Ellis Ludwig-Leone gives his songs an autobiographical lean on Belong

By Brent Thompson

Photo Credit: Denny Renshaw

Ellis Ludwig-Leone has studied music composition at Yale, composed for ballets and symphonies and released acclaimed albums with his creative brainchild, San Fermin. But even with such an accomplished background, San Fermin’s third and latest release, Belong [Downtown/Interscope Records] may be Ludwig-Leone’s most intrepid moment yet. Belong finds him addressing autobiographical topics of anxiety, disconnection and displacement across the album’s 13 tracks. The response has been rewarding both for Ludwig-Leone and listeners and critics alike. On Tuesday, October 24, San Fermin will perform at Saturn with Gracie & Rachel opening the 8 p.m. show. Recently, Ludwig-Leone spoke with us by phone from his Brooklyn Home.

Birmingham Stages: Ellis, thanks for your time. Is Belong a collection of newer songs or was it built from older songs written over a period of time?

Ellis Ludwig-Leone: I usually write records fairly quickly because at the end of every day I try to have an outline of another song. I try to write them fast and spend a long time editing. Last year, my girlfriend was gone for the month of February. I was just writing, so I wrote most of the songs in about a month and ended up editing them during the summer.

Birmingham Stages: Belong is being called your most personal album yet. Did you set out to create an album of personal material or did it just naturally turn out that way?

ELL: It just kind of happened. On the first and second records, I had these elaborate plans for thematic records with characters based on novels. With this record, I just didn’t want to do that – I just sat down and started writing to see what happened. It led me to a more personal place.

Birmingham Stages: Does releasing an album with some autobiographical songs bring about relief or anxiety once it’s unveiled to the public?

ELL: All of the above [laughs]. There’s something really nice about trying to speak your mind, but at the same time you feel kind of laid bare. While it is more personal, there are creative liberties you take always when you’re writing songs. They’re not diary entries – it’s a little bit of a mixed bag I guess.

Birmingham Stages: You studied music composition at Yale and you’ve composed for symphonies, ballets and musicals. Do you draw on that experience when writing for San Fermin or is it a completely different animal?

ELL: I think they all kind of collide. There are certainly different priorities, but whenever you’re writing a piece of music the question is – what gets you from point A to point B? Once you figure that part out, the rest is supporting it. When I’m writing a song, the lyrics and vocal melody are what you’re focusing on, but that’s not the same when you’re writing for an orchestra.

Birmingham Stages: It has to be beneficial to have your understanding of musical theory and concepts when you’re composing for San Fermin.

ELL: I think so. As I’ve gotten further, sometimes I wonder if I don’t get in my own way. I’m a fairly cerebral writer and I plan things out. I’ll hear friends of mine who write songs and they don’t take any of that into account and they’re amazing.

Birmingham Stages: If you will, talk about your past musical experience in Birmingham.

ELL: I wrote a piece for the Alabama Symphony a couple of years ago. I came down and spent a week in Birmingham. In 2015, I was the Composer-in-Residence there and I curated a whole night. It was a really special night and I came away really impressed with the Alabama Symphony.

San Fermin will perform at Saturn on Tuesday, October 24. Gracie & Rachel will open the 8 p.m. show. Advance tickets to the 18+ show are $15 and can be purchased at www.saturnbirmingham.com

Unearthed 31-year old recording marks band’s first official live release

By Brent Thompson

It’s always been regrettable that The Replacements called it quits before Alt-Rock blossomed in the ’90s. Though many have regularly cited the influence of The Mats, Paul Westerberg & Co. were out of commission before commercial radio went actively looking for the raw sounds that the quartet had already perfected. Now, over 31 years since the show was recorded in Hoboken, N.J., Rhino has released For Sale: Live At Maxwell’s 1986, The Replacements’ first official live release. Catching the band with its original lineup still intact, Westerberg, Bob Stinson, Tommy Stinson and Chris Mars rip through a 29-song set that includes band staples “I Will Dare,” “Left Of The Dial,” “Kiss Me On The Bus,” “Bastards Of Young” and “Color Me Impressed.” Brilliant, spontaneous and a sometimes sloppy, For Sale is not only a Replacements live album, it’s THE live album that fans and newcomers alike need to own. The timing of the recording is especially significant as Bob Stinson would leave the band a few months after the show took place. Available in vinyl, CD and digital formats, the album includes liner notes by Bob Mehr, author the band’s biography, Trouble Boys.

