Todd Widell(Y-del) grew up in San Antonio, Texas, but was soon drawn to the breezy, mild weather of Southern California. Settling in Laguna Beach, he spent two years working nights and having days free, which provided his initial inspiration for songwriting. Todd eventually returned to school at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he earned a degree in Film.
Playing various shows in the Los Angeles area, he met a major influence in his musical development, Chili Charles. Chili’s projects span jazz, blues, and reggae, with independent releases on Virgin Records in the 1970’s, and an illustrious career that included performances & recordings with Muddy Waters, Daniel Lanois, Van Dyke Parks, Brian Wilson, and a brief stint as an Innocent Criminal - touring with his son, Oliver Charles, and Ben Harper.
Chili’s interest in Todd’s music was a catalyst on numerous levels. With Evan Calbi on upright bass and slide guitar, they worked with producer Tom Caffey to complete a demo featuring Left Unseen (originally titled “Late Night Saturdayâ€), Runaway and A Little Taste. Encouraged by friends and listeners of the demo, Todd wrote eight additional tunes including Open Your Eyes, Train, & Over Your Shoulder, to complete the debut album. He soon found himself in the office of Ryan Adams manager, Frank Callari, then head of A&R at Lost Highway in Nashville, but an offer to distribute was not extended and the cd was released independently.
LATE NIGHT SATURDAY has been played at 100+ college & AAA stations in the U.S. & Canada, and premiered commercially on 91X in San Diego. It made CDBaby’s “Top Sellers†list and was added to the Awarestore catalogue of independent notables. Gigs at Hotel Cafe in L.A.,the Muse in Nantucket, and 12Bar club in London eventually provided an opportunity to open for Sheryl Crow.
Soon thereafter, Todd accepted an invitation from Chili Charles to visit him on the Big Island in Hawaii for some relaxation and casual jam sessions. The tracks Callout, Under Water, and ‘til Morning had been rehearsed at Chili’s Echo Park residence in L.A., but playing a few house parties near Pahoa breathed new life into the songs. The hilliside studio of Dave Millington provided a fitting backdrop to capture the tunes in their purest form, recently released as THE HILO SESSION. Shortly after these recordings, close friend and mentor, Chili, passed away. This EP is dedicated to his loving memory and inspiration.
What they say:
WEST COAST PERFORMER MAGAZINE:
"With his bedroom voice melting over acoustic guitar, Todd has doubtlessly turned many a woman into a blithering idiot. Take John Mayer's Your Body is a Wonderland and imagine the shy smiles that precede all the pillow talk. Or, if you prefer, think of Jack Johnson, turn up the seduction a notch or two, slow down the music to a pensive, relaxing tempo, and you've found Widell's album Late Night Saturday. Like Johnson,Widell first took up songwriting while spending his days at the beach and it shows. His easygoing melodies could soothe anyone into feeling sleepy and sun-kissed...Citing a range of influences spanning Willie Nelson, Bob Marley, and Dave Matthews...he's proven that he can set a mood and carry it through with smooth style...in this all-around beautiful album, Widell displays effortless depth, and innocent sex appeal without a hint of egotism. This is music that can be enjoyed on a lazy afternoon or a late-night road trip, or it can simply serve as a delicious escape when quiet time and holidays seem much too far away."
-Erica Prince
SPLENDIDezine:
“Texan film graduate Todd Widell (though now a resident of southern California) makes the kind of starkly mellow, band-oriented coffeehouse folk you’d expect of a stripped-down Dave Matthews, yet his music is a far warmer, more approachable proposition than such a comparison might suggest. Backed by a trio of experienced session musicians, his songs vary from the excellent (Over Your Shoulder, Open Your Eyes) to the affable (Explain, Train)...but they're aligned by an admirable consistency of intent. Widell also possesses the kind of smoothly suave vocal delivery that could so easily come off as trite, but which here seems natural to the point of being effortless. Given the overall air of ineffable politeness, there's everything to suggest that Widell could make a neat coffee-table folk-rock companion to legions of future housewives across the airwaves. This is radio-tailored folk-rock that, whether by way of ability or sheer charisma, is a cut above its contemporaries.â€
-Allan Harrison
