Jakob Martin

No way. There’s just no way this kid remains unknown. That was my first thought after seeing Jakob Martin live. Then I spent the next day cruising around the Santa Cruz mountains on a gorgeous Sunday morning listening to his previous two EP’s and taking in the California coast from a distance. Result? Initial opinion confirmed. Roger that, ghostrider…too much talent, too many musical chops to remain incognito for much longer.

To be sure, Jakob Martin has a solid following already and has some impressive credentials, having opened for Blues Traveler and several other notable acts. So, when I say “nameless” I only mean it in the broadest mainstream sense because he has done well making a name for himself in music circles on the West Coast. City Of The Nameless is Jakob’s third album and is a stripped-down, four song tour de force that showcases all his talents: he plays the guitar, piano, and harmonica with equal skill; his voice is mad-crazy good (a la Randy “for-me-for-you” Jackson), and his songwriting ability is second to none. The resulting combination is a brief, but thorough, glimpse into the world of a savvy artist who creates intimate, thoughtful, and soulful music.

The disc starts with “November Night,” an anti Eric Hutchinson “Rock and Roll” story about two people dancing around each other but not quite getting to the point. Jakob’s voice is shown off here, winding through the melody in and out of falsetto. The song is also richly textured and very catchy with organs, ska guitar, and mellow harmonies that give the song a bluesy, down-low feel.

“Long Drive Home” is a beautiful, lazy tune about working through the angry fights and stubborn posturing that intimacy brings upon us, tailor-made for hopping in your car on a warm night, putting the top down, and reminiscing about the reasons you fell in love in the first place. Jakob’s acoustic guitar riffs and well-crafted slap-picking harken Jack Johnson and John Mayer in style and flow perfectly into the meat of the song which features some soulful harmonies and soft percussion. Bonus: it has a mid-song rap by Stepchild The Phoenix and if there is a better name for a rapper out there, I haven’t heard one. To hear Jakob tell the story of his first phone call to the erstwhile rapper is hilarious: “Uh, hello. Is Stepchild The Phoenix there?? Yeah, yeah, this is Step. Ohhh, Step, right, hey it’s Jakob.”

Next up is “Thaw,” a gorgeous, haunting song about overcoming love lost and the difficulty of moving on. You can literally feel the ache and loneliness as he sings, “If this is how it’s gonna be all winter, I best get used to feeling raw. ‘Cuz when you fall out of love and time is unfrozen, the heart takes the longest to thaw.” Jakob’s artfully crafted song and his guitar playing here turn this lyrical gem into a brilliant composition. And the use of accordian is a masterful choice, evoking the loneliness of late-night Parisian bars and empty streets — the kind of atmosphere ripe with scorned lovers, turned-up overcoats, and gray skies.

The disc rounds out with an up-tempo acoustic tune called “St. Frankenstein” about the dichotomy of the GREAT CITY of San Francisco. This song truly showcases Jakob’s full capabilities: the composition is crisp and catchy; the touches of slide guitar, harmonica, and keyboards that accompany the main guitar each find their place perfectly; the chorus is ready-made to sing at a high decibel level (skill level not required), and the song pulls you in and keeps you captive until the last note.

[At this moment I find myself singing: "I still ache from the weight at the station, I'm as green as the grass in my lungs, yet I'm alive with each new inhalation, Every time I breathe I believe in love....and we are feeling famous." I'm telling ya, you will, too.]

I also had the good fortune of hearing Jakob at a small gathering of about 40 people around a fireplace on an evening when the meteor showers were peaking. If there is a better setting for an acoustic performance I can’t think of one. I just can’t. And Jakob took full advantage. From the moment he took the stage with his acoustic guitar, harmonica, and piano, the audience sat captivated and listened as he skillfully went through songs from all three of his EP’s. And this brings me to my only gripe…

My only fault with this disc is actually an omission of sorts: for selfish reasons I wish Jakob had included “Providence” from his full-length album Masking The Mirror. Having had the opportunity to hear it live I can’t imagine someone not being pulled into Jakob’s music after hearing that song and as a get-your-name-out-there EP, it would have made a great addition to City Of The Nameless. But do youself a favor and check out this disc as well as his others. You’ll be doing yourself a big favor. - Mark Fisher

“Musica delenit bestiam feram,” Latin for “music soothes the untamed beast,” crowned the top of the Club Congress stage as three acts enticed the audience on Thursday for a good cause — Camp Wildcat’s benefit concert.

