Events

Seattle, Washington might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of country-tinged acoustic music. Remember, though, the city was born as a timber town and gateway to the gold rush. Since the days of the old (north) west, the loggers, miners, and mariners that built this town would fill time between work putting their tales to music.

On his debut LP Scattered Poems, Alex Dunn stakes his claim as the latest in a long line of hard-worn men and women making American music in this northernmost port. Written primarily in the quiet moments on a commercial fishing vessel in Alaskan waters, the record is filled with reflections on the many iterations of that primary preoccupation of the truly remote. “As cliché as it may sound, the overarching theme of this record is love” says Dunn. “Each song might be its own story, but it always comes down to love; love for my mother, for my grandmother, love for my family. Love for lovers, unrequited love, and love purely for this simple chance at existence. As my mother always said, ‘to love and be loved is all there really is’ (which is now engraved on my guitar strap.)”

Dunn came to music via cello and flute while in primary school, and while in college he played bass in a band with drummer Alex Westcoat (Pickwick, David Bazan), Sam Esecson (producer and engineer on Scattered Poems) and Colby Sander (dobro, electric guitar on Scattered Poems). Done with school, Dunn embarked on a ten-year adventure in Alaska as a commercial salmon fisherman. He taught himself to play guitar as a way to keep music in his life while at sea. “I started writing songs to cope with the long days traveling on the boat and sitting on anchor in remote areas of Southeast Alaska” tells Dunn. “Most of the songs from Scattered Poems were written aboard the fishing vessel over the past five or six years.”

As fishing vessels tend to lack recording gear, Dunn pulled into port to track Scattered Poems at Sam Esecson’s basement studio in the Ballard neighborhood (appropriately, Fishermen’s Terminal in Ballard’s Interbay is home for hundreds of working fishing boats, including the ones that Dunn himself has crewed on). In addition to Dunn on vocals and guitar and Esecson on drums and percussion, the record features a host of prominent Northwest musicians: Eli West (electric guitar, pedal steel, banjo, vocals), Anna Tivel (fiddle, vocals), Birch Pereira (double bass), Colby Sander (dobro, electric guitar), Bennet Pullen (bass), Dan Rainard (electric guitar), Dean Schmidt (bass), and Kevin Suggs (pedal steel).

An elegant, bittersweet record, Scattered Poems is as tender as it is timeless. Its particular charms resonate across generations, and if you told me that this was a contemporary interpretation of a nineteenth-century songbook I’d believe you. Melodic sawdust and salt air, Scattered Poems breathes with a sense of place, yet is imminently accessible and speaks to the universal. Spend some time with it, and you’ll find yourself enchanted.

Peter Kasen, born in Miami, FL: is a United States born Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist/Composer (2005-2010/2011-present). He began his solo music career in 2005 in Berkeley, California under the moniker of “Propel“. Not wanting to be lumped in as just another man with a guitar, Peter chose this name for several reasons and remained using this name publicly until the tail end of 2008, when he was signed to UK Record Label, Smoking Frog Productions in Wales, UK. Having studied Guitar, Music Theory, Arranging, and Songwriting at Berklee College of Music in Boston, the study and use of complex, odd time arrangements became apparent during his formidable years. Dynamic shifts and changes in a single piece of music, and the time signatures that accompanied those shifts, became a major obsession, to later take form in Peter’s songwriting in use currently today. A style was born, one that leads more to a band or group of musicians playing, as opposed to just a single acoustic guitar speaking. It is a delivery that is far from standard and separates him from the legions of folk songwriters worldwide, and this remains a niche style of music within a greater independent alternative larger genre to this day.

Peter has released six albums, plus the singles, “Co-Pilot”, and “Vultures”. “Exit Wounds”, His current 3 song EP, was released on January.1.2019. 

Peter has toured the west coast of the USA 10 times, the Midwest, Southwest, and Northwest. He has also toured Europe on four separate tours across ten countries. He is the epitome of a DIY artist, booking ALL tours on his own both in the states, and internationally. You can hear his music on every major platform that music is purchased, streamed or downloaded. You can buy his physical records across independent record stores from Seattle to LA and into Texas.

MuseArt offers opportunities for artists of all skill levels and mediums to draw local musicians while they perform. An amazing multi-media art event!

MuseArt offers opportunities for artists of all skill levels and mediums to draw local musicians while they perform. An amazing multi-media art event!

MuseArt offers opportunities for artists of all skill levels and mediums to draw local musicians while they perform. An amazing multi-media art event!

MuseArt offers opportunities for artists of all skill levels and mediums to draw local musicians while they perform. An amazing multi-media art event!

Complicated grooves with a repertoire of contemporary, pop rock, hip-hop, R&B/soul, alternative, and a dash of country. It weaves together awesome vocals and harmonies, sweet guitar, melodic piano, rockin’ bass and groove-driving drums. This band has been entertaining for over a decade in the Eugene, Oregon, area and draws a a big crowd!

Complicated is comprised of the wonderfully talented and passionate singer/entertainer Amy Picard on lead vocals; Lisa Hellemn on piano, guitar and harmony vocals; and Claudia Paige on drums/percussion and harmony vocals. Bass player Michael Hatgis has a long performance history in the area and is known for his versatility and style.

Complicated’s musicians have played national and international stages. Claudia Paige, drummer, brings to the band an eclectic, original drum style and beats to dance to! She has drummed for Bonnie Raitt, Linda Perry, members of Santana, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson and more. Check out Claudia’s website at www.claudiathedrummer.com