JPR Live Sessions: Recent Episodes
Eric Teel
JPR Live Sessions is a series of exciting live in-studio music performances and conversations with artists from many different genres. Recorded in JPR's Steve Nelson Performance Studio, roughly 600 guests have appeared on the series, ranging from Brandi Carlile, Colin Hay and Rosanne Cash to OK Go, Bela Fleck and Jeff Bridges.
The Universal Fire is the latest album by singer-songwriter Jeffrey Foucault. Jeffrey Foucault grew up in Wisconsin and now calls New England home where he lives with his wife, singer-songwriter Kris Delmhorst and their daughter.
Drawing influence from a variety of greats like Little Richard, John Prine, and Greg Brown, his sound encompasses a wide variety of traditional American sounds from blues to country and rock and roll.
Joining him on tour and in the studio is Erik Koskinen. He has a new album as well - Down street/Love Avenue.
Hear their conversation with Danielle Kelly and new songs from each of them in this JPR Live Session.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with support from The Talent Club - offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at https://talentclublive.com/
Fantastic Cat is a supergroup of singer/songwriters whose individual careers we've been following for quite a while at JPR. They are Brian Dunne, Mike Montali - of the band Hollis Brown, Don Dilego, and Anthony D'Amato.
They're touring on their second album That's What I Call Fantastic Cat, a follow-up to the "award eligible" (as they say) The Very Best of Fantastic Cat. The group got together in New York after crossing paths at various gigs and festivals. They say, tongue in cheek, that they felt they were making too much money in their other endeavors and wanted to see what it would be like to work for 1/4 of the pay. On a more serious note, their collaborative efforts seem to bring out the best in each other.
Featuring poignant lyrics and tight harmonies Fantastic Cat takes turns on different instruments including drums and trade off lead vocals. Their banter makes for an entertaining live show.
Hear them perform 3 songs from Now That's What I Call Fantastic Cat, and talk about getting together, where they got their name and their ideas for naming albums in this JPR Live Session hosted by Dave Jackson and engineered by Jon Griffin.
JPR Live Sessions are made possible with support from The Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual environment in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at their website.
With a powerful, dynamic voice, Alice Di Micele's sound combines many aspects of Americana from folk to jazz to blues to rock. She plays solo, in duos and trios, and in this JPR Live Session she performs with her band Force of Nature featuring Matt Spencer on bass, Andy Casad on guitar, and Nick Kirby on drums. The full band will be performing at Pheasant Field Family Farm in Medford on September 14.
Alice Di Micele's songs combine powerful commentary on social and environmental issues as well as reflections on her personal journey. In the last few years she released Every Seed We Plant, an album of original tunes, the title of which refers to Grandma Aggie, a Native American leader from Southern Oregon who died a few years ago. She followed it up with an album over cover songs Interpretations Vol 1. - with songs originally written by Christine McVie, Abbey Lincoln, Grateful Dead, Neil Young and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Alice's appreciation of Tom Petty is also evident in one of her side projects, the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute band, Petty Thievery.
Hear her play songs spanning her long career and a conversation with Danielle Kelly in this JPR Live Session. Find more about Alice Di Micele at her website.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with support from the Talent Club in Talent serving cold drinks in an even cooler atmosphere in downtown Talent, OR. Find their live music schedule here.
Jason Dea West grew up in Wisconsin and left home early, busking and hopping trains across the country.
Eventually he fell in love with the Applegate Valley. There he continued to hone his skills and formed the band Intuitive Compass who joined us for a JPR Live Session in 2017. He's since moved to Arizona.
He just wrapped up several shows in our region including the Bend Folk Festival and dates on the Oregon Coast and Grants Pass.
Jason is working on a batch of new songs he's preparing to record in Nashville for a new album next month.
Hear him sing some brand new, unreleased songs played on a 1930 National guitar accompanied by his Samsonite suitcase fashioned with a kick pedal to keep time and and upright bassist Amy Astelle. West and Astelle recenlty met at one of his shows and he asked her to join him. She'll be working with him on the new album.
It's Jason Dea West in a JPR Live Session engineered by Jon Griffin and made possible with support from the Talent Club offering cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at here
It's been a great few years to be Molly Tuttle. She and her band Golden Highway have won back to back Grammys for bluegrass album of the year and have been nominated for numerous IBMA awards. It's not just Molly getting all the critical acclaim, her bandmates, friends, and family have numerous IBMA nominations as well. In addition to being nominated for her work in Golden Highway, fiddle player Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (who released a solo album this year) was nominated for best new artist and fiddle player of the year, a category in which she's up against her fiancé, Jason Carter. AJ Lee who began her career with Molly Tuttle in The Tuttles and AJ Lee is nominated for best new artist with her band AJ Lee and Blue Summit which includes Sullivan Tuttle (Molly's brother) who is also a gifted guitarist. Like Bill Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs, Molly Tuttle and her circle of friends are poised to be the bluegrass players we're talking about later this century.