Photo Credit: Caryn Rose

 

• Nashville-based quintet is riding the success of latest release, The Wave

By Brent Thompson

Photo Credit: Mick Leonardi

Sometimes a project steers itself and you are smart enough to recognize it and let it happen. That is what Los Colognes frontman Jay Rutherford and his bandmates did for the writing and recording of the band’s new album, The Wave. Released in May of this year, The Wave finds the band changing its recording approach and threading its songs together through common themes. Riding the success of the album and the single “Unspoken,” Los Colognes will perform at Iron City on Friday, October 6 in a show presented by Birmingham Mountain Radio. The band is currently touring in support of Hard Working Americans. Recently, we caught up with Rutherford by phone from his Nashville home.

Birmingham Stages: Jay, thanks for your time. You’re a Chicago native based in Nashville these days, correct?

Jay Rutherford: Myself and Mort [drummer Aaron Mortenson] moved here from Chicago in 2010 and then our bass player moved down shortly after that. [Nashville] is crazy – it’s definitely a little frustrating. Nashville was Utopian when we first got here because it had everything you needed to thrive musically – the people, the gear and the studios. It was cheap and easy to get around. It’s definitely getting crowded now and I want it to stay small [laughs].

Birmingham Stages: If you will, talk about the creation of The Wave.

JR: On the first two records, the songs came more sporadically and at different times. The songs for The Wave all came at once and they all had a thematic through-line. This record was fundamentally different than the first two because we knew the vision of what the album was going to be and we knew how the material was going to interact with itself. It’s meant to be an album experience, but next time around may be totally different. This album kind of wrote itself in some ways.

Birmingham Stages: The press release for The Wave states that these songs were built layer-by-layer as opposed to previous albums that were recorded with a more live approach.  What brought about the change in recording approach for this album?

JR: On [previous releases] Dos and Working Together, we got the full band in the studio and made the basic bed for the tracks live-to-tape and then we went back and added parts. On this one, the material was hearkening a Tina Turner, Roxy Music Avalon, Pink Floyd Division Bell and ’80s Dire Straits vibe and the songs had an ’80s feel, so we built the songs up using ’80s drum machines and we went back and added real drums at the end. It was a conscious decision in that it made sense for that batch of music. We’ve had a lot of practice at making a lot of different kinds of records in different ways. Next time around, we’ll see what the material lends itself to. There’s no right answer when it comes to making a record as long as the final product is authentic.

Birmingham Stages: Do songs tend to change and evolve even after you take them into the studio?

JR: Yeah, definitely. That’s one of the things about me and Mort’s relationship – we compliment each other. It’s very expensive to get five guys in a studio and cut it live. If you’re still working out what the song is, it’s better to do it piece-by-piece. Sometimes you have to chase something and reconstruct and deconstruct.

Birmingham Stages: How would you describe your writing process?

JR: It’s a yearly purge. I’m always thinking about it and Mort and I have a vocal process of talking about where things need to go. Once a year, the valve opens up and I’ll get a bunch of new ideas and I’ll sit on those until it makes sense for me and the band to work on them. I’ve always got stuff in the crock pot. I can’t help it – it’s part of who I am.

Los Colognes will perform at Iron City on Friday, October 6. The band is supporting Hard Working Americans in a show presented by Birmingham Mountain Radio. Advance tickets to the 8 p.m. all-ages show are $27.50 and can be purchased at www.ironcitybham.com.

By Brent Thompson

On Thursday, September 28, Jazz pianist Joey Alexander took the stage at the Alys Stephens Center. Backed by bassist Scott Colley and drummer Willie Jones, III, the 14-year-old prodigy displayed the talent that has made the Jazz world take note (Herbie Hancock and Wynton Marsalis are both enthusiastic Alexander supporters). The concert took place on the eve of Alexander’s live release, Joey.Monk.Live!, a tribute album to the music of Thelonious Monk. Birmingham Stages was at the Stephens Center to capture this season’s last installment of “The Essentials” series.

