Joan M. Meyer and Lauren Semler first played music together when they worked in the woods making a living as traveling forest workers. Later they split up while Joan played in an all-women band called TranSister and Lauren played R&B, blues and rock in a band called Shakabuku. It was while Joan was in a duo called Shards of Lace that she met guitarist Jim Bronson.

To sound off her original music, Joan M. Meyer created her own band in 1998 using the first name of her grandmother (Jessie) and the middle name of her oldest sister (Rae). She brought together the perfect match between Jim's tasty guitar licks and Lauren's slide guitar sounds.

Jessie Rae is completed by the soulful, melancholy of the blues cornet played by David Duffield (who has performed with Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love, the legendary Memphis Horns), bassist David Rosenberg (a stage and studio veteran who has performed extensively in the Boston and Nashville music scenes), percussionist/vocalist Wendy Owens (who previously performed with Mark Knight and Software, and played drums in an all-women country band call Ann Jones and the Sweet Hearts), and drummer Ken Woodside (who has performed with such acts as Shorty and the Mustangs, Lynn Conover and Billy Kennedy) and can play everything from punk to country.

This conglomeration pulls off the “roots pop with a blues edge and a funky swagger” that so defines the Jessie Rae sound.

The members of Jessie Rae blend elements of pop, rock, blues, reggae and R&B with their own subtle sophistication and under-stated style. Jessie Rae has found their own soulful groove—from the rootsy sound of the slide guitar, to the sultry blues of the vocals, to the funky swagger of the drums—it is truly their own. They've created a sound that is down home and familiar, with an occasional dark & edgy theme. Combining acoustic and electric instruments, they perform songs that reflect a wide range of emotions with raw compassion. Their music is engaging and accessible with vocals that are as smooth, sweet and sad as the songs themselves. The sets are comprised of originals written by Joan M. Meyer, but also include gems written by such artists as Willie Dixon, Jimmy Cliff, J.J. Cale, David Lindley, Neil Young, Robbie Robertson, Bob Dylan, Lowell George, Rita Coolidge, Buddy Guy and more.

Can You Explain Funky

Miscellaneous

Comments                                                Add new Comment   View All