An Evening with Singer- Songwriter Jeffrey Gaines

On June 28, 2009, a beautiful Sunday, singer-songwriter Jeffrey Gaines played a solo concert at the Downtown Cafe in Red Bank, N.J. Over the years he has performed in Monmouth County many times, usually at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, or one of the local colleges. These performances have been advertised well in advance but for some reason or another I have missed his concerts.

I received a most pleasant surprise when our friend Jill called us up late Saturday afternoon to let us know that Jeffrey was going to be playing at the Downtown Cafe that Sunday night and the tickets were selling for $15.00 each. The first time that I had heard Jeffrey was at the Bottom Line in New York City at a Singer Songwriter in the Round program after his first album came out in the early 90's. He performed his song "The Hero in Me" and I have loved it ever since. He is also known for his cover of Peter Gabriel's song "In Your Eyes." We were thrilled to find out about the show and immediately said count us in.

The Downtown Cafe is a very nice club, recently renovated, and converted from a rather tight corridor type of space to a more wide open layout, enhanced by more and better seating that takes advantage of the street scene right outside of its doors. It has two floors and Jeffrey was performing upstairs in a room that has a lot of space but maintains a small and intimate feel. It has a New York lofty ambiance to it. The ticket was general admission but it seemed like there were enough tables and seats for just about everyone who was there. The food and drinks were excellent and added to the experience.

Jeffrey hit the stage with one acoustic guitar and the microphone. When he introduced himself he explained how he really does not like interviews as the interviewers do not ask pertinent questions that really relate to the music. At the end of his performance which was at least two an half hours, I let him know that I was going to write an article without interviewing him. Jeffrey Gaines is to my ears and mind, one of the finest singer-songwriters in the business, and this show reinforced that belief. As soon as he started playing I was glad he was performing solo. As on his records, his voice and playing stand out. His playing style is not elaborate or showy, just strong and steady and supportive of whatever mood he is trying to put across. His voice is a really raw, emotional instrument, but soulful and smooth at the same time. The sound from the Downtown stage was well mixed. I could have listened to him for another hour or two and not grown tired of what I was hearing.

Of course, none of this would matter as much if not for his songs. Gaines is so good at projecting images. Part of what made this show so enjoyable was listening to him talk about his music and life experiences. He seemed really at ease, going with the flow, shifting gears randomly, taking the time to embellish the songs with jokes and things off the top of his head. It seemed like he was really enjoying himself. It was definitely his crowd. Whenever he asked what people wanted to hear there were always ready responses. People shouted all night for "Hero", but there were many other requests.

He played songs from all of his albums, but he made a point of telling us that he hadn't put out a new record in awhile. His last album release was "Toward The Sun" in 2003. He said he was out on the road getting around to his fans. Thank goodness for that, because we were the lucky ones on this night. I'm not going to give you the Jeffrey Gaines primer in this article, but let it suffice to say that if you enjoy heartfelt songs, and lyrics that really dig deep but maintain an ability to reach anyone you should pick up any one of his albums. This night he played "Fear", "A Dark Love Song", and "Headmasters of Mine" from "Jeffrey Gaines"(1992). There was "You Believe In Me" from 1994's "Somewhat Slightly Dazed" and "Praise or Blame" from "Galore" (1994). The album "Always Be" yielded "Hero In Me", "Your Town" and the two excellent covers, the hit "In Your Eyes" (Gaines actually charted higher than Peter Gabriel), and a stunning version of Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". He even threw in an extra. While he changed his guitar string, he managed to nail an a cappella version of AC/DC's "TNT", with the audience clapping perfectly all the way through it. (How rare is that? A whole crowd with rhythm.) From 2003's "Toward The Sun" there was "Beyond The Beginning", "To Be Free", and "Together". The only song that I wish he had played was "Life of the Living" from that last album.

But no complaints. Jeffrey played well and long. I recommend that you see him when you get the chance, and even though I'm sure he's great with his band, if you get him solo you'll enjoy it that much more. When he has a night like this one you feel like you are really sharing an evening with the person on that stage. It went beyond entertainment. It was really beautiful and fun and uplifting.

Jeffrey hung out after the show, and many people went over to say hello. He was very cordial and approachable. I don't know what is going on with Jeffrey's recording career at the moment, but I hope he puts out a new record soon. I said that I wouldn't interview him, so I didn't, but I'm going to make a point of finding out. He's a great artist and there are still plenty of people that should get hip to him. I look forward to seeing him again. Thanks, Jeffrey, for a really great evening.