All About Jazz musician pages are maintained by musicians, publicists and trusted members like you. In the century that has passed since Sister Rosetta Tharpe's gospel-laced guitar licks birthed rock 'n' roll, the genre has been less than willing to significantly acknowledge generations of Black brilliance with the instrument. Tone Talk with Jackie Venson - Guitar Girl Magazine She goes on to say, I really loved working on Afterglow and Joy because it was my first experience really buckling down on an arrangement, making decisions based on the rest of the collection of music, and really digging deep within myself for all of my accumulative musical knowledge., Music that inspired her in her early days, The music in Disney movies was a significant influence in Vensons early life. When she's failed to do so, she's pursued the introspective discovery of virtuoso musicality. Wearing a black leather dress designed by her sister that was inscribed with dozens of names of black Americans who have died at the hands of cops Breonna Taylors name was at the top Venson took a couple of minutes mid-show to address her wardrobe choice. Jackie Venson - photo by by Ismael Quintanilla III Photography. What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar? She even ad-libbed a tune about cheese curds and beer. The Berklee College of Music alum figures she's got another 10 years of climbs left in her. Jackie Venson Live in Texas Full Concert - YouTube On April 20th, Jackie will be releasing a new EP titled "jackie the robot vol 1" composed entirely of remixes that reimagine Jackie's critically acclaimed catalogue, and showcases her growth as both a musician and producer. Jackie Venson is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Austin, Texas. The hour also features a vintage performance by soul/gospel legend Mavis Staples from her 2012 showcase, joined by special guest Bonnie Raitt. Her father, now 75, demonstrated the ability to gig, parent, and keep the lights on thanks to the capitals vibrant music scene. Jackie Venson - YouTube "Lights person or a bass player?" The Continental has been closed since March because of the pandemic; McMurtry offered up this EP via Bandcamp to benefit the club during this difficult stretch. That's why I'm saying I have another 10 years in me, because I just wanna get there because once I get there, I'm going to be like, 'You know what? I think I wouldve been smited if Id played that song on anything but a Strat, she remarked. You can mellow it out and make it a jazz guitar, or you can engage the humbuckers and make it cut through the wall. The path to musical success proves confusing for many and the industry's twisting undulations exhaust even the most optimistic of dreamers. It was a great debut, and we cant wait for you to see it when it airs November 14 as part of our Season 46 on your local PBS station. ", All she needs, then, is $200,000 to get the project completed. Jackie Venson is born. "I focus on all of the melodies floating in the harmonics of the beat, so I just allow myself to get lost in front of people in the cloud of music surrounding me.". Though the songs may be familiar to some long time fans, the presentation, growth, and 5-year development of Jackie and her band will leave you floating in the cosmos. blocks Palestinian artist Dirar . Venson has been obsessed with music from a very early age. [1] Venson was not very disciplined in practice, noting: "It took me three years to put the focus in enough to where I could put my hands together on the piano, and it took me an additional two and a half to three years after that to even want to practice for more than 45 minutes at a time, which you have to if you want to learn how to do anything." I've come nowhere near exploring my musical possibilities during a show.". For starters, an estimated $10,000 in unplanned road expenses forced her to forgo a band and go solo last year. No, I let go of all career pressure and dont plan on ever inviting it back in. We matter. John Bune hastily digs in his pocket, ready to disprove anyone who might suggest otherwise. Heres the track Make Me Feel: Sideshow Tragedy, After the Fall (Spaceflight). If it takes any longer, then I might have to reassess what I'm doing with my life.". Bath 5. She introduced her drummer, Rodney Hyder, as the family drummer, since he has a long history in Andrew Vensons band. Everything is a grey area, and if you dont love music to the very core of your being, you wont last very long. Jackie Venson is back on the road again and could not be happier! 10. [1] She has also performed at the Austin Urban Music Festival. Prince thought so, Doug McKechnie is the 81-year-old synth pioneer you've never heard of: "The history of electronic music needs a rewrite", IK Multimedia at Gear Expo 2023: Your gateway to a new world of guitar tone, What is spectral processing? Filmed at Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater on Oct 3, 2019, Jackie Venson opens for Gary Clark Jr. completely solo with her robot. What was your first guitar and when did you get it? The installment premieres November 14 at 8pm CT . She finds it difficult to just stick to one particular style, and instead, prefers to capitalize on what sounds best to her while leaving out the things she doesnt like. Jackie Venson is a multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter known far and wide for her complexly beautiful music and blazing guitar skills. "It's a creaky old ladder and there's too many people on it," says the 29-year-old. You'll be