KS # 41: Christopher Paul Stelling, Marciana Jones, Willy Mason

 

           Christopher Paul Stelling is another performer who fits into my running commentary on a perfect world where you can conjure guitar wielding storytellers to sing you tales in the comfort of your own home and where sometimes waterfalls grant wishes or tell jokes.  Stelling puts his stomping feet to great use during his performances and his hollered lyrics are pretty compelling.  He plays his guitar very fast and very well, a guitar that looks likes it’s traveled over mountains all by itself and been used in rituals to bring the devil back up from Georgia and challenge him to dare.  

 

 

        After watching all the stuff on his website especially his video for Brick X Brick, I ordered his new CD, False Cities.  The album took a little while getting to me through the mail, not so long that I was furious or put off but long enough for Christopher to write a nice little note with the CD apologizing for the delay, which I thought was a quaint personal touch and endeared me to him forevs.  

 

So, well played Mr. Stelling.  

 

 

 

        Unfortunately I don’t have much information on Marciana Jones.  I’ve been looking for her website or band camp-reverb nation-audio world-whateverwebsite or facebook profile but I keep getting random people, all of whom for some reason have both their photo and cover photo of themselves, which I think is a little indulgent.  From what I gather she's been playing for most of, if not all of her life and is a multi-instrumentalist and a part of many musical projects.  I found the website of her sister, Nina Violet, and it seems that the sisters often play together around Marthas Vineyard and on tour.   The ladies were also part of a rock opera written by Mary Van Oskan called The Ape Woman that was performed in San Francisco and the Berkshire Fringe.  If you try your own internet search just for the fun of it, there are a couple youtube variations of Marciana’s song “You are Sick” with violin and harmonies that you can find if you’re committed.   Or if youn just click that link.  I guess I do have some information on her after all.  

 

Thanks Internet?  You don't make me feel creepy at all.  

 

 

 

 

        Willy Mason makes me want to drink with him.  Maybe it’s because of his sleepy voice and catchy rhymes.  Maybe its because of the video where he plays a song called Chugalug.  Maybe its because you can't help but want to sing along with him but in that way where you can’t remember the words until the end of the line, so you sing that last part really loud until you realize you’re the only one and you’re kind of ruining the show for everybody else.  He uses this unspoken desire of the audience to his advantage when he plays Restless Fugitive.  He gets everyone singing the refrain, starting with one brave soul, then more voices as the song goes on, creating pleasant harmonies and a few dissonant notes sung by earnest hearts that helped everyone else who was too scared to sing join in. 

    Willy Mason has a really nice website where you can watch alot more videos of him and his associates.  I particularly like the video "I Got Gold" (Animal Dance II).

 

 

 

 

        Christopher Paul Stelling will be playing at the Bowery Electric in New York City on February 19th with Jonah Tolchin and Dan Blakeslee, who were featured in the previous Kitchen Session.  A great line up that can only result in a great show.  Unfortunatly it looks like Willy Mason is playing that same day but then again he's playing in Los Angeles so I don't think they'll have a problem accidentally drawing fans away from the other.

 

        And here are the rest of the night's videos-  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

-ER