Guitar Jam

Artist to Watch: Goran Ivanovic on The Jamcast - Session 1

In this edition of The Jamcast, GJD’s Ken Volpe spends some time with Artist to Watch Goran Ivanovic - a guitar virtuoso noted for his lightning-fingered finesse and his complex interpretations of even the simplest melodies.

Ken spoke with Goran about his early training as a Classical guitarist, life growing up in Bosnia, and about crossing over from Classical to improvisational music.

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About Goran Ivanovic: Goran Ivanovic from Croatia is a talented jazz guitarist. A solid bandleader who surrounds himself with American musicians, Ivanovic embraces his traditional Balkan folk music overtly. He plays hot. The Goran Ivanovic Group offers up fire rather than ice, and the guitarist’s amalgamation of flamenco, Balkan, classical, blues, and jazz keeps his band pushing forward almost all of the time on his eponymous album…Ivanovic’s group interacts on a heady and passionate musical plane...the ensemble playing is often breakneck and consistently challenging. The Group’s repertoire is loaded with dynamics, and they move from soft contemplative interludes to wholly original, speed-driven Balkan jazz.” –Downbeat Magazine, June 2006

Artist to Watch: Seth Davin of Dropping Daylight on The Jamcast

In this session of The Jamcast, Ken spends some time with up-and- comer Seth Davin of Dropping Daylight. You'll hear Ken and Seth riff on how he joined the band, and Seth's past and present musical influences. They also spoke about what life is like for the band on the road with their real busy tour schedule. And finally, they cover his approach to studio production.

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Dropping Daylight are very much part of the post-emo era of American indie rock, with songs that favor anthemic choruses and jagged, distorted guitar parts. However, at the same time, the young Minneapolis quartet are in some ways a throwback to a time about decade prior to their early-2000s birth: Guitarist Seth Davin and his brother Sebastian Davin's clever lyrics, rhythmic piano lines and smooth '70s AM radio pop style strongly recall one-time alternative rock favorites like Ben Folds Five, the Eels, the New Radicals and Fastball.

Artist to Watch: Matt Rae on The Jamcast - Session 3

In their final session, Ken and Matt discuss how Matt's musical life has changed due to the shortage of live venues in New England and how he promotes himself and his music, plus the current projects that he is involved in today. Enjoy!

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About Matt Rae: Matt has many credits on his “Tele-Master” resume. Some of his six-string highlights include the guitarist seat in the Arlen Roth band for the last six years, a top 10 finish in Guitar Player Magazine’s  “Guitar Hero 2005” competition, as well as sharing the stage with guitar greats and artists such as Debbie Davies, Johnny A and Forest Lee Jr., Commander Cody, Levon Helm and Redd Volkaert.

Artist to Watch: Matt Rae on The Jamcast - Session 2

Ken and Matt keep the conversation going in Session 2 with his approach to improvisation, his gear, and his tone. They also discuss the new players on today's scene and finish up with how he became a top 10 finalist in Guitar Player magazine's Guitar Hero competition.

About Matt Rae: Matt has many credits on his “Tele-Master” resume. Some of his six-string highlights include the guitarist seat in the Arlen Roth band for the last six years, a top 10 finish in Guitar Player Magazine’s  “Guitar Hero 2005” competition, as well as sharing the stage with guitar greats and artists such as Debbie Davies, Johnny A and Forest Lee Jr., Commander Cody, Levon Helm and Redd Volkaert.

Listen to Session 2 of The Jamcast >

Artist to Watch: Matt Rae

Matt Rae has many credits on his “Tele-Master” resume. Some of his six-string highlights include the second guitarist seat in the Arlen Roth band for the last six years, a top 10 finish in Guitar Player Magazine’s “Guitar Hero 2005” competition, as well as sharing the stage with guitar greats and artists such as Debbie Davies, Johnny A and Forest Lee Jr., Commander Cody, Levon Helm and Redd Volkaert.

Matt’s style is a “countrified mix of surf-a-billy, blue-funk-pop-jazz original instrumental numbers as well as a slew of pure-pop-guitar standards." He has two CD’s to his credit. His first with the fitting title of “Twang,” and his follow-up album titled “Tele-Pathic.” Both albums have received high praise from industry publications such as Vintage Guitar, 20th Century Guitar, and soon to be...Guitar Jam Daily.

In this edition of The Jamcast, Matt Rae and Ken Volpe discuss his first instruments, taking lessons from his Mom and other teachers through out his life. They also cover his past recording projects and what he is currently involved in today.

