Tag Archives: Blues

King at Bay Releases Debut EP

Wow!

King at Bay, a collaboration between the extremely talented musicians Jess Best ’14 and Mel Hsu ’13, just released their first album Libation. With a cello holding down the bass and the keys building a bluesy core, the duo’s razor-sharp harmonies pull you into a place as sweet as it is wild.  This debut EP also features Sam Friedman ’13 and Mark Bennett ’13 to fill out the sound with a dirty harmonica and soulful pocket. Contact Jess (jsbest@wes) or Mel (mhsu@wes) to purchase a physical copy of the album for $10.

From Mel:

Dear Wes,
We are so excited to share this with you!!! Thank you for listening!!

You can download their album on bandcamp here.

Photos: Fletcher C. Johnson Heats Up WestCo Cafe

Thursday night at the WestCo cafe, Brooklyn-based folk-rock band Fletcher C. Johnson warmed the crowd with their blues-rock and made it feel like seeing a high school band play noisy folk tunes out of their garage on a summer night somewhere in suburban California. It’s no coincidence that Pitchfork crowns Fletcher’s music as a totally respectable revival of 1960s blues-rock scene, but with its own pop-rock spin. Fletcher is remarkable for their organic incorporation of danceable rock music with traditional folk and blues.

Wesleyan’s own Featherwood Bee set the scene for the first hour with their hard-rock jams. Bee, consisting of WesKids Ben Gottesman ’13 (bass), Adam Johnson ’14 (drums), Kelly Lee ’14 (guitar, vocals) and John Ryan ’14 (lead guitar, vocals), opened the show with rock n’ roll music. Their music features bass-heavy verses punctuated by loud, explosive choruses—as is customary in hard rock. In most songs, you can hear obvious Led Zeppelin influences; but in their more mellow tunes, there are traces of The Grateful Dead and their blues, jam-band style. This band is pretty active on the music scene here at Wes, so if you don’t see them play in the near future, check out their music here.

WesSwing and Blues and Stuff

Chandra Galbati ’12 sends in a sparse email to get the following out:

WeSwing&Blues invites you to come learn some sassy moves.
Free lessons!
Date: Saturday, February 11
Times:
  1. Swing: 2 – 3 pm
  2. Free Dance: 3 – 3.30 pm
  3. Blues: 3.30- 4.30pm

Place: Nics Lounge

Contra Dance and Swing/Blues Dance

Tiny Dancer ’13 writes in:

What better way to celebrate the end of classes than with the last contra dance of the semester!?!

This dance is student run! Come check out our awesome callers, Rachel Fifer ’12 and Emma Gorin ’12, and student band including Micah Wylde ’12 and others!

All dances will be taught – no experience necessary. Newcomers are always welcome! Bring your friends or bring yourself! No partner needed.

There will also be a swing and blues dance immediately after the contra dance. Stay or come for that too!

Date:   Dec. 9
Time:   8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Place:  Beckham Hall

What is contra? for those of you who didn’t take orgo lab last year…

ContraDance Dinner/Party, also Swing&Blues After-Party TONIGHT!

There was just no way I could have made the header of this post more convoluted. I mean, it’s not Stanley Kubrick convoluted, but it’s the kind of convoluted that if read with a hangover would trigger a gag reflex, which would eventually lead to discharge, which would eventually lead to a banal conversation in Usdan.

Anyway, Anonymous ’25 writes in:

The first contra dance of the year is THIS FRIDAY, 9/23, from 8-11pm, in Beckham Hall!

There will be LIVE MUSIC by Rebecca McCallum, Emily Troll ’10, Mary Cay Brass, and Roger Kahle, and calling by Adina Gordon.

Every dance will be taught, so if you’re a total beginner, there’s nothing to worry about!

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!

Floorboard Blues

From Jan Marie ’11:

Low-lights, chill vibes, close encounters, and everything from janky guitar to smooth piano blues music: this is how WESwing & Blues likes to party.

Come dance with us. If you don’t know how to dance, we’ll teach you, or help you make it up as the night goes on.

This is a fundraiser to help us bring Fly Machine to play live on Halloween. So we’re asking for a $5 donation. But if you don’t have $5, come anyway. We like bodies.

Oh, and prepare to be cuddled. Hardcore.

  • Date: Friday, September 24
  • Time: 10 PM – 1:00 AM
  • Place: Vinnie’s Jump & Jive, 424 Main Street
  • Cost: $5

Facebook event here.