio with a host of new songs to be released on an all new record titled “Feels Like Home”. Supported by solid session performances from Duane Trucks on Drums and Mike Esposito on Bass Guitar, “Feels Like Home” marks another stunning achievement for Eric as the one-time boy-wonder-guitar-hero is now a matured guitarist who combines his Bluesy feel with eclectic influences and modern songwriting. “Feels Like Home” is currently scheduled for a March 2008 release.
In support of “Feels Like Home” Eric has teamed up with one of his original influences and early mentor Craig Thatcher to develop a new road band, “Eric Steckel and CTB”.
The Craig Thatcher Band has a well-earned reputation for blending classic rock and blues with a joy of playing that’s up front and bold. With their own worldwide recognition and a slew of music awards the CTB is recognized by many as one of the best bands on the East Coast.
Eric Steckel and CTB is a must-see-live performing band.
Discography
Coming soon!
Sounds Like: Chris Ayer & David Jacobs-Strain - "Silence" - pre-show warm up at SOhO in Santa Barbara 1/21/08.
David Jacobs-Strain & Chris Ayer - "These Days" - pre-show warm up at SOhO in Santa Barbara 1/21/08.
David Jacobs-Strain & Chris Ayer - "Silence" - live at SOhO in Santa Barbara 1/21/08.
Type of Label: Indie