Listen to Session 1 of The Jamcast >

Artist to Watch: Jamie McLean on The Jamcast - Session 3

In the final episode of our Jamcast interview with Jamie McLean, Ken and Jamie discuss his transition from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band to his own band. They also cover how the loss of his father became  an inspiration and why Hurricane Katrina changed his path.

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Artist to Watch: Jamie McLean on The Jamcast - Session 2

In Session Two of our interview with Jamie McLean, Ken and Jaime discuss his approach to soloing, how he became a vocalist, and then Jaime tells the story of how he landed in the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and why it changed his life.

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Artist to Watch: Jamie McLean

Jamie McLean has earned the distinctive honor (ahem) of being Guitar Jam Daily’s first Artist to Watch. Jamie is a musician who’s most well known for being the guitarist of New Orleans own Dirty Dozen Brass Band. But McLean has a longer list of credentials and talents that make him much more than just a sideman in a famous act from The Big Easy.

His solo project, The Jamie McLean Band, has put him on the stage with such big name acts as the Black Crowes, North Mississippi Allstars, Soulive, Robert Randolph, and Widespread Panic. The band features Jamie on guitars and lead vocals as well as his brother Carter McLean (drums, percussion), Derek Layes (bass), Jon Solo (organ, piano, keyboards) and Shelby Johnson (backing vocals). McClean can do it all from songwriting, singing, an play a mean guitar, through his offering of a soulful mix of rock, r&b, blues, and pop inspired music. 

McLean’s influences are quite transparent – from the sounds of the Black Crowes, Little Feet, Allman Brothers, Stones, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Sting and others, give his music a classic rock sound but with more depth. He has the vocal and guitar chops to make the music sound authentic and believable. You’ll hear many of the tones from the greats of the past in just about each of his songs but he always seems to find a way to make the music his own. This up and comer is one that has the writing, singing, and guitar chops of a future star.

McLean’s latest release This Time Around is a collection of eleven original songs and is his first full-length studio album. The CD combines rock, blues, country, jazz, R&B and the sounds of southern rock and funk. The album is filled with music that will keep your foot tapping and your head bobbing. You’ll find yourself singing these songs even when the music’s stopped.

The album kicks of with the song “Home Movies”, and right out the gate the guitars start firing and you’ll find your feet start hitting the ground. This artist is bringing the rock back home. McLean’s vocals and over driven guitars with jingly jangly chords in the background, and his stinging riffs give those who love this kind of music hope. Ahhh the ear popping Chuck berry double-stops - fatter and sweeter – with some Wah thrown in for good measure does an eardrum good. 

In keeping with the theme of making home movies, the next track “Woman Stay”, opens up with a nice and funky-chunky repetitive guitar riff. The riff hangs in the back with a hypnotizing rhythm. The soul and grit of the vocals and the thick guitar behind it makes it one of the picks on the album. Plus, McLean always seems to throw in some fresh ideas just when you’re anticipating the logical next step in the song - a blistering guitar solo becomes a sweet horn solo or a chirpy harmonica solo for a nice surprise. He also uses bridges, vocal vamps, and tempo changes to make the song interesting and gives it staying power. 

Proving that he transitions well from barnburners to more mellow ballads that smolder, he offers up songs like “Yesterdays News” that brings out the acoustic soul side of McLean. His vocal qualities and phrasing is a bit reminiscent of Edwin McCain, and seem to share the existential angst as he belts out the soulful vocals on a softer introspective tune of losses and life changes. The key difference is that McLean can back up those vox chops with guitar solos that also express the sorrow and pain of these universal situations.

Bringing the mood back up on the disc with smooth slide work on “Holy Water” over the electric and acoustic guitar underpinnings. McClean comes out in unrepentant fashion on with a fiery guitar solo that no amount of water would put out. And the vocals match the passion of the guitars that keep driving this song.

“This Time Around” takes you back to the softer and more soulful side of the album. Piano, acoustic guitar, and deep vocals simply takes the edge off. One thing is a constant throughout the playlist is the ever presence of the acoustic guitar, adding warmth and a glossy texture to the song and the album - something that is usually missing on many of today’s rock albums.

In a tip of the hat to Little Feat, or just a wave to the No’leans vibe, there’s “Innocence Lost”, an up tempo romp that makes you want to break out the washboard and the spoons and grab a hurricane. Yet another shining example of his diverse songwriting and guitar playing.

It’s clear from the first to last track on the album is that Jamie McLean is playing the music he was born to play. His guitar work is as versatile and natural as his singing and songwriting are well crafted. The guitars offer a range of sonic qualities and tempos. The music is real with a no-nonsense attitude that makes you want to believe that an artist like Jamie McLean is a great bet for the future of rock music.

Editors note: Next week Jamie McLean will be featured on The Jamcast .