Storytellin': Singer-Songwriter
Makes Chicago Debut At The Elbo Room - Saturday, October 20
"(Powers is a) poet, troubadour,
emigre' returning home with tall tales and hard-lived insights...
from his Hendrix-like blues-based
guitar riffs and sixties references in "13 Seconds 67 Shots (Kent State
Massacre)" to the Buffalo Springfield-like "Gypsy Girl (Ode To Ani DeFranco)" to
the folk simplicity of "Standing In The Rain," the journey is well worth
taking."
Joey Alkes/ALL ACCESS MAGAZINE
"I know I will take some heat for this, but there are times on his
self-titled disc that Jeff Powers sounds like Bob Dylan...maybe not in terms of
how he approaches his vocals, but in lyrical content. On "15 Seconds 67 Shots"
Powers conjures up the right amount of disbelief and angst over the happenings
of that tragic day, and does so in a Dylan-esque manner."
Chuck Dauphin/MUSIC NEWS NASHVILLE
(Chicago, IL)
- Acclaimed Midwest singer-songwriter Jeff Powers makes his Chicago performing debut
at popular live music venue The Elbo Room, 2871 N. Lincoln Ave.,
Saturday, October 20. 8-10 p.m. $5. Info: (773) 549-5549 or www.facebook.com/ElboRoomChicago.
Powers combines vocals strongly reminiscent of Neil Young with the wordsmith abilities of Bob Dylan; as well as the passionate anger and love of the late John Lennon with some Eric Clapton-esque guitar work.
Powers combines vocals strongly reminiscent of Neil Young with the wordsmith abilities of Bob Dylan; as well as the passionate anger and love of the late John Lennon with some Eric Clapton-esque guitar work.
The thirteen tracks on his latest self-titled CD songs encompass elements of
Americana, Roots, Blues and some Rock. "These are songs i felt I needed to put
out first and they work or sit together, if you will, as a whole," explains
Powers.
Each song tells a story - "Wild Child (The Ballad of Brian Power)" is "a remembrance to an urban legend, someone I grew up with and knew very well... he was an exciting and very funny guy who was also crazy dangerous and deeply flawed." "Gypsy Girl (Ode to Ani DiFranco) "was inspired by a radio interview with DiFranco that I happened to hear."
Jeff Powers - Brief Bio
“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”
Each song tells a story - "Wild Child (The Ballad of Brian Power)" is "a remembrance to an urban legend, someone I grew up with and knew very well... he was an exciting and very funny guy who was also crazy dangerous and deeply flawed." "Gypsy Girl (Ode to Ani DiFranco) "was inspired by a radio interview with DiFranco that I happened to hear."
Jeff Powers - Brief Bio
While living as an illegal alien and
partying like a rock star in Mexico, City for 7 years, Jeff cut his teeth with
various blues bands. Though he moved to Mexico City to perform and teach
classical guitar, he soon dropped out of the cozy and well-paid classical world
to live and play in the down and dirty clubs, jails and places at the end of
dirt roads.
Barely eeking out a living, Powers would
cross the entire city with guitar and amp in hand by bus and subway to get to a
gig or rehearsal. During his years there he wrote over two-hundred songs and
developed his own style of blues guitar based around his classical
technique.
After returning to his home town of
Cleveland, Jeff formed a blues band and started recording original songs and
performing with the band and as a solo acoustic act. Powers has been playing in
the Cleveland area for fifteen-plus years in Dead Guy Blues and Clarksdale and
also as a solo acoustic artist.
Besides performing his own songs, Power's
sets include music by singer/songwriters like: Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Jeff
Buckley and blues by: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and
Lightnin' Hopkins. Jeff incorporates finger picking, slide and a loop station to
stretch out on lead guitar and give his solo shows a lot of variety.
Mixed in with Power's original songs some
arranging highlights include: a Delta style version of "Voodoo Chile," Jeff
Buckley's magnificent version of "Hallelujah," the Stephen Stills' classic
"Treetop Flyer" and a Dobro slide version of Charlie Daniels' "Long Haired
Country Boy."
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