 

 

 

 

 

Images from Nashville’s annual genre-defying festival 

Photos By Brent Thompson

The term “Americana” is delightfully undefinable, blending Pop, Rock, Country, Bluegrass and Singer/Songwriter sounds into a brand that is diverse and cohesive at the same time. Each September, a troop of national touring acts descends upon Nashville for AmericanaFest, a non-stop parade of shows (even by Music City standards). This year’s festival took place from September 12-17 and Birmingham Stages was there to capture the event.

Whitney Rose at American Legion Post #82

 

Deer Tick at The Station Inn

Darlingside at The Anchor

Iron & Wine at The Station Inn

Will Kimbrough at The Westin Hotel’s L27

Load-out at American Legion Post #82

Closing time at The Station Inn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sister trio performs at Iron City on the heels of new release, Stay Awake

By Brent Thompson

Photo Credit: Chloe Horseman

To say that the past three years have been a whirlwind for Joseph is an understatement. Since self-releasing its debut album Native Dreamer Kin in 2014, the trio – sisters Natalie Closner Schepman, Allison Closner and Meegan Closner – has performed at festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Newport Folk Festival and Glastonbury in addition to TV appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, NBC’s Today and Later…with Jools Holland. Earlier this month, Joseph – named as a tribute to the town of Joseph, Oregon and the trio’s grandfather, Jo – released Stay Awake (ATO Records). The seven-track EP addresses the current political and cultural climate with a blend of new songs, remixes of old songs and a cover of Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World.” Currently, the band is on a headlining tour that brings them to Iron City on Friday, September 29.  The all-ages show is presented by Birmingham Mountain Radio. Recently, we spoke with Schepman by phone from Washington, D.C. on opening day of the Stay Awake tour.

Birmingham Stages: Natalie, thanks for your time. If you will, talk about the creation of Stay Awake.

Natalie Closner Schepman: It’s so fun to get to talk about this – I haven’t had any interviews yet.  The songs for this EP have really just happened in the last couple of months with the exceptions of “Planets” and “Lifted Away” – those are both remixes of older songs from other albums. There’s a lot to feel in the current state of things and it really made us write. These songs are a response to everything.

Birmingham Stages: Did you feel any extra pressure in making this album given the success of [2016 release] I’m Alone, No You’re Not?

NCS: It’s a great question. I’m not ready to stop growing yet – you have to make the thing that is the truest and if that resonates with an audience, then great. If it doesn’t, hopefully you’ll at least believe in it yourself because that’s the important thing.

Birmingham Stages: Do your songs continue to evolve even after you take them into the recording studio? For example, do they sometimes come out brighter or darker than you had originally envisioned?

NCS: Yeah, absolutely. For these songs, we didn’t do a lot of pre-production for them. Meegan and Ally weren’t around for the preparation of it – it was just me and our producer, Andrew [Stonestreet]. We brought them in and really didn’t know what it was going to be until we got into the studio. Once we did, we made a lot of different decisions. You start by being in control of the song and, by the end of things, the song kind of tells you how it needs to be addressed and what it’s trying to say. It’s changed a little bit since setting it up for the live show as well.

Birmingham Stages: Are you still writing as we speak? How does your process tend to work?

NCS: It’s just such a spark – you can’t plan it necessarily. A lot of people do sit down and say, “I’m going to write a song today,” but we are writing all the time. In the last year we hadn’t stumbled upon anything that felt great until recently and then all of the sudden those songs were coming.

Birmingham Stages: How do you feel about forging your career in the era of Youtube, satellite radio and iTunes? Do any pros or cons of the current climate jump out at you?

NCS: It’s worked in our favor as a brand new band. Previously, we would have needed to be championed by an A&R person at a record label and radio stations. But the way things are now, it feels a lot more democratic. I like that it’s up to us to cut through.

Birmingham Mountain Radio presents Joseph at Iron City on Friday, September 29. Liza Anne will open the 8 p.m. all-ages show. Advance tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www.ironcitybham.com. 

By Brent Thompson

On Friday, September 15, Freshwater Land Trust will host the 9th annual Land Aid event at Avondale Brewing Company. Featuring headline act The Wild Feathers, the evening will also feature the music of The Delta Saints and David Borne’. Doors open at 6:30 p.m and the music begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 – $30 day of the event – and can be purchased at www.freshwaterlandtrust.org/land-aid-2017.