Although final numbers weren’t high, Lucy Patterson, Camp Wildcat chairperson, hoped to match the nearly $700 earnings of previous benefit concerts at the club.

The bands were still excited about the event. They all donated their time to perform sets ranging from half an hour to nearly an hour.

An annual event, the concert is one of two Club Wildcat fundraisers, and this year marks significant changes in the format of the event.

“Although the concert’s venue was the same as previous years, the smaller set list, only three acts, and the addition of an out-of-state artist changed the event,” said Patterson. There was a local band, Overcast Off; a solo artist from Phoenix, Anthony Schaan; and headliner, Jakob Martin, from San Diego, Calif.

“Benefits are always more fun,” said Martin. “We’ve all just done a good thing, so we’re ready to have fun.”

The two directors of the event, Nirantha Balagopal and Natalie Lucas, first-year Camp Wildcat members, noted the anticipation and excitement from students about the event.

“It took from about last fall until about an hour (before the show) to put together,” said Balagopal. “Everyone at Camp Wildcat is really excited about the show.”

The money is used for free weekend camping trips for underprivileged Tucson students to get them interested in college.

Lucas joined the club and volunteered to arrange the event because of the impact of the club.

“The organization is something a lot of people don’t know about … but it’s a great way to meet people, especially at UA, which is such a big campus,” Lucas said.

Lucas’ aunt was a member of Camp Wildcat two decades ago. Her aunt said that some of her best friends were people she met through the organization, Lucas said.

Martin noted his love for the university and city of Tucson’s music scene.

“As an artist, I’m really excited to come to a place where people really appreciate it,” he said. - Arizona Daily Wildcat

A new CD from Jakob Martin is City of the Nameless, a four-track EP that tries to frame the folk-pop singer in a variety of arrangements, as producer Dan Diaz puts his superb voice hot and on top. Martin manages to rise to the occasion as a singer, sliding into and out of the upper reaches in some spots and sails through the rest smoothly.

"November Night" blends its compelling, memorable melody with a formula that starts with folk, adds some reggae-vibe beats, then moves to a big gospel finish. "Long Drive Home" is a folk-soul tune that could be a lost James Taylor album track. This one has nice harmonies and all works fine, until 21/2 minutes in. Then, depending on the listener's taste, a verse of rap that doesn't seem to fit interrupts (or augments) the song. This segment, while well-sung by rapper Stepchylde, would have been better on a track with more of a rock or funk beat.

A personal, soft folk lament, "Thaw," follows. Lyrics are the center of "St Frankenstein," as Martin begins telling the listener to "see the world from the back of a taxi," and uses the shuffling song and his metaphors to expound on alienation, the plight of the homeless, and the counterculture.

City of the Nameless demonstrates Jakob Martin's talent as a singer, with the kind of voice that many other singer-songwriters wish for. The songwriting, especially on "November Night" and "Long Drive Home," is also very good and makes this a disc worth seeking out. - San Diego Troubadour

“Acoustic” is the music so many listeners believe all sounds the same. Acoustic is the music that’s been classified as only about lost love and summertime. And acoustic is the music that Jakob Martin is revolutionizing through simple melodies and outstanding harmonies.

Growing up in South Carolina, Jakob strayed from country rhythms and instead chose to play Bob Dylan- and John Mayer-inspired rhymes and lyrics. Pulling from common Judaic melodies, Jakob crafts unique note structures and harmonies. His smooth vocals paint a picture as he plays his guitar with tender fingers. The meat of the songs seems to fall right off the bones. Volume dynamics push the flow like the ocean’s tide, driving the music forward. And Jakob’s newest record, City of the Nameless, is no exception. I chatted with him recently to hear about his musical journey.

