Category Archives: Podcast

Episode #86 featuring Kendall Core

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Kendall Core and her trusty six-string in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media

Stream or download Episode #86: Episode 86 w/ Kendall Core

With a poet’s sense for drama and eye for detail, Portland-based singer-songwriter Kendall Core delivers songs with a dark edge — the action creeps from the shadows where the truth often hides from the light of day. A young woman attempting to harness the powerful forces of a world gone mad, Kendall releases her debut album, Crazy Dog, this week.

We were thrilled to have Kendall join our podcast team in The Helm to perform songs from the new album and talk a bit about what makes this talented artist tick. With an education steeped in the arts, she has taken to the guitar as a vehicle for self-reflection and deep expression and put together a stellar band to show off her stuff.

Kendall Core belting it out in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media

They’ll be performing this coming Sunday, May 13, at Mississippi Studios in Portland to celebrate the release of Crazy Dog. On this episode of the podcast, Kendall shares a few live performances including a song “Fickle Hearts” that was written just after recording for the new album had wrapped. She also talks about some of the artists who inspire her, including Leonard Cohen and Buffy Sainte-Marie, and picks some songs to share from a few of her other favorite writers.

So kick back and take it all in. It’s Episode #86 of That Much Further West Podcast. Here’s the playlist:

Sweet Champagne, Kendall Core
Fickle Hearts (Live In The Helm), Kendall Core
Sitting In The Rain, Kendall Core
Cod’ine, Buffy Sainte-Marie
Alone With The Owl, Jason Molina
Angelene, PJ Harvey
Nowhere (Live In The Helm), Kendall Core
Crazy Dog, Kendall Core

Episode #85 featuring Wanderlodge & The Deadstring Family Band

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Brothers from The Deadstring Family: Matt Cadenelli, Kurtis Brothers and Kris Stuart in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media

Stream or download Episode #85: Episode 85 w/ Wanderlodge/Deadstring Family Band

We’re winding it down at The Helm, our home base for every podcast episode recorded in the 2.0 version of That Much Further West. That’s four-plus great years and 85 episodes featuring some of the best singers and songwriters from the Pacific Northwest and beyond. It’s been a great run and a whole heckuva a lot of fun.

But before we exit The Helm and point the ship toward our next destination, we gathered a few very special friends to record Episode 85: Kris Stuart and Matt Cadenelli, the duo that currently perform as Wanderlodge, and also make up two-fifths of The Deadstring Family Band, led by our other guest, Kurtis Brothers.

The lads stopped in to talk about the two projects and spread the word about Wanderfest, the second-annual music and camping event they’re hosting in Gaston, OR, on June 29 and 30. (Tickets, lineup, more info) With a killer lineup featuring some of the best of the best acts in our local Portland rock, folk and country scene, Wanderfest promises to be an amazing two days of music and revelry.

Matt Cadenelli, Kurtis Brothers and Kris Stuart of The Deadstring Family Band, performing live in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media

Kris and Matt share a live performance of the song “I Want More,” the tune that opens the tour CD they were selling while out on the Wanderlodge Spring Tour through California and Oregon. We add in a couple of recorded songs from a few of the Wanderfest, including tunes from The James Low Western Front and Redray Frazier.

Then Kurtis joins the fray to talk about his move from Nashville to the Pacific Northwest and that fateful weekend in July 2013 when he met all the parties involved at the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout. For Kurtis, who met his wife that same weekend, it was a sign of the changes to come and the twists and turns that led him to relocate from Nashville to Portland.

With Kris and Matt riding shotgun, Kurtis fronts The Deadstring Family Band and leads a set of stellar acoustic performances that prove to be a perfect way for us to cap our time at The Helm.

All the fun, facts, fibs, stories and songs are right here in Episode 85, so kick back and enjoy. Here’s the playlist:

Green Volvo, Wanderlodge
I Want More (Live In The Helm), Wanderlodge
Smile, The Deadstring Brothers
Whiskey Farmer, The James Low Western Front
Like Rain, Redray Frazier
Lucille’s Honky Tonk (Live In The Helm), The Deadstring Family Band
Sacred Heart (Live In The Helm), The Deadstring Family Band
Blindfolded (Live In The Helm), The Deadstring Family Band

Episode #84 featuring Bret Ervin of Countryside Ride

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Bret Ervin, bellied up at the bar in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media

Stream or download Episode #84: Episode 84 w/ Bret Ervin

The gang from Countryside Ride knew they had the songs and the inclination to make a great second album. But they remained patient while looking for a way forward — some kind of sign to show them which direction to go.

They found it when the band did a studio session at The Deer Lodge, a Portland-based music hub where producer and engineer Ezra Meredith was compiling songs for a tribute CD to country music great George Jones. In making its contribution to the compilation, the band and Meredith immediately clicked, and from there Countryside Ride saw the path to making their fabulous new album, “I Hope He Breaks Your Heart.” It’s a long-playing blast of pure country music that eschews modern production tricks and will delight traditionalists and new fans searching for a truer sound.

Bret Ervin belting it out in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media

Countryside Ride singer Bret Ervin Lien stopped into The Helm to record Episode #84 in advance of the record’s release and the band’s big show this coming Saturday at The Secret Society in Portland. He talked about the band’s natural progression from a trio to a five-piece, the inspiration he draws from his daily life for his songwriting, and finding a second home for his band at The Deer Lodge.

He also offers up some songs from a few of his major influences and plays a few stripped-down versions of tunes that highlight the new album. One listen to this podcast and you’ll know why we’ve come to love and admire this very humble, talented singer-songwriter as well as the super cool folks he calls bandmates. So sit back, buckle up and enjoy a ride through the Pacific Northwest countryside.

Here’s the playlist:

All You’ll Ever Be, Countryside Ride
I Hope He Breaks Your Heart, Countryside Ride
Since You’ve Been Gone (Live In The Helm), Bret Ervin
Ramblin’ Lips, The Cedar Shakes
Pay No Attention To Alice, Tom T. Hall
Other Side Of The Blues, Mike Stinson
Truck Driver’s Lament (Live In The Helm), Bret Ervin
Breakfast Blues, Countryside Ride
Trailer Of Love (Live In The Helm), Bret Ervin

Countryside Ride, 2018: Jessica Kunze, Ian Miller, Bret Ervin Lien, Joshua Kunze and Johnny Payola. Photo by Mirifoto (www.mirifoto.com)

Episode #83 featuring Matthew Lindley

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The man with a plan: Matthew Lindley re-visits The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

Stream or download Episode #83: Episode 83 w/ Matthew Lindley

Matthew Lindley is a man with a plan. And, wow, what a plan it is. For his upcoming seven-day residency at Al’s Den in downtown Portland, Lindley has something special planned for each and every night of the week.

Described as “Matthew Lindley’s Cavalcade of Stars,” Lindley will be joined each night by friends who span his 15-plus-years of making and sharing music. He’ll dedicate each show to a period in his music career, featuring specific albums from the past along with songwriting and storytelling nights squeezed in to mix things up. No two nights will be the same, which should keep the shows fresh every night.

Matthew Lindley, live in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

On this episode of  That Much Further West Podcast, Lindley returns to The Helm as a guest for the first time since he was promoting his latest CD release, “Late Bloomer,” in October of 2016. He talks about his plans for the upcoming residency (beginning Sunday, Jan. 7) and the challenges he’s set for himself for the weeklong stretch.

He also shares some of his favorite tunes from 2017 and lays out his musical plans for early 2018. And not to be outdone, Lindley performs a few new and old tunes that clue you in on just what a fine talent this Spokane, WA native is.

So settle in and crank it up. We’re excited to bring you Episode #83 from The Helm. Here’s the playlist:

Late Bloomer, Matthew Lindley
Midnight Train To Memphis, Chris Stapleton
Tupelo, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
My Year Of Anger (Live In The Helm), Matthew Lindley
Heart In Your Hand (Live In The Helm), Matthew Lindley
Murphy Bed, Matthew Lindley
Pullman, WA, Matthew Lindley Mistake
Can’t Stay Away (Live In The Helm), Matthew Lindley
Holding On, The War On Drugs

Episode #82 featuring W.C. Beck

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W.C. Beck in The Helm for Episode #82 of That Much Further West Podcast. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media (www.localheromedia.com)

Stream or download Episode #82: Episode 82 w/ W.C. Beck

William Christopher Beck grew up in Middle America surrounded by music, so it’s no surprise he found his musical calling early in life. Now, having moved from coast to coast and overseas (check out the video at the bottom of this post), the multi-talented Mr. Beck has put down roots in Brooklyn, N.Y., after establishing himself as a leading light in the Portland Americana music scene.

Making a quick return visit for a handful of shows in our fair hometown, Chris stopped by The Helm to talk about a few recording projects he has cooking, including one with a crowd-funding campaign underway called “First Flight.” On Episode #82, he plays a live version of his song “Steel Bird” which will be featured on the new record and available for digital download soon.

W.C. Beck sharing some wonderful new songs in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media (www.localheromedia.com)

Chris also plays a couple other original songs: “Facecomber” is from a second recording project he has in the works with his friend Justin Wilcox; on the other, “The Long Way Home,” he invites local singer Anna Hoone to join him on harmony vocal.

We also delve deep into W.C.’s musical upbringing under the watchful eye of his composer grandfather, falling under the influence of some amazing old-time and bluegrass players, and how he came to write his own brand of Americana, roots and country music.

We’re beyond grateful that Chris made time in his busy schedule to do this podcast episode, and we hope you’ll further explore his catalog and support his ongoing Kickstarter campaign. We think you’ll be an instant fan after downloading and digging this episode.

Here’s the playlist:

Poor Man, W.C. Beck
Steel Bird (Live In The Helm), W.C. Beck
Rolling Hills, W.C. Beck
Facecomber (Live In The Helm), W.C. Beck
New Shoes, Caleb Klauder
Le déserteur, Boris Vian
Abandoned Love, Bob Dylan
The Long Way Home featuring Anna Hoone (Live In The Helm), W.C. Beck
Atchison Train, W.C. Beck

 

Episode #81 featuring The American West

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Matthew Zeltzer and Maria Maita-Keppeler are The American West, and their little dog, too. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media (www.localheromedia.com)

Stream or download Episode #81: Episode 81 w/ The American West

The cinematic image of The American West is all at once promising and shattering — beautiful, hopeful, gritty and heartbreaking. Portland-based band The American West capture all these feelings and more on their new record, “The Soot Will Bring Us Back Again,” to be released this week.

Band members Matthew Zeltzer and Maria Maita-Keppeler dropped by The Helm to discuss the record and share a few tunes — recorded and live — for Episode #81 of That Much Further West Podcast. With Zeltzer taking the lead on guitar and vocal and Maita complementing on harmony vocal and violin, the duo paint a romantic view of a West without glossing over the fine and sometimes damaging details.

Just back from a five-week European tour, the pair talk about the genesis of their partnership (both artistic and romantic), their approach to touring, the making of the new album and overcoming the obstacles they face in pursuing their art.

The American West, laying it down in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media (www.localheromedia.com)

On Wednesday, March 15, they’ll bring their fully realized band to the stage at Doug Fir Lounge in Portland for a big album release show. Also on the bill are former podcast guests Jenny Don’t & The Spurs and Mamma Coal for an evening that promises to be entertaining and unforgettable.

You can learn more about The American West by liking their Facebook page and also check out the new album at their  Bandcamp site. In the meantime, give Episode #81 a spin. You’ll be glad you did.

Here’s the playlist:
Heart of Stone, The American West
Ghost Town (Live In The Helm), The American West
Roadsick Blues, The American West
Let Me Love You Like A Pauper Does (Live In The Helm), The American West
Westward Man, The American West
Patience, Young Conquistador (Live In The Helm), The American West
One More Cup Of Coffee, Bob Dylan
Walk On, Neil Young
Give Me All Your Love, Alabama Shakes

 

Episode #80 featuring Jacob Miller

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The Bridge City Crooner: Jacob Miller in The Helm for Episode #80 of That Much Further West Podcast. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media (www.localheromedia.com)

Stream or download Episode #80: Episode 80 w/ Jacob Miller

Growing up in a small town in Wisconsin, Jacob Miller was like a lot of kids his age with a song in his heart and a love for pop music and rock and roll. Little did he know at the time that jazz and swing music ran deep in his bloodlines.

Fast forward to 2017 — following a move to the Pacific Northwest, the 26-year-old Miller now fronts one of the region’s top swing outfits, Jacob Miller and The Bridge City Crooners (see video below). And while he hasn’t lost his love for good old rock and roll, Miller came to discover he wasn’t the first in his family to delve deep into the realm of swing dance music.

Jacob Miller chops away at his ’49 Epiphone archtop while delivering some sweet tunes in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media (www.localheromedia.com)

Here on Episode #80 of That Much Further West Podcast, Miller talks about how he came learn of his family ties to classic swing as well as his neo-traditional approach to the music. By bringing original compositions to a genre flooded with standards, Miller and his band  stand out in the tight-knit community of jazz enthusiasts who bring the classic style to ballrooms and festivals all over the country.

He also tells the serendipitous story about how he acquired an archtop guitar from the 1940s that he uses in sharing some beautiful solo versions of tunes for us live in The Helm. So dial it up, kick back and tune into some some great music and storytelling from a young lion with a big future in the music game.

Here’s the playlist:

Spin That Record, Jacob Miller and The Bridge City Crooners
Love Her Mad (Live In The Helm), Jacob Miller
St. Mary’s Gospel Choir (Live In The Helm), Jacob Miller
Trouble In Paradise, Jacob Miller and The Bridge City Crooners
Oh The Vampyre (Live In The Helm), Jacob Miller
I’mona Wait, Jacob Miller and The Bridge City Crooners

Episode #79 featuring Jon Neufeld

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Portland’s Jon Neufeld stopped by The Helm to talk about his production work and playing on the new Smithsonian Folkways collection “Roll Columbia: Woody Guthrie’s 26 Northwest Songs.” Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media (www.localheromedia.com)

Stream or download Episode #79: Episode 79 w/ Jon Neufeld

When it comes to playing guitar, Jon Neufeld seems to have it all covered. From bluegrass to folk to gypsy jazz, Neufeld has been a go-to guy having built a national reputation for superb playing from our hometown of Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.

And more and more, it seems Neufeld is becoming a go-to producer as well. Such was the case when executives were looking for somebody to wrangle a talented cast of artists to put together “Roll Columbia: Woody Guthrie’s 26 Northwest Songs,” a new collection of the songs that made a lasting impact on the music and history of the Columbia River region.

With the new record out on Smithsonian Folkways (the non-profit record label of the Smithsonian Institute), the podcast team invited Neufeld into The Helm to talk about the project and also his evolution and career as a working musician based in the Pacific Northwest. Neufeld brought along Darrin Craig, his longtime bandmate from local bluegrass stalwarts Jackstraw, to sing some Guthrie songs and tell stories from their early days of making music together.

Jon Neufeld (left) and Darrin Craig get down on some Woody tunes in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media

Not only did Neufeld produce the record but he also played on many of the 26 songs, including one sung here by Craig titled “The Ballad of Great Grand Coulee.” He also shares songs from the album sung by Michael Hurley, Al James (Dolorean) and Martha Scanlan and talks about some of the influences that have spurred his musical growth both as a player and producer.

We encourage you to dig into this new collection of songs and learn more about the lasting legacy of Woody Guthrie and his impact on the history of our local region. You can order the CD or download it directly from Smithsonian Folkways by following this link, and we hope you’ll look up online performances by Neufeld in his many musical adventures, including his work with Jackstraw (see below), Scanlan, Black Prairie and the Kung Pao Chickens.

In the meantime, enjoy Episode #79 of That Much Further West Podcast. Here’s the playlist:

Just Another Way to Go, Jackstraw
Pastures of Plenty, Michael Hurley and Jon Neufeld
The Talkin’ Blues, Al James and Jon Neufeld
Jackhammer Blues (Jackhammer John), Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufeld
Ballad of the Great Grand Coulee (Live In The Helm), Darrin Craig and Jon Neufeld
1913 Massacre (Live In The Helm), Darrin Craig and Jon Neufeld
Minor Swing, Django Reinhardt
Black Mountain Blues (Rag) & Soldier’s Joy, Clarence White
When I Was A Boy, Electric Light Orchestra
Nowhere Massachusetts, Black Prairie

Episode #78 featuring Fernando

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Celebrating a fabulous 2016, it’s Fernando in The Helm. Photo by Chad Lanning for Chad Lanning Photography (www.chadlanningphoto.com)

Stream or download Episode #78:  Episode 78 w/ Fernando

It’s been a pretty remarkable 12-plus months for Fernando Viciconte.

Since the release of his most recent album, “Leave The Radio On,” in late 2015, Fernando has enjoyed two European tours, a tour through the American southwest, a summer jaunt opening for alt-country legends The Jayhawks and last month was inducted in to the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.

Not bad for a guy whose musical career not all that long ago was sidetracked by health issues that kept him from touring and limited his local performances. But the Portland-based singer-songwriter is back in full force these days, and the momentum he’s re-building continues to grow.