In this JPR Live Session, hear Molly perform live, talk about growing up in Palo Alto, her career, and her move to Nashville where she was a roommate of Billy Strings and the neighbor of Lindsay Lou just as they were all starting to break into the mainstream.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Joh Griffin and made possible with support from The Talent Club offering cold drinks and great music in a casual atmosphere in Talent. Find their live music schedule at talentclublive.com
Born in Nova Scotia and raised in Southern California, Steve Poltz has been a hard-touring musician since the 1980s, logging around 300 days on the road each year. During the pandemic pause, he took care of his parents and befriended the members of the Wood Brothers. In 2022, he released Stardust and Satellites with the help of Oliver Wood and Jano Rix of the Wood Brothers.
Poltz has a particular knack for writing amusing, poignant songs that tickle your funny bone but is equally adept at personal tunes that tug at your heart strings.
Hear about his career, his family, his numerous collaborations with folks like Jim Lauderdale, Imogen Clark, Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle, and an impromptu jingle* for our JPR Live Session sponsor, Talent Club - offering cold drinks and live music in a casual atmosphere. Find their live music schedule here.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios. Research provided by Danielle Kelly. Hosted by Dave Jackson.
- Some of the claims made in this jingle may not necessarily be true.
Oliver Wood and Jano Rix - of the Wood Brothers, and the Oliver Wood Trio are no strangers to JPR Live Sessions. The Wood Brothers have been our guests three times. They return as the Oliver Wood Trio with bassist Ted Pecchio rounding out the combo.
The new Oliver Wood solo album - Fat Cat Silhouette, features Oliver Woods signature vocal stylings and overdriven guitar sound. Jano Rix and Ted Pecchio provide great grooves as well as tasty keyboards and gorgeous harmonies providing a contrast to their gritty sound.
Hear the trio talk about making the album, their collaborations, the shuitar (a cheap guitar turned cajon that Jano uses for percussion) and three songs from Fat Cat Silhouette recorded live in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.
Hosted by: Dave Jackson
Engineered by:Jon Griffin
Thanks to: Alan Adleman for the use of his drum kit and Brian McKennon for the use of his keyboard.
This JPR Live Session was made possible with support from the Talent Club with live music and cold drinks in a casual setting in Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at their website
Bart Budwig is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer from Enterprise Oregon. His home studio is the historic OK Theatre in Enterprise where he has recorded and worked with a lot of our favorite PNW artists like Sera Cahoone, Shook Twins and John Craigie and the Northern California band Rainbow Girls.
He dropped by on his west coast tour before performing at the Trail's End Music Festival in Aetna, California.
Bart Budwig's songs are insightful with a subtle wit that turn simple everyday occurrences like a lost sock into a metaphor for relationships. With a religious background, Budwig had a period of introspection in his 20s where he examined his relationship with religion writing songs sometimes called secular gospel and perhaps sacrilegious gospel. Hear his song Jesus has Entered Your Neighborhood inspired by the notifications from a meal delivery app, and a couple of songs about the pitfalls of alcohol use, all with a kind of tongue and cheek humor as if he's letting you in on the joke.
JPR Live Sessions are made possible with support from The Talent Club, with cold drinks and live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, OR.
This live session was produced by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen studios and hosted by Dave Jackson.
Now based in the Bay Area in California, Sean Hayes was born in New York City and raised in North Carolina. His musical beginnings were playing in a band that played Irish and Old Time tunes. His sound incorporates elements of folk and R&B all honed playing in clubs and stages around San Francisco.
In this JPR Live Session hosted by Danielle Kelly hear Sean talk about his career and play some tunes solo/acoustic including an unreleased new song from an upcoming recording.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with support from The Talent Club with cold drinks and live music in a casual atmosphere in Talent, OR. Find their live music schedule here
Singer, songwriter and stand-up bassist Amy Lavere has performed on stages from St Andrew's Hall in London to the famous Memphis dive bar Earnestine and Hazel's, and festivals like Bonnaroo and the Beale Street Music Festival. NPR's Robert Seigel says that she "specializes in lyrics that are more barbed than her sweet soprano prepares you for."
Will Sexton is the younger brother of Charlie Sexton. As a kid he cut his guitar chops playing among Texas greats like Stevie Ray Vaughan. His producing credits include work with Waylon Jennings, Steve Earle, Bettysoo, and Al Green.
Hear them play live and talk about their craft and tell a time travel joke that Dave Jackson had to travel back in time to understand.
This JPR Live Session was made possible with support from the Talent Club with live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Their live music schedule is available here
Blue Water Highway is an Austin-based Americana/Folk-rock combo. Known for soulful harmonies, thoughtful songwriting and entertaining live performances their latest release, Year of the Dragon, showcases their rootsy blend of rock and Americana. Founded by childhood friends Zack Kibodeux and Greg Essington they take their name from the hometown coastal highway that runs from the mouth of the Brazos River to Galveston. Over the course of the last decade, they’ve toured internationally both headlining and supporting acts like Bob Seger, Shane Smith and the Saints, Big Head Todd and the Monsters and Turnpike Troubadours. They have a handful of studio releases, a live album and a couple holiday albums.
Find more information on Blue Water Highway at their website
Engineering: Dave Young
Host: Dave Jackson
Australian born, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Imogen Clark just released a new full length album - The Art of Getting Through - moved from Australia to Nashville and went on a tour. She stopped by the JPR studio just before leaving to head back to Nashville.
The AIR (Australian Indepedent Record Label Associaton) nominated artist got her start in a musical family that allowed her to explore. She took opera and musical theater along the way. The early formal training is apparent in her dynamic voice.
Hear tunes from the live album in this JPR Live Session and hear her talk about her move, and recording The Art of Getting Through at famed studios around the world including Abbie Road.
JPR Live Sessions are made possible with support from Talent Club with live music and cold beverages in a casual environment. Fine their live music schedule at their website
Hosted by Dave Jackson
Engineered by Dave Young
Advance Base is the story-song synth-pop project of Chicago, IL singer/songwriter Owen Ashworth (formerly of Casiotone for the Painfully Alone). Using a two-handed arsenal of electric piano, Omnichord, samplers, effect pedals & drum machines, Ashworth builds minimalist, heavy-hearted, & nostalgia-obsessed ballads around his conversational baritone. The warm, electronic sound of Advance Base has been described as "lo-fi," "depressed" & "weirdly uplifting."
Tucson, Arizona interdisciplinary artist Karima Walker walks a line between two worlds. Aside from her long resume of collaborative work with artists in the diverse fields of dance, sculpture, film, photography and creative non-fiction, Walker has long nurtured a duality within her work as a musician, developing her own sonic language as a sound designer in tandem with her craft as a singer/songwriter. The polarity within Walker’s music has never been so articulately explored, or graced with as much intention, as on her new album, Waking the Dreaming Body.
Hear them talk about their careers, the Omnichord - an electronic instrument similar to an autoharp - and perform live in this JPR Live Session.
This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmsophere in downtown Talent Oregon. Their live music schedule is available at talentclublive.com
In this special JPR Live Session, we asked some local musicians to record JPR Live Sessions for what we're calling Open Mic Night.
Hear conversations and live performances with:
The Balladir - https://balladir.bandcamp.com/
Sophia Phoenix - https://sophiaphoenix.com/
The Miller Twins - https://themillertwinsmusic.com/
Charlee Prayers - https://unitedmasters.com/a/charlee-prayers
Mountaintop Sound - https://www.mountaintopsoundband.com/
Hosts: Danielle Kelly and Dave Jackson
Engineers: Jon Griffin, Dave Young, Steven Swift
Southern Oregon's John Dough Boys (John Dough Boys / John Dough Boys )John Dough Boys have decorated the Southern Oregon musical landscape for the last few decades playing boot-stompin’, barn-shaking, PBR-slamming original music that occupies the sweet spot between bluegrass and punk rock. They feature a blistering lineup filled with gang vocals, upright bass, fiddle, acoustic and electric guitar and drums.
This JPR Live session is made possible with support from the Talent Club, serving cold drinks and live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent. Find their event schedule their website.
While working in separate punk bands from Portland, Jenny Don't and Kelly Haliburton decided to join forces. First as a duo, and later with some of their friends from the Portland punk scene, they formed Jenny Don't and the Spurs.
Jenny was already playing classic country and western tunes reminiscent of of Patsy Cline and Nancy Sinatra. The couple decided to embrace that aspect of their music. Twelve years later, they've toured the globe, gone through band changes, recovered from vocal chord surgery and are about to release their 7th album, Broken Hearted Blue.
Joined by guitarist Christopher March and drummer Buddy Weeks, hear them talk about their career and play some songs from Broken Hearted Blue in this JPR Live Session.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen studios. This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from The Talent Club, with cold beverages and live music in casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon.
Find more information about Jenny Don't and the Spurs at their website.
While growing up in Michigan, Lindsay Lou was taught to sing harmony by her Aunt Melody along with her cousin Harmony - Yes, that is a true story.
Her early vocal work has paid off in the gorgeous harmonies found on her latest record, Queen of Time. In college, she started attending open mics and teamed up with Joshua Rilko to form Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys. The pair eventually married. Their band played clubs and stages in Michigan crossing paths with other Midwest bluegrass pickers like Greensky Bluegrass and Billy Strings. Later she was part of the trio Sweet Water Warblers with May Erlewine and Rachael Davis.
Growing up, Lindsay was inspired by her grandmother who raised a large family and worked tirelessly to provide for the less fortunate. Before her grandmother passed away, Lou recorded several phone calls. You can hear some of their conversation on the track Love Calls on Queen of Time. The song Queen of Time itself is a reference to her grandmother.
In addition to her grandmother dying, Lou and Rilko divorced, all while dealing with the backdrop of the pandemic. These events lead her to do some soul searching where she discovered the concept of the divine feminine. This idea plays out on the new album in a co-written track with Billy Strings - Nothing's Working, a Maya DeVitry/Phoebe Hunt song - Nothing Else Matters, and By Your Side (Starman), that Nick Forster (E-Town host) asked her to play at a tribute to Jeff Austin of Yonder Mountain String Band.
Hear Lindsay Lou and her band perform songs from Queen of Time, give some insights into her writing, and talk about the events that lead up to Queen of Time.
Find more about Lindsay Lou at her website.
This JPR Live Session was engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen studios, and made possible with support from the Talent Club, with cold drinks and great music in a relaxed atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule here.
(Danielle Kelly / JPR )Jolie Holland was born in Texas and moved west and north to San Francisco and eventually Vancouver pursuing music. She is an artist in the truest form, from visual arts to her unique approach to singing and songwriting.
In addition to the first Be Good Tanyas album, Jolie Holland has several solo records, a collaborative album with Samantha Parton (of Be Good Tanyas) and numerous other collaborations including working with Buck Meek of Big Thief. The pair worked on each others' albums last year both of which were titled Haunted Mountain. They were both released in October of last year at an unfortunate time, just as the world turned its focus toward the war between Israel and Gaza.
Hear her talk about her career, the new album, and play some tunes accompanied by singer/guitarist Max Knouse in this JPR Live Session hosted by Danielle Kelly.
This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from The Talent Club - presenting live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their event schedule at talentclublive.com
Jeff "Plank" Plankenhorn got his start singing in church in the Midwest. His natural talent, lead to some early commercial work and even singing the national anthem at a few MLB games. After learning guitar from his brother, he moved to Austin and played in multiple bands. Eventually he became an in-demand side man who played and recorded with Ray Wylie Hubbard among others. While juggling several different bands, he also began writing. His first album was produced by Gurf Morlix who also works with Ray Wylie Hubbard.
Plank plays guitar, piano and is well known as a lap steel player. He eventually helped design an electric lap steel guitar so he could hear himself on stage.
He now lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. His latest release is Alone at Sea, inspired by the transition from inland regions to the coast, and produced by fellow Canadian, Colin Linden.
Hear him talk about his career and play songs from Alone at Sea in this JPR Live session hosted by Dave Jackson and engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios.
Dylan LeBlanc had an early passion for music. His father James (bassist in The Steel Vaqueros) was a songwriter at Fame studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. As a kid, Dylan would spend his time after school at the studio rubbing elbows with the musicians and songwriters there. That's where he began writing songs with guidance from Fame founder Rick Hall.
When he's not touring, LeBlanc shares his time now between Alabama and Norway where he's started a family. He's now several albums into a career. His music has drawn comparisons to Neil Young among other respected singer/songwriters.
In this JPR Live Session he and the band play songs from the new record and Dylan talks about growing up, his approach to music and his appreciation for the free-spirited, wandering nature of the coyote, which became the theme for his latest record, appropriately titled, Coyote.
- Hosted by Danielle Kelly
- Engineered by Jon Griffin
- Photos by Rich Zellman
Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real released their eighth album, Sticks and Stones, last year. They recorded it thinking of their live sound and playing more upbeat shows. The result has more of a country feel than some of their earlier releases, full of foot stomping and danceable tunes.
While touring and recording as Neil Young's back-up band, Lukas was approached by Bradley Cooper to help as a consultant and music/acting coach for the 2018 version of A Star is Born. He went on to write songs for the film with Lady Gaga.
In this JPR Live Session, Lukas Nelson talks about his career, his influences, his writing (including the inspiration for the intro to Shallow), as well as songs from his catalog, a Roger Miller classic, and a few other surprises.
- Hosted by Dave Jackson
- Engineered by Jon Griffin
- Photo by Noah Bran-Linsday
Jonathan Linaberry was made to take piano lessons as a kid. From there, he taught himself guitar and banjo. With influences like RL Burnside, Son House, Tom Waits and the Carter family, it's no wonder his own music is a rootsy mix of blues, Americana and rock with a bit of indie rock and folk for good measure. His latest release is Slow Lightning, the deluxe edition just came out with a cover of the Bruce Springsteen classic My Home Town, a song JR fell in love with as a kid.
In his fourth JPR Live Session he plays songs on his banjo and 1938 Kalamazoo guitar, and talks with Danielle Kelly about making his new record, his tour, and growing up in New York.
- Hosted by Danielle Kelly
- Engineered by Jon Griffin
- Photos by Rich Zellman and Noah Bran-Linsday
In addition to her award winning role in a Broadway production of Three Penny Opera, several albums of original work (the latest - the 2023 release Hey Guys, Watch This), a tribute to Doris Day and an album of '60s rock covers, My Weekly Reader, Nellie McKay has written and performed musical biographies of figures like Joan Rivers, Barbara Graham and Billy Tipton. The New York Times called the latter, "one of the best concerts of 2014."
She is a gifted pianist with a gorgeous voice who takes on big subjects with a sly wit. Her songs pull the listener in only to jolt them awake with big plot twists by the end.
In this JPR Live Session, Nellie McKay talks about her inspirations, her music and the causes she champions and sings a few songs accompanying herself on piano and ukulele.
- Engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios
- Photos by Noah Bran-Linsday
Brothers Phil and Aaron Reed didn't begin playing music together until, as young adults, they moved to Southern Oregon from the Midwest. They now have five albums and are among the most sought after performers (as a band and solo) in the region.
Joined by Brianna Murphy on fiddle and TJ Eilers on upright bass, they are getting ready to hit the studio for an album due out later this year.
Hear them play three brand new tunes and talk about music, family, running and, beer - they have collaborated with Weekend Beer Company in Grants Pass for a new Brothers Reed-inspired session IPA.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios.
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers became friends and music collaborators in high school. As the Indigo Girls, they've been making music for well over 30 years. They are the subject of a documentary It's Only Life After All, that will be in theaters late this year. Their classic, Closer to Fine was just used in the hit movie Barbie.
The latest Amy Ray solo album (her 10th) If It All Goes South came out in 2022. It was produced by veteran sound engineer Brian Speiser (Indigo Girls, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Brandi Carlile, The Might Be Giants) with musical contributions from Alison Brown, Allison Russell, Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Gabe Dixon, Phil Cook, and I'm With Her - Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan and Sara Watkins.
Hear Amy Ray and her band play 3 songs from If It All Goes South and talk about her career in this JPR Live Session hosted by Dave Jackson.
Credits:
- Engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios
- Photos by Noah Bran Linsday and Jon Griffin
- Special thanks to Alan Adleman for loaning us his drum kit
Arran Fagan grew up in Medford and began performing original music as a teen.
Now in Portland he balances his life as a high school zoology teacher with a career in music.
He includes fellow Portland teacher/folk musican/JPR Live Session alumnus, Jeffrey Martin among his friends and mentors. His latest release is last year's There Is More Light.
His background includes working in abroad teaching English as a second language and managing a college radio station.
Arran Fagan is performing at Elder Apothecary in Ashland on December 9. For more information check out his website. Opening the show is singer/songwriter Claire Conway.
In this JPR Live Session hosted by Dave Jackson, hear him talk about his life and career and perform live in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.
With a background in old-time music, Vivian Leva grew up in the Southeast. Riley Calcagno is from Seattle but grew up interested in roots and Americana.
The duo met at music camp in the Pacific Northwest.
NPR's Slingshot named the duo one of 2022's artists to watch.
Americana Highway said of their new release Imaginary People, "There’s a warm camaraderie between the two that shines through & is evident in their material."
The Bluegrass Situation said, "Their new album, is a masterful blend that weaves together their shared reverence for traditional Appalachian music alongside indie-folk, pop-leaning adornments."
In this live session they talk about their history, the making of Imaginary People and play three new songs from the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.
Maria Schafer went to college with the intention of getting into nursing. She also continued to study music. When the time came for a career choice, she chose music. She toured as the "girl singer" with the Glen Miller Orchestra singing arrangements originally written for Ella Fitzgerald.
She's now putting her own spin on traditional tunes and writing and composing originals along with guitarist Shane Savala.
Hear her talk about her background and play some tunes with her band in this JPR Live Session.
Find more information about Maria Schafer here. Follow her on Instagram @mariaschafermusic
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios.
Originally from the far corners of the US, Wild Honey Trio members Cyrise, Peia and Megan were drawn together in Ashland by way of their love of folk music spanning the globe.
The (mostly) Ashland based group visited the JPR Steve Nelson performance studio ahead of a few regional performances to share stories of their background and the tale of how they met.
The trio explains their love of storytelling in many languages and through the lens of various cultures and traditions. They wax poetic on the power of sharing this special heritage with fellow musicians and audiences alike, and hear gorgeous adaptations of traditional songs from Hungary, Appalachia, and Ireland
Born in Port Orford, Oregon, Hanneke Cassel now lives in Boston. She studied at Berklee School of Music. In addition to her recording catalog, she teaches fiddle in various music camps including one run by her husband, cellist Mike Block who among other things tours with Silk Road Ensemble. As a producer, she produced Hop High - an early release by Crooked Still featuring Aoife O'Donovan.
She is flanked by guitarist Keith Murphy, who also just released a new album - Bright as Amber and cellist/fiddler Tristan Clarridge who just took first place at the 2023 Grand Master Fiddler Championship in Nashville and plays in the NoCal folk ensemble, Bee Eaters.
Hanneke Cassels latest release, Infinite Brightness was inspired by events both global and personal arising from and during the COVID crisis.
This session was hosted by Dave Jackson and engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen productions.
(Danielle Kelly / JPR)Glitterfox founding members - Solange Igoa and Andrea Walker met at a party at Andrea's house in Long Beach, California. Right away they knew they should make music together. They lived together in a van for a couple of years as "feral musicians" traveling, playing gigs and busking. Eleven years later, they're married, living in Portland, and playing with a full band - with the mustachioed Eric Stalker on bass and Blaine "Rocket Fuel" Heinonen on drums - managed and mentored by Chris Funk of the Decemberists.