Singer/songwriter brings his Witness tour to Saturn on October 26

By Brent Thompson

Photo Credit: Thomas Baltes

An impromptu trip to Mexico proved more fruitful than Benjamin Booker could have ever imagined. The singer/songwriter emerged from the trip with the foundation for Witness, the follow-up album to his highly-acclaimed self-titled debut. Featuring guest vocalist Mavis Staples on the title track, Witness mines the same gritty territory as Booker’s debut release with – as he readily admits – more introspective material. On Thursday, October 26, Booker will return to Birmingham to perform at Saturn. She Keeps Bees will open the 9 .m. show. Recently, Booker spoke to us by phone from his Los Angeles home as he prepared for his current tour.

Birmingham Stages: Benjamin, thanks for your time. If you will, talk about your upcoming tour in support of Witness.

Benjamin Booker: It’s going to be a long one – two months. I believe Birmingham is going to be the last show, so it’ll probably be the best show.

Birmingham Stages: How did the material come together for Witness?

BB: It was pretty quick. I went to Mexico for a month – I didn’t know if I was going to be writing or not. On the plane ride, the outline for the album came along and when I got to Mexico City I ended up writing most of the album when I was there. It doesn’t always work like that, but I’m realizing that there’s not one way that it works. You have to figure it out every time.

Birmingham Stages: Are you currently writing and laying down ideas?

BB: I’m definitely [writing]. If you do this thing and you’re passionate, it’s hard to escape it. It can be a problem sometimes – constantly thinking about it – but I love it. It can annoy the people around you [laughs].

Birmingham Stages: How did you come to work with Mavis Staples on the new album?

BB: I wrote a song with her for her last album, so I had met her and talked to her on the phone. It came time to find a singer with a strong voice and we said, “We’re not going to get a stronger voice than Mavis – let’s ask her.” We did and she said “Yes.” She’s really cool and always down to work with younger bands and new people. She’s been busy this year working with a lot of people, so we were lucky to get her. She’s a legend but one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.

Birmingham Stages: Is there a nutshell way to sum up the whirlwind your life has become?

BB: One of the things that I learned from Mavis was to take the time to enjoy it. She’s older and she told me that she was fixed on spending time with family and friends and enjoying the days. It’s something that I’ve been working on and I’m trying to get better at it.

Birmingham Stages: In this day and age, how do you reconcile instant accessibility and the instant purchasing ability of consumers with the flood of content created by artists on the Internet and social media?

BB: I don’t get asked that question very often. At the time I started, there wasn’t anybody doing what I was doing in New Orleans – it was a small scene. If I had started in New York, Chicago or L.A., I don’t know if I would be doing it. The location was really helpful. It is difficult to separate yourself – I think that you just have to not worry about other people. When you do that, you lose a little bit of your personality. It is a good time to be a musician for a lot of reasons. You have a lot more freedom as an artist now to do the things you want to do.

Birmingham Stages: Regardless of technology, the live show is still the live show and you seem to embrace that part of it.

BB: That’s the most important part for me – that’s when I fell in love with the bands that are my favorites. We always try to make it special and connect with the people.

Benjamin Booker will perform at Saturn on Thursday, October 26. She Keeps Bees will open the 18+ show. Showtime is 9 p.m. Advance tickets are $18 and can be purchased at www.saturnbirmingham.com. 

Duo brings Wendigo tour to WorkPlay Theatre on September 7

By Brent Thompson

Photo Credit: Daniel N. Johnson

The trademark rich harmonies and sophisticated instrumentation found on Wendigo – the new release by Penny & Sparrow – belie the album’s undertones of darkness and world-weariness. The duo – Kyle Jahnke and Andy Baxter – expands its musical platform on the satisfying follow-up to 2016’s Let A Lover Drown You as violins, violas and French horns sit alongside lap steel and slide guitars. WorkPlay Theatre will provide the optimal listening-room setting for Penny & Sparrow when the band performs there on Thursday, September 7. Lowland Hum will open the 8 p.m. show. Tickets are $15 – $55 for VIP experience – and can be purchased at www.workplay.com.

It’s no stretch to call Charlemagne Records a Birmingham landmark and a musical institution. For 40 years, the Southside store has provided music lovers a cozy and welcoming setting to browse through its extensive collection of CDs and vinyl. On Thursday, September 7, Charlemagne will host an anniversary celebration at Trim Tab Brewing. Featuring live music, prizes and a pop-up store, the event will take place from 6 to 10 p.m.