As our guest for Episode #78 of That Much Further West Podcast, Fernando talks about his return to form in the live performance realm as well as the changes he’s made to help preserve the vocal gift that’s made him a worldwide fan favorite. We were thrilled to have Fernando in The Helm to promote his upcoming show at Star Theater in Portland as part of Fluff & Gravy Records‘ three-day celebration of its five-year anniversary.

fernhelm-8607

Fernando rocks The Helm with some of his wonderful original music. Photo by Chad Lanning for Chad Lanning Photography (www.chadlanningphoto.com).

With friends and members of the Fluff & Gravy brain trust (and their kids!) in attendance, Fernando recounted the Argentinian roots of his family heritage, spoke of some of the musical influences that have shaped his songwriting, and also shared some wonderful live performances of his original music.

Among the recorded music we play on this episode, Fernando’s song “No Regrets” is part of Fluff & Gravy’s new “Five Years of Gravy” compilation that will be available at this weekend’s shows in Portland. Proceeds from sales of the compilation — featuring songs by Drunken Prayer, Hillstomp and Sassparilla, among many others — will be donated to the Jeremy Wilson Foundation‘s musicians relief fund.

Fernando has scheduled a handful of shows in the Pacific Northwest with Dan Stuart (Green On Red) before heading to Europe in early 2017 opening for Mark Eitzel (American Music Club) on a tour that will cover 14 countries, including Spain. Whether it’s solo, partnered with guitarist Dan Eccles (Richmond Fontaine) or playing with his full band, Fernando is a can’t-miss for lovers of great American folk rock. Be sure to check him out when you have a chance, and dig the video referenced at the beginning of the podcast — it’s posted below!

Here’s the playlist for Episode #78. Enjoy!

Save Me, Fernando
No Regrets, Fernando
True Instigator (Live In The Helm), Fernando
Elena, Dan Stuart & The Twin Tones
Supercheria, Pescado Rabioso
Si Se Calla el Cantor, Horacio Guarany
Para Ti (Live In The Helm), Fernando
Selos, Fernando
The Dogs (Live In The Helm), Fernando

Episode #77 featuring Silver Lake 66

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Jeff Overbo and Maria Francis are Portland’s Silver Lake 66.

Stream or download Episode #77:  Episode 77 w/ Silver Lake 66

America’s highway, Route 66, covers nearly 2,500 miles from Chicago to the Southern California Coast and for a long time served as the main path for those who migrated West in the early part of the last century.

Regaled in popular culture over the past 100 years, Route 66 serves as the perfect metaphor for the road traveled by our guests for Episode #77 of That Much Further West Podcast, our friends Maria Francis and Jeff Overbo of Silver Lake 66. The Portland-by-way-of-Minneapolis-via-Los Angeles group has taken the long road, overcoming the real life obstacles of age and illness and emerging with one of this year’s finest albums, titled “Let Go Or Be Dragged” (check out this review in No Depression).

On this episode, Maria and Jeff share stories of their journey through 80s — starting in Midwest biker bars, traveling the country in stinky vans, booking shows by pay phone and living on beer and peanut butter. The road led them to move to Los Angeles, where they fell in with a like-minded group of Americana musicians that first held court at The Palomino club and went on to varying degrees of fame — folks like Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale and Dale Watson.

sl66-7

Jeff and Maria, sharing their terrific music in The Helm as Silver Lake 66. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media

Soon their peers became big influences and they began to write and perform in the alt-country realm, a place they’ve stayed even after moving to Portland in the 90s. After a long period out of the public spotlight, the married couple slowly began to emerge with a batch a well-crafted tunes that display each player’s knack for poignant storytelling as well as their natural chemistry as players and harmony singers.

Now armed with a fantastic new album, Silver Lake 66 is poised to make a big splash on the burgeoning Portland Americana scene. Their album release show, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Alberta Street Pub in Portland, is sure to be a celebration of not just the hard road they’ve traveled but also the open road and blue skies ahead.

We think you’ll really enjoy the stories and the sharing of their wonderful music, so tune in and prepare to be moved by the spirit of Silver Lake 66.

Here’s the playlist:

Sherman County, Silver Lake 66
Devil’s Looking For Me, Silver Lake 66
Bury My Bones In Arkansas (LIve In The Helm), Silver Lake 66
Pineola, Lucinda Williams
Country Comforts, Rod Stewart
Return Of The Grievous Angel, Gram Parsons
Magnolia (Live In The Helm), Silver Lake 66
Walk Away (Live In The Helm), Silver Lake 66
Doctor, Silver Lake 66