They play indie-folk with rock and Americana sensibilities and sing songs about struggles with an eye towards finding the silver lining.
In 2022, Willamette Weekly named them one of Portland's best bands.
They spoke with Danielle Kelly and played 3 live songs including a brand new single - TV - due out on October 25th. They're performing October 13th at The Hivve in Grants Pass. Find tickets and more information here.
This JPR Live Session was engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen productions.
From Asheville, North Carolina, Seth Walker and his trio (featuring Reese Williams on bass and backing vocals and Mark Raudabaugh on drums) joined us for this JPR Live Session.
They came by while traveling the west coast with performances at the Redding Roots Revival festival in California and The Sisters Folk Festival in Sisters, Oregon.
With a musically inclined upbringing, Seth Walker ditched the cello in college and got into guitar. With influences from some of the greats - T. Bone Walker, Lightnin' Hopkins and BB King, Walker has been honing his craft for decades and has 10+ albums under his belt. His sound, based in the blues with jazzy undertones, takes roots and soul to new territory. He frequently cowrites with the legendary Gary Nicholson and has worked in the studio with Jano Rix of the Wood Brothers on several albums.
Hear him talk about all of that and play a couple tunes from his 2022 album I Hope I Know and one from the 2016 record Gotta Get Back.
This JPR Live Session was produced by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios. Thanks also to Alan Adleman for the use of his drum kit for this performance.
Multi-ethnic singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, audio engineer and composer, Jessica Fichot returned to JPR with her band to talk about her past and her approach to music and perform live in this JPR Live Session.
Terry Robb is an award winning fingerstyle guitar player from Oregon with deep roots in blues and folk.
Hot off the release of their new album, My Entire Life, Susto joined us to talk about the new record and how they stay positive during difficult times.
Critically acclaimed singer and guitarist Hamish Anderson calls Melbourne, Australia home. He's currently touring in support of George Thorogood and the Destroyers.
The brainchild of frontwoman, Erika Wennerstrom, The Heartless Bastards released their 6th album A Beautiful Life in 2021 and are celebrating 20 years as a band.
With cello at its core, the Michal Palzewicz Trio creates a unique blend of folk, classical and world beat music. They were our favorite regional entrant in NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest this year.
Melissa Ruth is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and music teacher from the Sutherlin, Oregon area. Her new release is Bones.
Parker Millsap is our guest in this JPR Live Session. He's on tour with his new album Wilderness Within You.
Roots rocker Jackie Greene joined us in the studio to chat and play a few tunes before his show at The Historic Ashland Armory.
Ian George stopped by to play some tunes before heading to California for the next leg of his west coast tour.
The New Wilder Woods album is Fever/Sky. Bear Rinehart is the front man of the band Needtobreathe. He was joined in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio by the stunning vocalist April Rucker and Needtobreathe guitarist Tyler Burkum for some stripped down versions of tunes from the new release.
Rinehart also shares about his pandemic writing practice, and the fruits of prioritizing his family, wellbeing, and a healthy work-life balance.
This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of Dos Mariposas Vineyards and Lavender located between Medford and Jacksonville. At their family friendly (and four-legged friend-welcome) tasting room and grounds, they serve local wine varietals, Mexican beer, tamales and host art events, dance lessons and live music weekly. Find more information here.
The original line up of Eight Dollar Mountain met playing at a bluegrass jam in the hills near Ashland almost 15 years ago.
In this live session, they'll talk about their changes over the years, working with Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon and play some new and older tunes.
Find more information including details about their upcoming shows here.
This live session is made possible in part by South Stage Cellars in downtown Jacksonville, Oregon, longtime supporters of the arts in Sothern Oregon. More at www.southstagecellars.com.
New Constellations at Jefferson Public Radio 2023(Danielle Kelly / Jeffeson Public Radio)Portland Based duo New Constellations stopped by the Steve Nelson Performance Studio to talk to us about their Southern Oregon origins, and how their childhood musical friendship developed into their grown up touring band. Their debut single sky rocketed with over 17million streams worldwide.
New Constellations blends powerful vocals with encouraging messaging, dancy beats, and catchy guitar hooks. They share their excitement for an exciting tour season ahead, in support of their debut EP.
Stream and add New Constellations to your playlists, follow them on Instagram as @newconstellationsmusic.
This live session mad e possible in part by South stage Cellars in downtown Jacksonville, Oregon, longtime supporters of the arts in Sothern Oregon. more at www.southstagecellars.com
The Lemon Twigs are a four piece band from New York fronted by Brian and Michael D'Addario. They pay homage to classic rock, blending Beach Boys inspired harmonies and British Invasion sounds for something very much their own.
They began performing when they were very young, playing music and acting on and off Broadway and on TV. They've performed for NPR Tiny Desk and on CBS Mornings and were joined by Todd Rundgren for a performance at Coachella.
In this JPR Live Session podcast, hear them talk about recording the new album, their career so far, and perform some songs from Everything Harmony live.
