I think I can finally write about the
last shows at The
Warfield now. The fog has lifted and I have had a full week to
mourn. Now that the sadness is gone I can remember how I was
introduced to Jackie Greene that night. This Sacramento kid is a
sonic monster. Singer, songwriter, guitar shredding madman, poet,
painter, Grateful Dead aficionado, and chain smoker all describe this 20
something. I can't imagine being this talented and this young at the
same time. Jackie has real talent and artistry that he's earned
over the years playing clubs, parks, and anywhere that would have him.
Phil Lesh was so impressed that he has Jackie leading his band for this
summer's tour. Jackie plays band leader perfectly and he gives the
Dead tunes the love and respect they deserve. Since I saw him with
Phil I didn't get the full Jackie story until I had downloaded his solo
material.
I'm So Gone - Video
I
have to say I am totally blown away by the two most recent releases from
Jackie. It is early enough in his career that he isn't afraid to
experiment and find his voice and style. His influences are
obvious; Dylan, Petty, The Dead, etc. and yet he still manages to put
his stamp on top of them. The result is familiar and new at the
same time. I can't stop listening and hopefully more people will
join me and Jackie will get the popularity he deserves and we get a
young true artist that should entertain and educate us for years to
come. Below I have assembled a few videos from YouTube that should
get you interested enough and if not at least you are now aware of
Jackie. So from the ashes of my last night at The Warfield I have
discovered a new artist at the beginning of his journey. I'm in,
how about you?
This page came from the surviving 2006–2008 Classic site. Its original wording and available pictures were retained while the old separate-site header, sidebars, and brittle outside links were removed.
