Episode #96 featuring Scott Jeffries

Stream or download Episode #96 featuring Scott Jeffries: Scott Jeffries 2021

Scott Jeffries is a restless sort, and like any good songwriter, he’ll take inspiration where he can find it. Over a goodly stretch of the 2020’s pandemic-induced slowdown, Jeffries took a handful of cues from a local songwriting challenge and compiled a collection of 10 songs that blossomed into his solo debut, Bloom.

Press play to listen to Bloom on your Spotify account.

Inspired by Scott’s efforts, the podcast team reassembled via Zoom to bring you the first new episode of That Much Further West Podcast in more than a year. For Episode #96, show co-hosts Eric Kotila and Phil Favorite are joined by our show engineer Rich West Blatt and the aforementioned Mr. Jeffries, who sheds some light on the songwriting process and subsequent recording of the songs for Bloom, as well as his intention to perform the songs live in the coming weeks. Having been a guest on the podcast previously as a member of the bands Spirit Lake and Stars of Cascadia, Jeffries is all too familiar with our usual podcast hijinks (and how it’s often reflected in a bottle of brown liquor), and having Rich speak to the recording process seemed appropriate considering he played lead guitar on the entire album!

Like so many of you, our daily lives shifted severely at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and though we’ve tried to bring you occasional fresh postings in the form of playlists and archived interviews during the global shutdown, our team still hasn’t quite settled on a way to progress with bonafide podcast episodes recorded in a way other than our regular, shoulder-to-shoulder style.

Call us Neanderthals if you’d like, because you’ll see from the video above, it ain’t always pretty. But after a year of no shows, canceled festivals and no reasonable place to gather to meet with and interview an artist in person, taking a break just seemed to make sense. Throw in each of team’s personal protocols limiting contact, and some of our work schedules flung out of whack — you get an idea how real life suddenly impacted this podcast.

But for the time being, in whatever way, shape or form, damn, it feels great to be back. So dial up the show and listen to our interview with Scott along with songs from Bloom. Here’s a list of the tunes in the order in which they appear on the show. Enjoy!

Your Last Fourth of July
Bloom
Thoughts and Prayers
Birthright
New Normal
Homeward
Someday

On Friday, April 2, Bandcamp will be waiving its hosting fees on all downloads and purchases, meaning 100 percent of money spent goes to the artist! You can download “Bloom” at Bandcamp here.

In Portland, you can catch Scott Jeffries and his band performing songs from Bloom on the outdoor patio stage at Alberta Street Pub on April 29. They’ll be joined on the bill by the Colin Trio.
Tickets go on sale soon. Watch the calendar here for updates.


Episode #34 featuring Rich West Blatt

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Rich West Blatt on stage at Dante’s in Portland.

Episode #34 with Rich West Blatt

Big thanks to our pal Rich West Blatt for stopping by The Helm for an interview and to play some songs from his terrific new CD, Just Like A Fool. Rich and his band The Once In A While Sky are celebrating the release of the new disc with a show at Portland’s Secret Society on Saturday, Aug. 30.

Just Like A Fool is a follow up to Rich’s debut EP and represents a big step forward. On Episode #34, we learn about the making of the new record, Rich’s musical influences while growing up in New Jersey and how his new song “Annie” is basically a Dear John letter to his former home base of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Rich’s new release comes ashore with a tidal wave of new music from some of our favorite Americana artists, and we play a ton of fresh tunes on this episode. Brand-new songs from Cory Branan, Otis Gibbs, Cahalen Morrison & Country Hammer, Shovels and Rope, Quiet Life and Jeffrey Martin are all on the show this week.

And co-host Eric Kotila shares some excellent memories from his visit to the super cool and recently held Deep Blues NW festival. So settle in for a fun ride, folks. Here’s the playlist:

All The Rivers In Colorado, Cory Branan
The Darker Side of Me, Otis Gibbs
Cascabel Valley, Cahalen Morrison & Country Hammer
Annie, Rich West Blatt & The Once In A While Sky
Just Like A Fool (Live In The Helm), Rich West Blatt
One Last Chance, Rich West Blatt & The Once In A While Sky
Helping Hands, The Lonesomes
Bloody Gloves, The Swearengens
The Devil Is All Around, Shovels and Rope
Housebroken Man, Quiet Life
Coal Fire, Jeffrey Martin
Wichita Ain’t So Far Away, The Delines
Last Ride, C.W. Ayon
The Beat, Northcote
Me, I Am Anger, Bryan McPherson
D. Boon, Uncle Tupelo
Ain’t Going To The Bar Tonight, American Aquarium