Shearwater is an Art band.

I've been listening to Shearwater a lot lately. Looking forward to seeing them at the Doug Fir next week. The more I listen, the more I realize that there is no convenient niche to place them in. They are a jam band with an improvisational streak, so I hear the Grateful Dead. They are at-the-edge creative, so I hear Talking Heads. They are comfortably falsetto, so I hear Neil Young... or Joni Mitchell. They are instrumentally original, so I hear Pink Floyd... or Yes. They are authentically Southern, so I hear REM... or Creedance. And somewhere in there, I realize a strong undertow of Richard Thompson. And Peter Gabriel. Yes, they are one-of-a-kind.

I liked frontman Jonathan Meiberg the first time I heard him sing and play the guitar. His voice is urgent and powerful and gentle at the same time. Now I'm dazzled by his originality. Isn't it great to see a true musical artist come along here in 2010?

Shearwater is Meiburg's band. They do an awesome job as his companions. They blasted out of the pack at SXSW in Austin.

So if you can...

Tuesday, April 27, 8/9 pm
Doug Fir Lounge
PDX

Willy, Tom and I will be there. A small room with a band on the rise. Last I looked, $10 tickets were still available.

Tickets West / Shearwater

Keep an eye out in your town. Shearwater's web site.

Here's an excellent link to a live show this year in St. Malo, France