With the exception of a couple love-birds in the back, Jesse DeNatale had everyone in the Utah’s balcony eating out of the palm of his hand. I can only assume the spectators below were of the same rapt estate. At one point Jesse asked the audience with his gravelly charm, “Are you having fun? ‘Cause it’s kind of hard to tell from up here.” And at that we all chuckled and I daresay adored him all the more for his perfectly timed bit of humor. Yes, fun at a Jesse DeNatale performance falls more into the subdued, mesmerized category, but the applause that punctuated the night confirmed that indeed this audience was having fun.

To say that Jesse is a storyteller is a bit of an understatement. Perhaps it’s the raspy grit in his voice that lifts his stories off the page and makes me believe there’s something behind each tale. What more can a listener really ask for, than to be persuaded that an artist’s heart is being poured into every line?

Jesse captures an “Americana” essence reminiscent of Jonathan Richman or Tom Waits with a Dylan-esque element. His bay area roots lend a California layer to the mix, peppering his songs with San Francisco landmarks and giving his lyrics just a shade of “bay area” personality.

I’m the dreamer
Lives down on the bay
What the country was
No I couldn’t say

It’s a rare treat to hear four guys create such tastefully lush arrangements in a live setting. Jesse moved between acoustic guitar and piano, always with one of half a dozen harmonicas around his neck. Kirk Charles alternated cello, saxophone and electric guitar to add thoughtfully crafted commentary. I’ve long known Andrew Griffin to be a great drummer and this evening was no exception. Like a painter with a vast palette at his fingertips, Andrew creatively adapted his grooves and the tones of his kit to the subtle shifts in mood for each piece. I was also greatly impressed by Paul Olguin on bass. He laid back into the groove for a solid foundation and he and Andrew made a lovely marriage of the rhythm section to my ear.

Jesse closed the show by offering these words of advice for the New Year: “If you find a pot of gold, put something in it and you’ll make 2008 great.” Then he went on to offer up “Nightingale” with its soul-tugging chorus line about carrying love in a golden pail.

If you can’t make it to see him in person, treat yourself to his latest release Soul Parade. My favorite tune as of this writing is “Montgomery St.” but there are several others vying for that position.

Lastly I encourage you to check out Jesse’s list of influences on his myspace. You’ve never seen a list quite like this, I promise you. “Let’s start with the Red Winged Black Bird, the Sparrow and the Whippoorwill…” Clearly this is a man who notices detail in nature. No wonder he’s such an amazing storyteller! The list goes on to span the musical gamut: from Ringo Starr to Count Basie, from Earth Wind and Fire to Cat Stevens, from Schubert and Mozart to Dylan. And a few more of my favorites include: sax players on the corner, my mother’s voice, drummer’s drumming and the sound from the window of the car passing by.

“For me, optimism always prevails, it’s my constant. It’s what I absorbed, what was my first young smell of the air, it’s what’s up around the corner. It’s what gets me into the future.” –Jesse DeNatale, 2006

Jesse is on the local indie label Jackpine Social Club.

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