‘Hardest-Working Blues-Man’, Southern California-based blues-rock guitarist-vocalist Jon Geiger is doing his best to bring you the Blues (wherever you may be), with upcoming dates, including his return to popular longtime South Bay live music venue, The Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach, on September 25, where his band recently started a new monthly Residency. In the words of Music Connection Magazine, Jon Geiger cuts a vein for his audience. A veteran of the Austin music scene, Geiger grew up in New York and became a brown belt in Jiu Jitsu just to make it home from school safely on the tough streets of Harlem. The deep soul of BB King’s “Live at the Regal” and the ferocious intensity of Eric Clapton’s guitar work were life-changing for Jon. Playing guitar became Jon’s reason for living.
Blues-E-News: What’s the latest and greatest with you Jon? Looks like you’re really starting to get busy.
Jon: Well this week alone we’ve got three shows in three different areas here, and we’re coming up on the first shows at places that very well look like the beginnings of residencies… Which is something I’ve always ached to have… my heroes and teachers always had some place that was their regular spot they were playing on a regular basis, and they could stretch it out and build both musically- as well as build a following of those who were really affected by what they were doing – those people would know that they could always find a Mike Stern on a Monday or a Wednesday, at the 55 Bar or a Hiram Bullock with Gil Evans on a Monday at Sweet Basil etc. it’s something I’ve always wanted to have because I also know from my conversations with them how much it helped them to grow as musicians in so many ways, and deepen as well… And so I guess the latest and greatest is that in addition to having all of these shows which I’m incredibly excited about, there’s a possibility of some residencies at several different places and I’m just ready to dig in and really let people know that there’s no mailing it in here ha ha ha , every moment of every song of every night is going to be deeply invested and heartfelt and I’m gonna play my heart out for you… And I hope that that creates even more shows because there’ll be more people coming back… And that’s more people I get to lift up, or try to every time… Which is really what I’m all about trying to do.
Blues-E-News: Some of the highlights of a typical Jon Geiger show (let’s call them ‘crowd favorites’) include…?
Jon: People really seem to respond to our stretching out, and bringing in the dynamics, often building and creating almost a jazz like interplay and inevitably the intensity grows and builds in the context of the open sections and it really does showcase what I believe is a particular identifying trait of what I’m authentically coming out of which is a great love for the depth and harmonic and dynamics and melodic horizons of jazz and jazz interplay between musicians in an “in the moment” circumstance and that meeting the absolute bred in the bone love` and being “of”` of liveWire invested Blues based playing, where it becomes almost shamanistic -the great intensity and explosiveness that comes from the greats who always affected my soul, and guided my sensibilities and indeed created the Northstar of what I wanted to reach for in playing from the heart in a live setting `and an improvised one at that.
Blues-E-News: Let’s meet your other two band members, please tell us a little bit about each one.
Jon: Bassist Chad Watson is a veteran on bass in both the Nashville and L.A. session scenes since 1972. Chad has recorded and toured with Delaney Bramlett, Charlie Rich, Janis Ian, David Arkenstone, Ronnie Milsap, The Burrito Brothers, Freddy Fender, and John York of The Byrds, to name a few. LA drummer/composer Peter Buck has released three albums with his band, Buck’s Vibe. He has recorded and toured with among others, Keb’ Mo’, Thelma Houston, Michelle Shocked, Ice T, Bonnie Raitt, and Barbara Morrison.
Blues-E-News: Any new songs being recorded, or videos being made, etc. on the horizon for the Jon Geiger Band?
Jon: We’re definitely looking at live video from some of the shows coming up, and I’m really excited about that because of some of the new things that are starting to happen live, they can only happen when you’ve played with guys a whole bunch. It happens in jazz, and it happens in rock and blues when you’re all invested in the same thing` which is making music at the moment and listening to each other there’s some really exciting stuff that can change within the parameters of the context of each song. So I’m eager to capture some of what’s going on that way. In addition, I’ve been writing a lot and have some things I’m looking forward to recording when the time is right.
Blues-E-News: Plug for your upcoming shows – go for it!
Jon: You asked for it! Hahaha There’s a bunch, and there’s some more that are going to get added, just not confirmed yet, so I do encourage you to go to the website to see all upcoming shows, and also to know that you can put your email in there and it will notify you of upcoming shows in your area. The website is www.jongeiger.com. Love to see you out there, and if you dig what you hear please turn a friend on or two, it’s all about playing to more and more people these days and letting those folks who love original and blues based soulful rock know that I’m out there `if they love this music, then there’s one more guy carrying the torch that’ll play it for them… and dig deep and from the heart to do so!
