A Thing or Three
by Stephanie Rose
Artist really are the heart and soul of a society. Without them, you have no vision. Without them life is dull. Of course art is totally subjective and so it is something special when you come across an artist who strikes a chord with you.
I happened upon Chi McClean during one of Zoey’s Songwriters in the Round sessions and I Friended him on Facebook soon after. I read his posts with interest as he made his way across the country playing different venues. As soon as he was booked at Zoey’s again, I cleared my calendar and made it a point to catch his show which was this past Monday night along with local artists Dan Grimm and Matt Zeltzer.
I have to say that one of the highlights of the evening was the commaraderie between the musicians and the interactions with the audience between songs, to which the audience was happy to chime in on the conversation as well. The room connected.
During their break I made my way over to Chi and introduced myself from VenturaRocks.com. He thanked me for showing up and promptly provided me with a copy of his latest CD, “A Thing or Three.” I was honored. I promised to write a review to which he grimaced. Too cute.
It was a good night listening to good music and I was looking forward to cracking open my new CD and giving “A Thing or Three” a spin.
A man and his acoustic guitar. It doesn’t get much more intimate than that. A little southern, a little folk, some bluesiness, lite rock. I guess it’s called Americana. I’m reminded a little of James Taylor, Kenny Loggins, a even a tinge of Van Morrison.
It’s hard to believe Chi was born and raised in New York. I distinctly get a bonfire at the beach vibe. I can imagine listening to “A Thing or Three” driving down Highway 1 along the Pacific Ocean with the top down, just as easily as spending some quality time with that someone special on a hot summer night. Uplifting lyrics, passion and extraordinary musicianship. It’s a good mix, a good vibe, and worthy of your time. My favorites include “Build me Up,” “I Save You” and “Life Got in the Way.”
Again, I’ll be following Chi and his posts on Facebook, as well as his blog on his official website. Looking forward to catching him when he rolls through our town again.