Kalispell's Kickstarter

I haven't written on the blog in ages! What brings me back is wanting desperately to help a friend, Shane Leonard of Kalispell, reach his Kickstarter goal to help record his second album.

This is the same Kalispell that I wrote about more than a year ago when he released his first album. That album was recorded in the spare room in his apartment and was hand packaged and was essentially all self-made. This time, Shane wants to create a more professional record.

As of right now, there is only only 62 hours (2 1/2 days) left to raise the remaining $6,690. I think that that goal can be achieved with a little help from my blogging friends! 

Check out his Kickstarter link!

Even if you don't contribute, would you mind helping spread the word? If anybody deserves this, it's Shane. 

Dance Whirlwind

The dance world has been kind to me this year.

For some reason, I made finals in the Amateur Jack and Jill at Lindy Focus. Not only did I make finals, but by the grace of God, I placed 2nd (with an amazing partner, James Pack)! That felt like a good start to the new year.

(Taken by the great Bobby Bonsey)

  But my year has gotten even better. And it's only March! Last weekend, I attended Heartland Swing Festival and was surprised to find myself with 3 medals and 2 overall awards, including:

• 2nd in Solo Jazz
• 2nd in the Jack and Jill with Baron Smith
• 1st in the Any Swing Goes (aka Strictly) with Joseph Bojang
• Overall Collegiate Jitterbug Champion, alongside my friend Bradley Smith.
• Dancer's Choice Award, alongside my friend Joseph Bojang.

 I don't feel like I deserve any of it. I'm not that good, really. I'm grateful, for sure...but I still think ya'll are crazy.

But I want to take the time to try to communicate something that I've been thinking about since Lindy Focus:

Where I am at in my dancing will always be tied to all those who came along with me through my dance journey. I'm only at this place because you all helped get me here, whether you knew it or not. You were my motivation, my help, my struggle, my pick-me-up. I'm only me because of you and that's HUGE.

So, thank you. You made me feel like a million bucks this past weekend.

Stefan and Bethany

I am really enjoying Stefan Durham and Bethany Powell's dancing right now. Their dancing isn't exactly what I want to aspire to technique wise, but they've got their own thing going on. And that is inspiring.

They're coming up with some creative stuff that's fun to watch.  Check out their performance at Lonestar this past year:

I've been itching to dance the past couple of days, but after watching this performance, that itch has gotten more intense.

Kalispell

Do you remember, folks, when I told you briefly about my buddy Shane's band Kalispell? Well, he finally released his full-length album Westbound a little over a week ago. I hitched a ride to Eau Claire so that I could be there for the CD release show and am extremely glad I did. We Are the Willows and The Daredevil Christopher Wright opened, which that in-and-of-itself would have been a good line up. But the final build up came from seeing Shane finally perform all his great tunes from the album, start to finish, with a full band. The stage was sometimes packed with the likes of violins, upright bass, steel guitar, drums, and even a cello; and sometimes the stage slimmed down to simply Shane and one other on stage. And it was good. His old-time infused Americana-folk is the kind of stuff I love.

My favorite on the album so far is probably track 2, Methodist Lift. How can you go wrong with a song that starts with the twanging of a banjo? And I really dig the lyric: "The church taught me how to hold a grudge, My brother taught me how to let it go, He learned from his father, and We learned from our fathers. Isn't that the way it's supposed to go?" And if you're not sold yet, you can download my second favorite track, Lucky a Hundred Times, for free. 

Give him a listen. Give him a try. Then go see him in town near you!

Jonas David

If you like S. Carey or Bon Iver at all, I think you're going to love Jonas David. Jonas David hails from Germany and is a musical gem. Very ethereal folk tunes with poetic lyrics. Please take the time to give this guy a listen. Please.
Or watch:

Sam Amidon

Folks, Sam Amidon has done it again! He has made a master piece of an album that I'm sure too many people will never know about (though I hope I'm wrong).

Back in 2008, Amidon released the album "All is Well." This album has been standard in my collection, with Amidon's almost mumbly voice, soft strings, and overall authentic folk sound. It is a beautifully constructed album.

This year, Sam Amidon gives to us another great album "I See the Sign." Once again, Amidon sings with his standard mumbly voice, gives us a traditional folk sound fused with a new artistic twist. I haven't finished listening to the album yet, but I can tell you that I'm excited to hear it all and to listen to it over and over again.




Also, if you live in the Twin Cities, he's coming to town soon. He will be playing at the Walker Art Center on March 22 & 23. It will be a show worth checking out.

Aaron Espe "Songs From a Small Town"

I've simply fallen in love with Aaron Espe's album "Songs From a Small Town" (link to free download). He is an artist that was recommended to me by a friend a few years ago, though I never really looked into him then. Recently, I was perusing NoiseTrade (a site where all the music is available for free download) and saw the album there, remembered his name, and decided to give him a chance. Best choice I've made in a musical while.

The album starts off with "Small Town," a tune about the simplicity and small pleasures of living in a small town. His singing is story-telling. It's basic but heartfelt, just like a small town.

This next song "Change" is more mellow in tone. It is about not being able to accomplish quite what you want, how things sometimes just don't work out, and how that can sometimes defeat a person. It's an honest assessment of life, and Espe's voice and soft guitar chords give it credibility.

The pinnacle of the album is the second-to-last track "Faith and Doubt." Espe's Christian background comes out most clearly through this honestly emotive tune. The song rises and falls with strong guitar chords, but also with surges of emotions of wanting to believe and descents into soft hues of confession of doubt and unknowing.

Throughout the entirety of the album, where Mr. Espe rises above other folky singer-songwriters is in his honesty. He never shares too much, but he shares enough where one can identify and feel exactly what he is singing about. His gentle honesty has won me over. Maybe it will win you over too.