Saturday, November 26, 2016

I'm producing a house concert - Kevin Gordon - on Thursday, December 8! You're invited!

Yes ... I'm finally doing one, and hope you will consider attending!

Louisiana native and long-time Nashville-based Kevin Gordon will be in town in early December, and I could not pass up an opportunity to host a house concert with him. Given our house space doesn't really work for a show, it's going to be at a cozy little restaurant in Sellwood - Simon's Office (8128 SE 13th Ave). Yes, that does stretch the meaning of "house concert" a bit, but unless you want to volunteer your house ... :-)

So why should you come out to see Kevin Gordon? I have been extolling his songwriting talents to anyone who'll listen for the last 14 years. In 2009, I posted this about Kevin just before he played at the Waterfront Blues Festival, where he really impressed the festival crowd with his bluesy rocking side (and his band included Portland's Chris Miller on guitar). But his music goes deeper, his poetic lyrics reflecting his MFA from the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. Kevin's latest recording, 2015's Long Gone Time, bridges that introspective, detailed Southern poetry with his biting, honky-tonk shuffle and swagger.

​Those 2009 shows were the last time Kevin played in the Northwest, even though many folks have been pleading with him (including me) to return. It wasn't planned that way, but for a lot of artists, touring that far from home just doesn't work. In the meantime, he's produced a couple of critically lauded recordings (Gloryland, Long Gone Time) and keeps his touring closer to home.

Praised by NPR, The NY Times, USA Today, and more, ...(his) ... work has been covered by everyone from Keith Richards and Levon Helm to Ronnie Hawkins and Todd Snider. In his illustrious two-and-a-half decade career, Gordon has shared stages with Snider, John Prine, Leon Russell, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, and the Blind Boys of Alabama among others, played the storied New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and earned the respect and admiration of his peers and a slew of musical icons. Lucinda Williams raved that "he's writing songs that are like short stories," while Buddy Miller said "it reminds me why I love music," and renowned author and biographer Peter Guralnick described the music as, "John Lee Hooker tied to the hard, imagistic poetry of William Carlos Williams."

Hope you can join me for a very cool evening with him at Simon's Office. The show starts at 7:30 pm, and we're asking for a $10 suggested donation at the door - all of which will go to Kevin. Food and drink will be available from Jason and his great team at the restaurant. 

Though not required, please let me know if you plan on attending. Hope you can make it!


If you'd like to hear more of Kevin, check out the following links or his YouTube channel.

Kevin Gordon on NPR's World Cafe (interview and music)