Larry Kolker

Artist Information

Biography

Larry Kolker plays American roots music with a postmodern edge. His songs cross folk, blues, pop, rock, soul, and jam-band, harmonized by his distinctive voice. His music has been called the "urban country east-coast white-boy blues". In his lyrics, Larry has something to say, as he explores the dualities of life and himself. His influences include Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, Jerry Garcia and David Bromberg. A recent reviewer stated: "[I]magine a concert with Dylan headlining, Loudon Wainwright III second on the bill and John Prine third, let’s say it wouldn’t seem at all strange if Larry Kolker opened the evening’s entertainment. He’s certainly an all-round talent. He’s a distinctive vocalist with songwriting chops to match; an accomplished guitarist and an in demand blues-harpist..." -Leicester Bangs Music Blog

Larry is based in the Lower Hudson Valley and has performed in venues throughout the Northeast. Shows since Spring 2012 include the Montauk Music Festival (twice), Gizzi's Restaurant, Tarrytown Farmers' Market (thrice), Trail's End Restaurant, Coffee Labs Roasters, BeanRunner Cafe (twice), Black Cat Cafe, Peekskill Coffeehouse, Tribes Hill/Common Ground Winter Solstice Concert, Greenpoint Gallery, Beacon Theatre (in Beacon; Hope Machine Hootennany), Irvington's Got Music benefit, Vista on the Hill Concert Series, Terry Doyle Tribute, Crafts @ Lyndhurst, John Jay Homestead Farm Market, Sullivan Hall, John Street Jam @ the Dutch Arms Chapel, Huntington Folk Festival, and Eleven 11 Grille & Spirits.

Larry was recently featured in the "Hudson Valley Artist Spotlight" with Kathy Millar on WHUD-FM; a recording of the interview is available at www.whud.com/artist_spotlight/index.php.

He played at the 2012 & 2013 Montauk Music Festivals, the Millennium Music Conference in Harrisburg, PA, and the Bob Dylan Festivals at the Warwick Valley Winery. He has performed live on various cable and radio shows and co-organized grass-roots music events such as the Homerecording Jamfest and the Children’s Rights benefits. He is an active member of the Tribes Hill musical community.

Larry's new CD, Awful Smart Man, was co-produced with Fred Gillen Jr. at Woody’s House studio, and includes guest performances by pop folk trio the YaYas. This album reflects a journey of love, agony, discovery, acceptance and joy.

Awful Smart Man is now available on cdbaby or discounted via direct purchase (send $10 via paypal to Larry at kolker@whafh.com and include your mailing address in the message). Songs from this new CD are included in this EPK. HIs 2002 cd, "Long Island Slim", is available on cdbaby, itunes and the usual digitial distribution media.

videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3wS8UktQM8 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bTYGqcgI70

contact at kolker@whafh.com, not via sonicbids contact form. thx

Instrumentation

"Sticks" Levine on drums; full blues band if the situation requires...

Discography

Larry has just released a new CD, entitled "Awful Smart Man", which he co-produced with Fred Gillen Jr. at Woody’s House studio. it is available on cdbaby or via direct purchase. Songs from this CD are in this EPK, and have received regular airplay on WIOX-FM 91.3 (www.wioxradio.org), WVKR-FM (www.vkr.org), and www.musictogousa.com. His "story behind the song" was recently featured in Round Magazine: http://www.roundmagazine.net/music/round-indie-music/330-larry-kolker.

"[I]magine a concert with Dylan headlining, Loudon Wainwright III second on the bill and John Prine third, let’s say it wouldn’t seem at all strange if Larry Kolker opened the evening’s entertainment. He’s certainly an all-round talent. He’s a distinctive vocalist with songwriting chops to match; an accomplished guitarist and an in demand blues-harpist.... 'Awful Smart Man' is ... well worth seeking out. Here he begins with the title track, and the simple voice / guitar arrangement sets the mood for a self-depreciating lyric, and a near-yodel.... There really is no shortage of variety on “Awful Smart Man”. 'Top Percent' grooves like a ‘70s jam band and the marvelous 'Don't Tempt Irene' rocks and rolls in a most satisfying manner...." -Rob F., Leicester Bangs Arts & Music Blog

Larry's 2002 CD, "Long Island Slim", is available on cdbaby, itunes and the usual digitial distribution media. It is “funky and cool, taking folk and blues and veering off drunkenly into a dark alley behind a dive bar. Unstructured and spontaneous sounding…. Let this jar your expectations a little." - Jennifer Layton, indie-music.com.

