JACQUI FOREMAN

Jacqui Foreman cuts a classic pose in the corner of Altitudes Bar and Grill, a floppy hat draped lazily over her forehead, acoustic guitar in her lap. She is finishing her set with a few of the requisite cover tunes that musicians round out the evening with. Some in the nearby booths and on the nearby bar stools are here finishing up a late-night dinner, others are sharing good drink with good friends. Their applause is appreciative; her voice is strong and clear. Some listen attentively; some are indifferent to her presence.
This scene may be observed in a variety of venues on any given night in Flagstaff, from bars to coffee houses. In a town like this, with such a high saturation of folk singers, a singer/songwriter has to distinguish themselves from the pack. Foreman says her voice may be her biggest asset.
“I think the best way to differentiate myself,” Foreman says, “is when you come to my shows, you’re gonna hear a wide variety of music. I think of myself more as a vocalist than anything else. That’s partly based on feedback from people who have come to shows. I learned guitar to accompany my singing.”
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Foreman has found a welcoming community of fellow folkies in Flagstaff. It’s no wonder. Given plenty of sunshine, adequate elevation, and plenty of forestland, folk singers will grow like wild grass. Some have sprouted up from deeply imbedded roots here. Others, like Foreman, found themselves carried on the wind until they landed in the mountain soil.
“Flagstaff is a great place that’s very modern, but still has that rustic feel,” Foreman says. Her adopted home here in Arizona is some 3,000 miles from her hometown of Juneau, Alaska.
“I really enjoy the Porchlights, Ray Rossi, Larry Peterson and Brian DeMarco,” Foreman says. “Chuck Cheeseman is a great songwriter, too.”
Like the aforementioned artists, Foreman has participated in the Flagstaff Folk Festival. She also holds down a regular gig on weekend evenings at Altitudes. But no matter what experience one has performing, there are always the industry games to play, even in such a cozy, local scene. “When I performed in [Juneau], I was in a band where I was the youngest member, and all of the older guys took care of booking, equipment, and everything,” she says. “I’ve had to learn how to put on the shows and learn how to get all my resources together.”
Foreman’s day job at a local record company helps. Lonely Records has released albums by the Porchlights and Brian DeMarco. It’s a job that an aspiring musician can gain a lot of knowledge from. “I went to them to have them do the CD [her 2005 debut album Standing Tall] before I started working there, and it seemed really neat. I really love it; I’ve learned so much working there.”
Foreman’s voice carries with it a certain bluesy depth. It is put to good use in the songs she writes. Many of them are written in a minor key, and carry with them a distinct melancholy. “Montezuma’s Well” shuffles along with a Southwestern feel. “Hold On” is a slow lament in which she asks another, “Why do you lay still when you should you should be doing what you know/When will you be real instead of feeling good only for show?”
Her choice of covers is pretty eclectic, preferring to tame loud guitar rock into acoustic ballads, including Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit.” Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” gets reworked as a quiet duet with Porchlights’ Deb Hilton.
Foreman’s next gig is at the Art in the Park festival in Wheeler Park on Saturday.
“I love performing in Wheeler Park,” Foreman says. “It’s nice to change up your atmosphere. There’s people of all ages, there’s kids. You get to see how people react to you. Sometimes you’ll just stop somebody in their tracks. Something in the music grabs them, and they’ll come over to listen. If you’re playing indoors, maybe people are just there for dinner, and they’re not interested.”
Foreman says she finds inspiration in playing her music for the younger members in the crowd. “I really love when there’s kids in the crowd,” Foreman says. “It really makes my day. That child-like enthusiasm takes over me. It makes things so much more light-hearted.”
Jacqui takes the stage in on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. She resumes her regular evening gig at Altitudes, 2 S. Beaver (214-8218) Fri, Sept. 8 and Sat, Sept. 9. For more info, visit her aptly titled Web site, www.jacquiforeman.com - Flag Live!....8/31/2006 edition

Don't miss the angelic voice of Jacqui Forman. Her blues and rock are part of Heritage Square Trust's Summer Concert Series. ...
- Arizona Daily Sun

Jacqui Foreman. “A strong voice”. Family Concert. - www.sffolkfest.org