Jess Crary

By Bart Jamison

Former members of the popular Mankato band Soule (CJ Mulder, Martha Roisen and Jess Crary), will perform as the acoustic trio The Jinnies in celebration of the release of their debut album 'Traveling Roots'. The performance will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday June 16 at the Carnegie Art Center, 120 South Broad Street, Mankato. The CD release party is also a fund raising event for the Carnegie. Admission is free, but a suggested donation of $3 is welcome.

Festivities begin at 7 p.m. with a wine reception and performance by Warmblood (Chandra Sather and Dylan Schultz); The Jinnies take the stage around 9 p.m. That evening, 'Traveling Roots' will be available for sale for $10 with 50% of CD proceeds donated to The Carnegie Arts Center, along with all freewill donations received.

So where have the former members of Soule been? For the past two years Mulder, Roisen and Crary have been performing as the acoustic trio The Jinnies at venues including Kranz Pub in Worthington, McGoff's Pub in Mankato, and The Acadia Cafe in Minneapolis. In August 2006, the group recorded 'Traveling Roots' at Two Fish Studios in Mankato. In contrast to Soule's debut album, 'Not to be Had for the Wanting', The Jinnies' 'Traveling Roots' is a low-fi experience that has an organic, acoustic aesthetic, sans rhythm section. "It's a genuine sound; we strive for authenticity that's hard to find in a lot of music these days," says Mulder, of 'Traveling Roots'.

The album's twelve songs are a mixture of re-worked Soule songs and new compositions written by Mulder, and also highlights writing by Crary and Roisen. Both Roisen and Mulder appear as lead vocalists;Crary's violin and mandolin skills permeate the entire project.

All three musicians have strong ties to the Carnegie Art Center. Mulder and Roisen have both showed work there; Mulder's mother currently serves on the Carnegie Board, as does CurtGermundson , who helped with 'Traveling Roots'. Roisen says, "the arts community in Mankato has done so much to support Soule and The Jinnies. We're excited to do our part to give back."

Crary learned to play violin in the building when it once housed the Mankato Suzuki School. "My musical journey has come full circle" says Crary. "I remember playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with Marti Ryan in the basement of the Carnegie as a preschooler; I'm excited to perform in this space and do my part to help fund the center's great work."

The Carnegie Art Center was originally built as the Carnegie Library in 1901 and is currently home to the Mankato Area Arts Council,founded in 1979. The member- and volunteer-run Carnegie produces monthly exhibitions, showcasing local emerging and mid-career artists. It also hosts the annualjuried show organized by the Prairie Lakes Regional Art Council (see ArtScene in this issue for more info on the PRLAC Art Exhibition), in addition to providing eleven studio spaces to local artists. The Carnegie has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1981 and relies on donations both to support regional arts and to fund yearly building restoration projects.

For more information on this event, please visit www.myspace.com/thejinnies. - June 2007, Applauze Magazine, Mankato, MN