Tunesmith Night, Saturday, January 13, 2018 – 7PM
Gold Room at the Jennings Hotel, 100 North Main, Joseph, OR.
The Wallowa Valley Music Alliance presents another edition of Tunesmith Night, a monthly showcase of original music. The Saturday, January 13 show features songwriters Kory Quinn, James Dean Kindle and Bourbon Bill Rockwell. The cozy atmosphere and warm sound in the Gold Room at the historic Jennings Hotel provides the perfect atmosphere for our listening audience.
Like the steady pendulum of a land oil rig, Americana songwriter Kory Quinn is tapped inspiration. The new EP, Black Gold Blues, is sharp and critical. It swings between the misery and pride of the working class. He explores the complex relationships inherent in the immorality of modern capitalism and the individual purpose found in their work. With uncanny awareness he understands the exact point where two disparate paradigms collide. Black Gold Blues bobs between the melancholy and the irrepressibility of humanity in the face of widespread corruption and exploitation. This coincides with the greater implications of society’s current reliance on oil and fossil fuels, corrupt political leaders, and fear. But even as it tackles such heaviness, it’s music is boisterous and driving, a perfect rallying call for humanity from the heart of a working man.
James Dean Kindle is a Pendleton, OR born and based singer-songwriter. With his longtime backing band, The Eastern Playboys, he has recently released “Roaming Charges May Apply”, a high desert rock album recorded at the OK Theater in Enterprise, OR. Thematically the album touches upon finding a sense of community and belonging amidst the anxiety of a decaying rural West. He is currently working on a solo album tentatively titled, “Trail Songs of Love”. When not James also works as the executive director of the Oregon East Symphony and as contributing columnist to the East Oregonian.
Bourbon Bill Rockwell has been writing songs and performing them on stage for nearly 25 years now. His old-time style of song writing landed him in a trio before the turn of the century with a two friends that played banjo and mandolin. They busked the Washington State Ferry system for a while before crossing the pond and playing in Europe. Those days have passed, though Bourbon Bill’s passion for writing a good tune has not. After tens of thousands of miles, he has discovered the wonders of North Eastern Oregon and has been playing and performing out of La Grande. One can hear the grit and gravel of a well-traveled road in his voice and those same miles are strongly reflected in his lyrics, giving Bourbon Bill Rockwell his uniqueness and flavor, like a good bottle of whiskey.
Tunesmith Night is presented in a round-robin format, with each musician playing a song, then the next taking a turn, creating an interesting and varied performance. Admission is $10 at the door or by season pass. Doors open at 6pm, music at 7pm, all ages welcome. No food or beverage service provided—BYO.
Upcoming Tunesmith Night artists:
February 10 – Mike Mallory, May Arden, Eric Sinclar
March 10 – Lee Penn Sky, Carl Solomon, Lindsie Feathers
April 14 – An American Forrest, Michael Henchman, Alexa Wiley
May 12 – Tracy Spring, Nathaniel Talbot, TBA