able to see the person I was when I was just trying to keep my head above water. Austin360 On The Record: Jackie Venson, Jimmie Vaughan, more Theres no road maptheres no right or wrong, says Venson on being asked what she would say to these young women. Her talent was refined in her childhood in the middle of a musical family of which she is the youngest of nine siblings. "I don't think that I'm not worthy of believing in," she declares. Black Lily Collective. Formerly backed by a threepiece blues ensemble, the guitarist now works primarily off of a sampler, playing over a live backing track that's controlled by a foot pedal. "Let's say in 10 years I've reached my goal: I can fill 1,000-to 5,000-capacity rooms in every major city in America. Get to know the technology behind the next generation of effects plugins. Aerosmith Announces Farewell Tour, New to the Airwaves Albums Out This Week (April 28th), Placebo Return to Brooklyn and We Can Never Let Them Go, MASSIVE WILLIE NELSON 90THBIRTHDAY CONCERT EVENT DETAILS EMERGE, Wilder Woods Lets The Light Shine In Charlotte. "Black Country Music Association. And bare my soul. In fact, Andrew Venson was the only sighted player in local R&B act Blue Mist for a decade. As a songwriter, she is quite willing to expose her deepest thoughts and desires. On November 14, 2020, Venson made her national television debut as a part of Austin City Limits' 46th season. I am here for the journey. This keeps outside forces, haters, or whatever depressing stuff happening in the world away from my personal supply of joy. The Milwaukee show represented the bands second public outing since 2019an experience described by Quinn-Broadus as both anxiety-inducing and exhilarating. [4] On October 30, 2018, she released the song "Cover My Eyes" with a live in studio video. Its all been leading up to the release of Vintage Machine, Vensons first full-length studio record since last years acclaimed Joy. Shes been selling physical copies on CD and vinyl via Bandcamp for a few weeks, but Friday marks its wide release on streaming services. People compare me to her all the time. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the hi-fi, ethereal and intensely groovy Evolution of Joy. Nashville-based Alanna Royale opened for Jackie Venson. Women created the blues. Now they are taking it back. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. "I was expecting it to be one thing and it ended up being another thing and I was really depressed probably for the entire time I went there. Venson has described the album as an exciting departure for me in terms of the style of music. . Rosetta is Jackie Vensons Les Paul Studio, which has a beautiful grain finish with gold accents, has a coil tap with two pickups producing distinct sounds upon tuning volume knobs. Jackie Venson - Wikipedia Venson has released four studio albums, The Light In Me (2014), Joy (2019), Vintage Machine ( 2020) and Love Transcends (2021).In addition to four studio albums, Venson has also released four live albums, Live at Strange Brew (2016) Live in Texas (2020), Jackie . What I am trying to get people to understand is that genres dont matter; it is the voice of the artist that matters. But she decided on a different path when she picked up a guitar. Joy, for me, is being myself and expressing myself the way I want to express myself. Jackie Venson joins a growing Black female guitar revolution MUSIC Jackie Venson's bluesy sound adds to a growing Black female guitar 'revolution' The Austin, Texas native is growing in. On this Memorial Day, the only barbecue at the South Austin home of John Bune, Venson's self-proclaimed "shameless promoter," takes place inside the mind of the town's reigning Best Guitarist. She kept the records coming, too, issuing a double-disc live album as well as a two-volume Jackie the Robot EP via Bandcamp. Search. [1] Venson considers her musician father a major influence: .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, Well my dad is a professional musician and he was my example. All Rights Reserved. Blind drummer Rodney Hyder, a former bandmember with Andrew, today backs Jackie on occasion. He has covered singer-songwriters, bands, and music festivals for several years, and feels energized by the passion and talent of the performing artist. I play leads over the music until I find a melody that resonates with me. Jackie Venson is a multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter known far and wide for her complexly beautiful music and blazing guitar skills. Billets pour Jackie Venson, dates de tourne en 2023 & 2024 - Songkick Jackie quickly bonded with the Shank Hall audience, chatting about her songs, background, and life views. [1] "Berklee was really hard for me", Venson recalled. People dont feel pressure to grow up and get old, so I dont feel pressure to make my career grow faster than it organically would anyway. Though 2020 was filled with turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Venson doubled down on her creative efforts after her touring year was cancelled by dedicating herself to going live on a consistent basis on several platforms and releasing five albums of music; two live albums (Live in Texas, Jackie Venson Live at Austin City Limits), two volumes of her DJ remix project jackie the robot, and one studio album (Vintage Machine). Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news, All questions answered (satisfaction not guaranteed). When Venson isn't closing her eyes during a killer solo, her pupils are open in search for more. Some have suggested it sounds like St. Vincent in spots. As backup singers Akina Adderley and Kate Priestley left the stage, Venson donned an acoustic guitar and delivered a moving speech in support of Black Lives Matter Not the hashtag, not the slogan, not the organization the people. Then she played Back to Earth, a sophisticated pop song that kept to her words spirit, if not the details. Ms. Venson is now an ascending star of the blues. View all concerts. "My dad had his rehearsal space in the house," the second-generation talent recalls with a smile on her face. These songs have never been captured this way, unless you've been lucky enough to catch a. Evolution of Joy is a complete overhaul and re-doing of Jackie Venson's original album Joy. Playing as a duo with her drummer, Rodney Hyder, she filled the house to the rafters with her songs, supplementing her guitar and the drums with synthesized backgrounds and pre-recorded backing tracks. [7][4], The Austin American-Statesman described Venson as "a Gary Clark Jr.-level talent who speaks boldly through her guitar while entrancing with her gorgeous, smoky voice. Or at least pack venues in Texas, she admits, reciting the cost of airfare from Austin to El Paso in a millisecond. Austin City Limits is a production of Austin PBS, KLRU-TV, Unless otherwise noted all photos Austin PBS, KLRU-TV by Scott Newton, Austin City Limits 46th season opens with the late John Prine. Jackie Venson got a priceless piece of career advice when she was 13 years old: "My dad told me that I had to start singing if I wanted to make any money in this business.". Every time I release a new record, Im kind of honing in on what I liked about the last one and leave out what I didnt like. Im just kind of casting a really wide net, says Venson. Jackie Venson Cuts Loose! | Shutter 16 Magazine I want to get some exercises from him - also, I'd like to know more about jazz.. I just write songs and whatever arrangement fits best is the arrangement I go for. Chatting with Jackie Venson, the Musical Jewel of Austin Vaughan erases genre boundaries with help from an ace cast of locals including drummer George Rains, horn players Ephraim Owens and Kaz Kazanoff and . Interested? In addition to four studio albums, Venson has also released 4 live albums, Live at Strange Brew (2016) Live in Texas (2020), Jackie Venson Live at Austin City Limits and Joy Alive (2021). Dont think of Jackie Venson as just another blues guitarist or accuse her of emulating anyone. The thing with classical piano is that you have to learn other peoples music and theres a lot of structure and rules, and I was tired of that. Jackie Venson is an Austin-born singer-songwriter and guitarist who was the first African American woman to receive the 'Best Guitarist' title at the Austin Music Awards. "Also, maybe they're watching me," she adds sarcastically before bursting into laughter. I'm looking at different types of looper pedals - haven't settled on one yet but I'm looking. Forbes called you an Austin legend in the making. Does having something like that said about you add pressure to continue getting bigger? Whether it's finding good players or receptive locales, the path taxes the mind. "Love is Blind" Alicia Keys "Sweet Life . Vensons new EP Transitions spans funk, soul and hard-rocking pentatonic riffs, all delivered with her trusty Fender Elite Strat - the guitarists genre-hopping dexterity even caught the ear of Gary Clark Jr, who enlisted her support for his 2017 tour. The ultimate beginner's guide. [1] Her piano studies and the music theory she learned in school helped Venson adapt to the new instrument. MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. "I got a picture of the marquee: 'Sold Out,'" he says with exaggerated Southern enunciation of the phrase "sold out.". She sang two songs from her upcoming release, Til This Pain Goes Away, an ode to her inner strength and independence, and the bluesy track Rollin On.. She is equally comfortable playing in huge venues as well as small spaces and has opened for and appeared with numerous legends including Gary Clark Jr. and Buddy Guy. This is not me saying I had to pay for it with my savings, feel sorry for me. Over the years, she has seen a lot of changes in her style while working through various genres of music. Don't worry so much, just enjoy the ride and keep practising, keep performing live and be sure to love every minute.. I try to hone in on the sound right now, and in order to do that, you kind of got to explore a lot of sounds. She described the upcoming release as 51% blues. One of the joys of the album for Jackie was laying down the bass tracks on her fathers 67 Fender Jazzmaster. No. Blind Willie Johnson (January 25, 1897 - September 18, 1945) was an American gospel blues singer, guitarist and evangelist. His landmark recordings completed between 1927 and 1930thirty songs in totaldisplay a combination of powerful "chest voice" singing, slide guitar skills, and originality that has influenced generations of musicians.Even though Johnson's records sold well, as a . How do you think growing up in Texas has affected your sound? Will you reschedule your tour for next year, or will you wait to tour until you have new music? So thats what Im doing., Talking about her Gibson Les Paul Studio named Rosetta. My next album is actually supposed to come out this year in September, so it will have to be after that. That song crashed directly into the next, a grungy rocker called Witchcraft, which immediately blazed into the funky rocker Next Life. After shouting out ACL, Venson and the band went into her current single Make Me Feel, a slow burn ballad that accented its desire with its composers burning licks. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. How a song written in 1974 turned up on Bowie's Let's Dance and unwittingly kicked off a controversy, Taylor and Original Grain Watches team up for some very classy wrist candy incorporating the high-end acoustic brands Urban Ironbark. "I think I'm going to bring her to Mali with me, because they think women can't play," grinned the Ali Farka Tour scion. [4] The Austin Chronicle wrote that Venson's "willingness to stand naked lyrically and vocally" is an "admirable" trait, while her "smoldering and honest" voice "won't blow doors off buildings, but if she could, it would be overkill. Jackie Venson, a classically trained pianist who later took up the guitar and is now an ascending blues star, holds her Gibson Les Paul Studio guitar. "I want to go to someone's town and be in front of them and share energy with them and provide a nice night, a nice thing to do, or maybe their daughter just got into guitar and they want to expose them. A lot of people like music and they think they have an affinity for it but if nobody else in the family does, then they sometimes dont see it as a possibility. Jackie is one of the best-made products of the new Austin, as we told you in our article about its scene.She connects with the musical roots of the Texas capital through Soul and Blues but anticipates an electronic and urban tomorrow. It took Venson about three more years to be able to focus on playing for "three or four hours straight like a working musician". Venson performs and records with a three-piece band of professional musicians, although often switches up her live instrumentation to be anywhere from solo, to a six-piece band. Venson is not just an incredible artist, but a versatile performer as well, who leaves nothing to chance when it comes to giving the crowd a fantastic show. Jackie Venson - Big Blues Bender RELATED STORY: Venson's prolific livestreaming also landed her at number 10 on Pollstar's Top Music Live Streamers of 2020, putting her among established outlets like the Grand Ol Opry and accomplished artists like Norah Jones and Questlove. [Love] the Taste. The three musicians who werent singing all wore masks. All rights reserved. Black Rock Coalition. It wasn't until after Jackie graduated from Berklee that she decided to pick up the guitar and began a new musical career. This fourth song from 2017 EP Transcends features powerful lyrics. Is there a guitar, or piece of gear, that you regret letting go? Jackie Venson: Guitars, Music, and Inspiration, Giveaway: Win 1 of 3 Luna Guitars Enter to Win, All She Ever Wanted: Go-Go Kathy Valentine Pens A Memoir. . A little past the halfway mark, Venson welcomed Austin soul singer Tameca Jones to the stage for a blazing rendition of the blues classic "Texas Flood," memorably recorded by Stevie Ray . Vensons music incorporates elements of rock, jazz, blues, pop, soul, reggae and more, ultimately emerging as a sound thats entirely her own. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe (opens in new tab). Like Venson, Dallas electro-pop guitar goddess Annie Clark also attended Berklee. [Related], how I play the guitar showcases my best, most unfiltered self. I Will Find a Way from Jackie Venson Live in Texas - YouTube Versatile Strat player talks essential gear and onstage nightmares. Thursdays milestone was Vensons biggest yet: Taping Austin City Limits at ACL Live. Jackie Venson hails from Austin, Texas, and has been singing and playing professionally for over ten years. The blues has been an essential part of Austin-based Jackie Venson's repertoire since she started playing guitar almost a decade ago. Venson and company are the real deal. "@context": "https://schema.org", Jackie Venson is carrying on the torch of the Austin blues scene like her predecessors, including Gary Clark Jr. and Stevie Ray Vaughan. 10 questions for Jackie Venson: "The greatest guitar - MusicRadar 1. (The company vehemently denies her claims. You get a lot of variety in terms of tone, and you can play any genre. After replacing that guitar with her Les Paul, Venson cranked the funk back up for Fight, a socially conscious song featuring a jazzy solo from keyboardist Eddy Hozibal. }. Copyright 1981-2023 Austin Chronicle Corp. All rights reserved. "I'm not letting it affect my self-worth, but you specifically asked me about a career and running a career, and this is where it is right now. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, The artist IS the genre, especially if they write their own music or at least have a large part in writing their own music. "Everybody who comes up goes back down, so you climb it for as long as you emotionally and physically can.". This willingness to be vulnerable is a trait that draws in a listener to a uniquely personal experience. Heres his version of his Continental residency-mate Jon Dee Grahams song Laredo: NOV. 6: Alan Moe Monsarrat, Agriculture, NOV. 13: Josh Abbott Band, The Highway Kind, NOV. 13: Sour Bridges, Roll Us Up Something Good EP, DEC. 4: Alex Maas, Luca (Innovative Leisure), DEC. 4: Mark Willenborg, Cold Beer and Country Music, DECEMBER: James Steinle, Cold German Mornings, FEBRUARY: Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Hunter & the Dog Star, making her debut on the legendary show Oct. 1, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy.