Brookefield H. at the D-Note Open Stage

 artists, people to watch  No Responses »
Oct 052009
 

This is a re-post from an article I wrote on Examiner.com two weeks ago. Saw this girl play at the D-Note again tonight. Definitely a standout. OOMPH Scale: 8.5 –J

Open stage nights at the local club are typically the place for the more unpolished local talent to show their stuff–the more amateur types who sing and play for fun but don’t really have aspirations of music careers. However, every so often, open stage nights also good places to find the undiscovered talent, the “diamond in the rough.”

Monday night at the D-Note in Olde Town Arvada, one of those diamonds showed up.

After a string of musicians ranging from the okay to the mediocre, 21-year-old singer/songwriter Brooke Shellberg (who goes by “Brookefield H.” onstage) set up her keyboard, took the stage, began to play and sing–and captured and commanded our attention throughout her four-song set. With vocalizations reminiscent of Norah Jones and a jazzy quirky style, she was the surprise of the evening.

It wasn’t that the performance was perfect; “diamond in the rough” is a trite expression, but a fitting description in this case. By her own admission, Brookefield H. is just getting started playing out solo, and it takes time and experience to own the stage and get comfortable with it. But when the awkward moments are erased by nearly flawless vocals and creative original songs, you know that all that’s needed is a little artist development and a bit of experience to make the diamond shine.

Brookefield H. is new to Denver. She has no CDs to sell, no demo, no press kit–just a great voice, a current, memorable style, and a lot of promise. She is working on getting more dates in local venues in the days to come; meanwhile, if you show up at D-Note on Monday nights, you’re likely to see her take the stage from time to time. If you do, you’re in for a treat. Brookefield H. is just beginning the journey, but she is one to watch.

Stuff I Like in Music, and Stuff I Don’t

 basic info, music in general  No Responses »
Oct 022009
 

Okay, so I know a lot about musical taste is subjective–although a lot of what makes music good is actually pretty measurable. As I look for The Oomph in the bands and artists I look at, there are a number of factors that affect how I review them. Like everyone else, there are certain musical styles I personally prefer, and I can’t promise that some genres won’t get reviewed more than others. However, I am going to try to make it so that most styles will get at least some representation here, and to be as fair as possible when reviewing them.

That said…no matter the style, there are some things I think make music good, and things that I think make music suck. Even if you don’t agree with these criteria, at least you’ll have a grid for where I’m coming from.

Here are some things that make me lean toward giving a good review:

  • Original songs–not necessarily songs the band or artist has written (there are great musicians who aren’t songwriters), but songs unique to the act.
  • Innovative sounds–not just random stuff I haven’t heard before, but what I call “controlled creativity”–something new that is still musically appealing.
  • Passion–when the band apparently believes what they are playing and/or singing.
  • Great stage presence–the ability to command and keep the audience’s attention, to engage them.
  • Chemistry–when the bandmates work well together and function as a unit.
  • Raw talent (duh)–when the band/artist is really good at what they do! Few things scratch my musical itch more than hearing a musician who has mastered his/her instrument. I love it.

On the other hand…here are some real musical turn-offs for me:

  • Musical sloppiness. I prefer tight, clean sounds and accurate rhythms, although I respect a level of looseness depending on the genre. But when it’s obvious that the music is unrehearsed, or that the band is a bunch of individuals who aren’t connected with each other, it sends a message that the act doesn’t really care about what it’s doing. And if they don’t care…why should I?
  • Excessive, needless profanity or vile content. I’m a Christian, but I’m not a prude. I respect freedom of speech, and I can even accept some strong content when it makes sense in the context or is important to the message. But when it is apparent that someone is celebrating vileness and calling it “art”–it’s just unnecessary. Express yourself all you want, but I have the right not to listen to it if you want to be crude for crudeness’ sake.
  • Unprofessional conduct. I know this frame’s certain artists’ image and gets some attention, but that kind of crap is not about music–it’s about attention. (Think Kanye.) If you have to make that much of a stink, then maybe you’re not all that talented, and you have to act like a moron to conceal that fact. If you’re a good musician, the music will stand on its own. I can smell B.S. a mile away.

Keep an Eye on This Guy: Josh Blackburn

 artists, concert reviews, people to watch  No Responses »
Oct 012009
 

From my recent article at Examiner.com, with some enhancements…see the YouTube video below!

Listen to him play for a half minute, and you’ll know 32-year-old guitarist Josh Blackburn is not a novice. Listen to him for an hour, and you’ll wonder why he’s doing solo gigs, playing cover songs at the Baker Street Pub, instead of touring the country with a band.

His opening set last night, September 30, at the Baker Street Pub in the Denver Tech Center, showed just how much of a range this guy has. Armed with only an electric guitar, a few effects, a loop pedal, and a surprisingly rich gravelly voice, he played everything from alternative to classic rock to Stevie Ray Vaughn–and Stevie Wonder. (Try to imagine “Superstition” played only on an electric guitar!) Yet he made it all sound believeable, as though there were a full band present.

Several times through the set, Josh wowed the crowd with powerful lead guitar solos, which he played over multiple guitar loops created on the spot. He took numerous requests from the crowd, and turned down a few. “No, no M.C. Hammer,” he said at one point, grinning. “I can’t touch that.”

The audience loved it.

No, Josh Blackburn isn’t a novice. He isn’t even a newcomer–he’s been playing in and around Denver for four years, and before that he played in bands and recorded with industry professionals. He isn’t really starting up; he’s starting over, with a new crowd, making new fans. The good thing (for us) is that Josh is playing fairly steadily these days, so there are a lot of opportunities to catch his act around town. He’s a regular this fall at all the area Baker Street Pub locations (he’s at the Boulder location on 28th Street all this weekend), and numerous other places in the area. Check his MySpace page for his current schedule, then do yourself a favor and go see him play.

Josh Blackburn might not be new to this scene, but he is definitely one to watch.

OOMPH SCALE: 8.5

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