How did your acoustic style evolve?

For me, influence has never been geographical as much as generational. A lot of the music that inspires me has been passed down from previous generations—songwriters such as The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Billy Joel. All of these guys have had a huge impact on my writing, and I’ve been listening to them since I was a little kid. I feel there’s a definite evolution of music across the ages, and it’s exciting to know we now have the power to take that torch and run somewhere new with it.

Who else influences your melodies and lyrics?

Poetry is a huge influence on me. My mom was a poet, and I’ve always loved discovering the thousands of ways we have found to spin words together. I’m inspired by moving artists but also by moving experiences—love, desire, anger, beauty, injustice, heartbreak. All of the old clichés are really just timeless muses waiting to be rediscovered.

City of the Nameless is a great album title. How did you come up with it?

Thanks- It’s a line from one of the songs, “St. Frankenstein.” The full line is: “I’m a child in the city of the nameless.” I wrote that in San Francisco.

On City of the Nameless, you collaborated with several different artists. How did those relationships come to be?

Matt Hensley, of Flogging Molly fame, is from San Diego and owns a great club down there called Hensley’s, so I knew him for awhile, and a couple of the other guys I met through the San Diego music scene. Brodeeva, Stepchylde—really talented, creative people who I’m fortunate to call my friends. The collaborations were really a blast, and Dan Diaz did an incredible job putting the whole thing together. It’s great when you know a project is in good hands and you can just enjoy the process. - J Vibe Magazine

3.5 out of 4

"City of the Nameless"

Jakob Martin

Self-released

As heard on his new EP, San Diego's Jakob Martin comes off as the quiet guy at the party who tells the absolute best stories ---- the guy in the corner with the biggest crowd around him, hanging on every word.

He's possessed of a warm, welcoming voice, and a quietly dramatic narrative style. He then takes those little stories of his and marries them to some quite lovely melodies accompanying himself on guitar for a package that's pretty hard to resist.

The rap sequence on one song doesn't quite work, but everything else on this four-song release is superb.

Jakob Martin performs Aug. 15 at Y-1 Studios in San Diego.
- North County Times

Repetitive, raucous and ridiculous: The songs kids learn at summer camp are pretty unforgettable. This Thursday night, Jakob Martin, Tucson band Overcast Off and Phoenix native Anthony Schaan will take to the stage at Club Congress to keep those kids hiking and roasting marshmallows.

The concert, which starts at 6 p.m., is a benefit concert for the UA’s Camp Wildcat.

“The goal of Camp Wildcat is to help underprivileged youth obtain their goals,” said Natalie Lucas, co-director for this year’s Annual Camp Wildcat Benefit Concert. The program provides opportunities for financially, mentally or physically disadvantaged youth to participate in weekend and adventure camps, and to help them see college as an attainable goal.

Martin, the headlining artist for the event, has fond memories of his experiences in day camp as a child.

“When I was a kid I went to day camp, and I was fortunate enough to be able to do that,” he said.

Martin describes his sound as a hybrid of acoustic and soul. His mom brought home his first musical instrument, a guitar, from a garage sale when he was three years old.

“I think I wrote a song, actually, when I was three,” Martin said. “That was my first song, and I’ve been writing ever since.”

Camp Wildcat is a nonprofit organization, and events like the benefit concert help to ensure that the program stays free for Tucson community youth.

Martin said he is looking forward to being part of the cause.

“Having a reason changes the mentality of the audience,” he said. “If anything, it always makes the concert more fun, because everybody’s there to do a good thing. People are more ready to have a good time; they feel good about themselves and about the cause.”

Concertgoers should expect that good vibe, along with an eclectic mix of Martin’s acoustic soul, Overcast Off’s self-described “electric folk music that doesn’t sound like folk music” and Schaan’s powerful alternative rock. These vastly different artists are united by their commitment to making an impression and a difference.

“The program really makes a difference in our community. You’ll see the kids around Tucson occasionally and they just wave hi and are so excited to see you,” Lucas said. “It’s a really awesome feeling.” - Arizona Daily Wildcat