Free Creatures is Marv Ellis (vocals and beats), Emily Turner (vocals and upright bass), and Skyler Squglio (guitar). They blend good vibes with alternative hip-hop, EDM, world beats and funk for a uniquely Oregon sound.
Hear them talk about their origin, the making of While We Can, the elements of their sound and some tracks for the new release in this JPR Live Session. Find music, tour info and bios at https://www.freecreaturesmusic.com/
This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of South Stage Cellars. Located on 3rd Street in historic Jacksonville, South Stage Cellars features 28 varieties of win in the tasting room and wine garden and hosts live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night. Find more information here.
Actual Wolf at JPR(Danielle Kelly / JPR)Originally from Minnesota, Actual Wolf played drums in the band Retribution Gospel Choir and toured with the bands Sun Kil Moon and Low. Actual Wolf is the name of his solo project and his band.
In this JPR Live Session he performs songs from throughout his career, talks about his move from the Midwest to the West Coast, playing in Nashville, his many collaborations and fatherhood.
This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of The Falls Taphouse in Klamath Falls - offering an extensive tap selection, outdoor/rooftop seating, on-site food trucks, and live music. "Open For Beerness Daily." For more information, follow them on social media.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin.
Back Room is the new release from Southern Oregon singer/songwriter Adam Gabriel. It was produced locally by Mark Johnson, mastered by Aaron Reed and features area musicians Jerry Burke-Perez and Joey Natiello aka "Joey Mozarella." It's a mix of rock, folk, blues and soul.
Adam Gabriel's family moved from Georgia when he was young and eventually wound up in Cottage Grove, Oregon. Adam left home early and started working in construction. His passion for music lead him to pursue it seriously beginning in about 1999.
Hear him discuss the circumstances around his family's move to the west, recording Back Room, his collaborations with other area musicians and he performs songs some new song in this JPR Live session hosted by Danielle Kelly.
This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of The Falls Taphouse in Klamath Falls - offering an extensive tap selection, outdoor/rooftop seating, on-site food trucks, and live music. "Open For Beerness Daily." For more information, follow them on social media.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin.
(Dave Jackson / JPR)Ian Jones says he grew up with a record player as a babysitter. He began writing songs in JR High School, and after a short stint in college studying physics and playing basketball, he decided to pursue music full-time. He played in bands dating back to the '90s and decided to start a solo career in 2010. A few years into it, he took time off to take care of his Dad and start his own family. A few years turned into nearly a decade. Now he's back with a new release, Results Not Typical - a collection of personal tunes, some of which were inspired by personal tragedy and loss.
In this extended live session he plays three songs from the new record and a classic rock cover. He talks about growing up, his work ethic and some of his musical collaborations.
This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of The Falls Taphouse in Klamath Falls - offering an extensive tap selection, outdoor/rooftop seating, on-site food trucks, and live music. "Open For Beerness Daily." For more information, follow them on social media.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin.
Bart Budwig in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio(Dave Jackson / JPR)Bart Budwig gets inspiration from odd places, including the Uber Eats app on his phone and a pair of socks. He turns these strange muses into songs that make you think and laugh and occasionally tear up.
Growing up, he listened to Christian music before discovering outlaw country and '60s soul, all of which have influenced the music he now plays. Think Mavis Staples meets Merle Haggard.
In this JPR Live Session he talks about his early exposure to playing music, his collaborations with artists from the Pacific Northwest and his recording studio in a historic theater in Enterprise - a small town in Northeast Oregon. You'll also hear three brand new songs that will be part of an upcoming album.
This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of The Falls Taphouse in Klamath Falls - offering an extensive tap selection, outdoor/rooftop seating, on-site food trucks, and live music. "Open For Beerness Daily." For more information, follow them on social media.
JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin.
Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and producer Jared Alexander Masters has played in numerous projects in Southern Oregon - The Illies, Verbs and Nouns (with bassist Emily Turner of Free Creatures) and now The Blur - and has written dozens of songs.
In this JPR Live Session, he talks about his approach to writing, playing and recording and passes along his insights on how to be creative in the music industry today.
This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of The Falls Taphouse in Klamath Falls - offering an extensive tap selection, outdoor/rooftop seating, on-site food trucks, and live music. "Open For Beerness Daily." For more information, follow them on social media.
Raised in Los Angeles and now calling Portland home, John Craigie is a well-respected songwriter and master storyteller.
His 2022 release Mermaid Salt was created during the pandemic pause and produced by Bart Budwig, a musician and producer from Enterprise, Oregon.
In this live session he talks with host Danielle Kelly about his writing process and charitable work, and gives a little insight into the mysterious song Helena — a tragic crime-spree story that plays out a little like an episode of X-Files — and, he performs solo acoustic in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.
This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from The Talent Club - presenting live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their event schedule at talentclublive.com
Sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell - Larking Poe - play blues-based southern rock. They're on tour behind their new album Blood Harmony.
Matt Andersen is one of the hardest working guys in Canadian music, playing about 200 shows per year. He's stopped by on his tour supporting his brand new release The Big Bottle of Joy.