Songs from that album received accolades on the internet, including:

•Singer-songwriter of the month, May 2002, on www.singersongwriter.ws

•www.garageband.com "track of the day": "Suburban Blues", December 20, 2002; "I Think I Know Your Mind", July 16, 2002; “Make Me a Pallet”, June 5, 2001.

•"Time for Sale" and "Sweet Uncertainty" top 5 site-wide, www.artistlaunch.com; "I Hate You Spring", top 5 folk punk, www.mp3.com.

Official Website

http://www.larrykolker.com

Links

• Facebook
• reverbnation
• cdbaby
• bandcamp
• LarryKolker

Audio

• Stripper
  Listen  
• Awful Smart Man
  Listen  
• Age Of America
  Listen  
• I Hate You Spring
  Listen  
• Comes A Time
  Listen  
• Don't Tempt Irene
  Listen  
• Top Percent
  Listen  
• Tribeca Coyote
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Emily's Song
• I Hate You Spring
• Reincarnation
• Tribeca Coyote
• Age of America
• Awful Smart Man
• Stripper
• Don't Tempt Irene
• Top Percent
• Comes a Time

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Review of Awful Smart Man [+ Show ]
  

  From Cortlandt Manor, NY, Larry Kolker plays regularly in venues around the North East of the USA, w...From Cortlandt Manor, NY, Larry Kolker plays regularly in venues around the North East of the USA, where his style has been described as "urban country east-coast white-boy blues". That’s a lot to take in, and is really quite specific, so to make things easier, imagine a concert with Dylan headlining, Loudon Wainwright III second on the bill and John Prine third, let’s say it wouldn’t seem at all strange if Larry Kolker opened the evening’s entertainment.
  
  
  He’s certainly an all-round talent. He’s a distinctive vocalist with songwriting chops to match; an accomplished guitarist and an in demand blues-harpist. As far as I can tell “Awful Smart Man” is his second album (“Long Island Slim” came out in 2002) and although his trips to the studio are far from regular, the results are well worth seeking out. Here he begins with the title track, and the simple voice / guitar arrangement sets the mood for a self-depreciating lyric, and a near-yodel. “Send Me to the 'lectric Chair” starts slow and folksy, but when the instruments kick in, in swings like an early jazz-blues standard. There really is no shortage of variety on “Awful Smart Man”. “Top Percent” grooves like a ‘70s jam band and the marvelous “Don't Tempt Irene” rocks and rolls in a most satisfying manner. Before I sign off, I should mention his collaborators; Sticks Levine keeps the beat, folk-popsters the YaYas supply backing vocals, and co-producer / engineer Fred Gillen Jr. plays bass, and provides just enough polish for Kolker to shine.
  

• Long Island Slim - Larry Kolker [+ Show ]
  

  "Most of these songs are skewed, acoustic folk, and the formal vocal adds to the dark humor when it’..."Most of these songs are skewed, acoustic folk, and the formal vocal adds to the dark humor when it’s singing words like 'Kiss my ass, spring, you know what I mean. The days are too long and there’s all this green.' … Funky and cool, taking folk and blues and veering off drunkenly into a dark alley behind a dive bar. Unstructured and spontaneous sounding with a vocal that’s anything but. Let this jar your expectations a little." - Jennifer Layton, indie-music.com

• Larry Kolker @ Le Bar Bat [+ Show ]
  

  "I've attended Larry Kolker’s one-man gigs at various clubs around the City and he has always delive..."I've attended Larry Kolker’s one-man gigs at various clubs around the City and he has always delivered smooth performances, but tonight he was accompanied by an ensemble that included bass, lead guitar and a drummer backing his originals and a few standards (including a phat rendition of a Dylan’s “If You Gotta Go”). Larry (who is also known as “L.I. Slim”) was totally on point. His unique vocal flavoring with a hint of St. Louis-type blues style complimented by his superb, chordal/melodic acoustic technique and southern-fried, chain-gang harmonica output, gave pure pleasure to the nice-sized audience for this intimate venue. The band’s performances backed Slim’s songs with passionate fervor, and the lead guitarist threw in several well-balanced and controlled blues riffs & solos that greatly enhanced without overwhelming the songs." - MisterQ, homerecording.com

Setlist

Typical 45 minute set includes about two-thirds originals and one-third rearrangements of old blues numbers such as "Fishin' Blues" and "Send Me to the Electric Chair", and a famous song or two such as "My Life Would Suck Without You", "Ring of Fire" and "Angel From Montgomery". Can easily handle three sets.

Performs solo, with a drummer, or with a full band.

Basic Requirements

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