Tour News - Jay Brannan in Europe

Jay Brannan is once again working on his plan to take over the world, touring Europe. Jay has a habit of learning a song in the native tongue where he plays, and in Italy, he did an Italian version of Housewife.



Directly following this paragraph is the schedule for the current tour. I have seen Jay twice on tour, and can't wait to see him again. His voice is so pure, his technique so strong, and his between song patter so funny, you can't help but have a great time.



While in Germany, he played Gummibären, a song in German I havae no clue about, but since the audience was singing along, they do!



To learn more about Jay, order CDs or other merchandise, or figure out upcoming tour schedules, click here.

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Live Music - Jay Brannan - July 9, 2009

Jay Brannan plays Annapolis

Great show! It was at Rams Head Onstage in Annapolis, MD. I had never been there before, and it was very nice, although a bit on the dark side [Problematic for my pictures, not bad for the show. Actually, even live the performers seemed washed out - can't these places do better lighting?] It took me about an hour and 15 minutes to get there, but because of construction on the Bay Bridge, an extra 15 minutes to get home. That damn thing is 4.3 miles long, and the Delaware bound side was down to one lane of stop-slow traffic. Argh!


The Bay Bridge over the Chesapeake Bay

Sharon Little, a Philadelphia-base singer, opened for Jay. Sharon is an interesting performer, with jazz, blues and rock flavors in what she does. Her strong vocals bring to mind the works of Nina Simone and Janis Joplin, with an occasional hint of Nora Jones in her vocal delivery. She played a set that ran around 35 minutes, and she was accompanied by guitarist Scot Sax. I have to say Scot riffed on people taking pictures using a flash and was at once hysterical as well as a slightly spankful. One of the highlights was Follow That Sound, the theme for the A&E series The Cleaner.


Sharon Little plays Annapolis

Jay's setlist was Zombie, Can't Have It All, Home, Bowlegged & Starving, The Freshmen, Soda Shop, Goddamned, Blowin' In The Wind, Beautifully, Housewife, Denmark and an encore of Str8 Outta Compton. My favorite song of the night, well that would be hard to choose - Jay was hitting on all cylinders. But I think I would have to go with Goddamned, which can be seen here from his YouTube collection. Jay's voice is always a source of amazement for me, with his perfect tone and intriguing inflection.



Once I've had a chance to go thru my pictures, I will see if they turned out [aside from those I posted here] and if all is good, put up another post. You can find out more about Sharon Little at her website, and Jay at his website.

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Live Music - Jay Brannan - Annapolis

EDITED TO ADD: In Living Cover was released on Tuesday, and is now at #1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts.

Well, if all goes according to plan, I will be at the Ram's Head in Annapolis, MD, this evening listening to the gorgeous voice of Jay Brannan. My ticket is purchased, the directions printed out. This tour is in support of his In Living Cover CD, which is excellent.



I saw Jay in Philadelphia last year, and he was not only very good but also funny as all hell. But what impressed me most was that voice which sounds every bit as good live as it does on the CDs. This is a performance he did of Dylan's Blowing In The Wind in Paris in May.



You can learn more about Jay at his website and here is his store. Buy stuff, you won't be disappointed. Hopefully I will be reporting back with nothing but fabulous praise.

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New Music - Jay Brannan - In Living Cover

On Tuesday, July 7, Jay Brannan is releasing a new CD, In Living Cover, with covers of such great songs as The Freshman, Blowin' In The Wind, and Zombie as well as some new material. I am hoping to make it to a show in Annapolis, MD, on Thursday, July 9th.



That is the cover of Zombie he did earlier this year at a gig in Ireland. I really love Jay's voice. If you are interested, you can get a free preview at Rhapsody by clicking here.




If I make it to the show, I will be sure to post about it, and hopefully get a picture or two. You can also get more information at his website or visit his online store.

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Great Music - Jay Brannan

I have been a big fan of Jay Brannnan for a bit now. His voice is just beautiful and his songs are smart and often funny. Who could ask for more? Oh, yeah, he is also a handsome man. Jay is a singer/songwriter/actor based out of NYC, and has made a name for himself by taking his music to the people, performing his own music in YouTube videos and garnering a fanbase. His music is unlike anyone else I listen to, so I have no comparisons to make. Jay is about to release a new CD next month, In Living Cover, a followup to the fantastic Goddamned CD. He also released the EP Unmastered. He currently has The Freshman out on iTunes, where it debutted at #2 on the Folk charts, behind the seemingly unstoppable Tracy Chapman.



He is currently touring, and will be appearing in Philly at the World Cafe Live! on July 10th, and I am hoping to make it there. There is also a show in Annapolis on the 9th that is a possibility. I had seen Jay in Philly last year, and he was brilliant. He has sold out shows all across the globe, including recent trips to Australia, Europe and the Middle East. He has been known to learn a new language or a song, singing a lovely Molly Malone in Ireland, Housewife became Femme Au Foyer in Paris, and so on.



Jay has appeared in the movies Shortbus and Holding Trevor. Much like his music, his characters have been smart and amusing. In Shortbus, he sang the charming Soda Shop, which can be seen here.



You can find out more about Jay at his website. Go there and buy his music, or get it from iTunes or Amazon. It will be worth it. There are also some fun t-shirts to purchase.

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A King Remembered - Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

Michael Jackson was an incredible talent, and his talent as a singer, dancer and writer will live on for generations. While he is the antithesis of what I am covering here, the King of Pop versus the indie folk/pop/rock singers. But I have heard many of them covering his music live, and can hear their respect for his gift.

One of my favorite covers has been Chris Cornell's version of Billie Jean. It is the performances of Jackson's music by others that will prove to be his true legacy, the celebration of his talent by others.



Updated:
Jay Brannan put out a tribute via his YouTube channel just now. It is wonderful.

Man In The Mirror



Christopher Dallman - Human Nature

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