Raised in Arkansas, Melissa Carper got her start playing bass in her family band as a kid. Now in Texas, she plays a wide variety of retro Americana ranging from country and Texas swing to early jazz.
Nashville based singer/songwriter Will Hoge stopped by the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio to chat with us and play songs from his new release Wings On My Shoes.
Emily Nenni stopped by on her west coast tour to chat with us and play some songs from her brand new release On The Ranch.
Martin Sexton always looks for the positive even in difficult times. Through his music he asks us to join him in being our best selves. He stopped in to chat with us and play some tunes during his west coast tour.
Youssoupha Sidibe is a Senegalese kora player and singer who, in addition to his own body of work has played with India Aria, Matisyahu, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, and Michael Kang of String Cheese Incident among others.
Hear the Midwest singer/songwriter and now actress talk about her work and play some songs including one from her upcoming movie A Chance Encounter.
Veteran singer/songwriter Grant-Lee Phillips is touring on his 11th studio album All That You Can Dream. He was joined by Nashville musician Jarrod Dickenson in a JPR Live Session.
Mama's Broke — Amy Lou Keeler and Lisa Maria— a duo from Nova Scotia, joined us to talk about their new release, Narrow Line and play a few songs.
Texas singer/songwriter Charley Crockett stopped by JPR to play some tunes, talk about his career and give us some advice on how to get the most bang for our buck when busking on the NYC subway.
Texas singer/songwriter Charley Crockett stopped by JPR to play some tunes, talk about his career and give us some advice on how to get the most bang for our buck when busking on the NYC subway.
Singer/songwriter Max Gomez stopped by to play some tunes for us, including a brand new track from his upcoming album.
Singer/songwriter Max Gomez stopped by to play some tunes for us, including a brand new track from his upcoming album.
Southern Oregon's The Brothers Reed stopped by to talk about their new record, and play a few tunes for us.
The British indie rock band is currently sitting at the top of the Billboard charts with their single "U&ME", and joined JPR's Eric Teel for his final JPR Live Session.
Matt Myers from Houndmouth joined us for a fun solo acoustic set of tunes from the band's recent release Good For You.
The Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter joined us to talk about the monumental changes he's experienced over the last few years. He also shared some incredibly beautiful songs from his upcoming album on Atlantic Records.
The Boise-based singer/songwriter joined us to talk about his new album This Life, and to look back on his 30-year career.
The Nashville singer/songwriter joined us from her home 'hobbit office' to share a few songs from her new album called Violet Light.
The singer/songwriter, who performed and recorded as Whetherman for the better part of a decade, has re-discovered his love of old time music and has shifted his focus to sharing the stories of these treasured songs.
The singer/songwriter and banjo virtuoso has just released Decembering, his first true banjo record since his early recordings on Rounder Records thirty years ago.
"It's not a contest. The only contest is with yourself." Folk singer Janis Ian reminisces on her six decades in music and her final studio album The Light at the End of the Line.
After what amounted to a nine-year shift in priorities, the Portland singer/songwriter has returned with Crossfire, her first solo album in almost a decade.
Singer/songwriter Brett Dennen dropped by our studios ahead of his show at the Ashland Armory to talk about how he's been getting along in the midst of the second wave of Covid shutdowns.
The Brooklyn-based band joined us to talk about their new self-titled release, and how the new album reflects the major shift from the band's old sound (and name) to where they find themselves today.
The Nashville-based singer/songwriter and fiddler joined us from home to share some songs from her new holiday album For Christmas.
The legendary Canadian singer/songwriter joined us to talk about his new Greatest Hits Collection and his (somewhat delayed) 50th anniversary tour.
The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter has been extremely busy during the pandemic, recording and releasing multiple projects. Her new album is due out in January.
The Brooklyn singer-songwriter performed a few songs from her brand new album called Between Us.
The Sydney-based rock trio joined us live in the studio to share songs from their new album Today We're The Greatest.
After a turbulent couple of years, the duo returns with a brand new album due out in January.
The Grammy winning singer and songwriter sat down at our studio piano for an intimate solo session.
The former boxer and long-time bluesy singer-songwriter joined us from home to play a few tunes from his new album Never Too Late To Call.
Over the course of a dozen album, McConnell's songwriting prowess has solidified his status as a an in-demand writer for an array of genre-crossing artists.
The Charlottesville, Virginia duo released have been making quiet, contemplative music for years, and in 2021 they tackled an ambitious project: a track-by-track re-imagining of Peter Gabriel's album So.
The Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter joined us to talk about how he stumbled into what is now a very successful music career, and to share a few songs from his new album The Ghost And The Wall.
The acclaimed jazz singer joined us from her home in Los Angeles to share songs from her new record called Come What May
Since their first visit to our basement studios back in 2016, Mipso have continued to impress with their beautiful harmonies. They returned a few times, and were watching as we constructed a new performance studio. Finally, they're in it.
The folk singer, banjo player, band leader and self-described 'artivist' joined us to talk about his new album Borrowed Time, and the social issues he focuses on outside of music.