Jim Gill
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Jim Gill

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"CD Spotlight: Jim Gill"

Carrying on in the same vibe as Northeast Ohio folk hero Alex Bevan, Medina County resident Jim Gill offers his best Americana-based acoustic guitar work on his concert debut, "Jim Gill Live Volume One." Recorded over three nights in 2006 at various Ohio venues, the 14-track effort accurately captures the singer-guitarist's solid songwriting and smooth playing. The tender "Mark's Harley" is balanced by the poignantly emotional "Sky," while "Any Exit" possesses a dark feel. "I'm The Warm Up Act" sounds like an acoustic Barenaked Ladies track.

Granted, Gill is at heart a storyteller, but the eight-minute "Sr. Lucretia & The Pain Story" about his childhood is overkill. Perhaps "Jim Gill Live Volume Two" will contain more gems and less gabbing, thus properly showcasing this engaging singer-songwriter. - Cleveland Plain Dealer 2007


"Jim Gill: Twice as fun as TV with only half the radiation!"

By Martha Wood

It’s hard not to like a guy who spins a yarn about his mother’s outrageously frugal use of peanut butter and jelly and then weaves that story into a love song about his sister’s boyfriend and his motorcycle. That guy is Jim Gill who, when asked, provided the title for this article.

Gill is known for his Americana folk style, which he started performing live in 2001. He is also recognized for his abilities as both raconteur and songwriter. His offbeat stories stem from growing up as the only son in an Irish-Catholic family of ten. What better place than the stage at Lakewood Public Library for Jim to tell you about a sister who went sleepwalking out of the house at 3 o’clock in the morning to presumably return a book to the library? He follows this with a moving song about his own experience as a child walking to the library in the snow to find a quiet place to hangout. Jim’s show is a veritable roller coaster ride of emotions and ideas. His banter with audience members is a trademark delight. Said one venue owner, “His hilarious stories and lightning-fast wit engender in the audience a sense of being in their own living room at a great house party! I’ve never seen someone so comfortable standing in front of a room full of people!”



2007 has already been a banner year for this talented performer. Last February, Jim shared the stage with Nashville singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier at the Columbus Performing Arts Center and brought down the house with his opening set. Most recently he was invited to appear at The Beachland Ballroom with Michael Stanley, Alex Bevan and others as Cleveland area musicians paid tribute to John Bassette, an influential local songwriter from the 70s who passed away last year. That concert, and the release of the tribute CD, has helped introduce Jim’s music to a much larger national audience.

Gill has just finished production on his fourth release, “Jim Gill Live Volume One.” The CD contains 14 tracks culled from shows at Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, The Ritz Theatre in Tiffin and Coffee Amici in Findlay, Ohio. There are 4 new songs, along with fan favorites and a few of the hilarious stories that make his concerts unique. When asked about this, Jim responded, “I can’t tell you how many people have asked me if I ever record these stories, because they’re dyin’ to get their hands on a copy!”

A lover of music his entire life and a guitar player since childhood, songwriting seemed the next logical step in Jim's musical evolution. But it wasn't until he decided to work from home as an American Greetings illustrator and writer that his music started to become his main focus. His songs are conveyed in his signature, lush, baritone voice that music producer Jim Ballard describes as, “Jim Croce with warmth and range!”

In the words of Cuyahoga Falls venue owner, Kelly Steele, "It's almost not fair to be so musically talented and flat out hilarious at th esame time!" Be sure to check out Jim Gill for yourself in Lakewood Public Library's beautiful new auditorium on Sunday, October 7 at 2p.m. - Lakewood Observer 2007


"You Should Hear: Jim Gill"

Jim Gill does what he loves, and that's folk music. Aside from a shift in priorities during college, when he sold his musical equipment for beer money (now that's a great story!) singer-songwriter Jim Gill has been playing music his whole life. But it wasn't until the Westfield Center resident decided to work from home as an American Greetings illustrator and writer that his music started to become a focus. Inspired by the likes of John Gorka and Richard Shindell, Gill is known for his Americana folk style, which he started performing live in 2001. "I was too stupid to play other people's music, so I had to write my own," laughed Gill, a 1977 graduate of Valley Forge High School in Parma Heights. "And people seem to be staying away in droves," he joked. Gill said folk musicians who play Northeast Ohio have to love what they're doing, because they're "not going to get a ton of support." So why does he perform roughly 75 shows a year? "Because doing anything else would seem like a waste of life. You do what you love, hopefully, and I'm fortunate to scrounge enough money from writing, illustrating and performing." Gill, who recently released his concert album "Jim Gill Live, Volume One," is scheduled to headline at 10 p.m. Monday at the Barking Spider Tavern, 11310 Juniper Road, Cleveland. Call 216-421-2863. - Cleveland Plain Dealer 2007


"Village Folk Festival (excerpt)"

The Village Folk Festival

This Monday-- Memorial Day-- the event returns, in grander fashion, as the Village Folk Festival, in a bigger venue now (Bay Village High School auditorium) and with three big singer-songwriter acts from the folk-acoustic field.

Opening the all-ages show is Kate Voegele, a Bay Village teenager who started performing as a freshman and has since been booked locally and nationally (including at Farm Aid in 2004 along with Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp). Voegele has issued two EP's, one entitled "Louder Than Years" and the other recorded in Los Angeles, called "The Other Side," which brought her much attention as an up-and-coming talent.

And, of course, Jim Gill is out of the ink well and on board as the second-act entertainment. "I would say that his sense of humor applies to his songwriting," said event maestro Bob Lanning. Gill is a star on the Lake Erie islands and brewery circuit he said, but added that "we'll probably hear a little more of the ballads and softer stuff." Gill has two CD's in print, "So Fine" and last year's "Sky."

The headliner is Red House Records artist John Gorka -- the first time Lanning has booked a national act. Even he seems surprised at how it came off. "We just extended an invitation. He's been one of my favorite folk singers of the past 10 years; I'm such an admirer of his work...I think it started with an e-mail to his agent and followed up with a call."

Gorka, on a bicoastal tour, was available for the Bay Village gig on a holiday weekend, and Lanning couldn't be happier with the mix of talent. "His poetry blends in well with Jim Gill's ballads," he said. - West Side Leader 2005


"Jim Gill Concert on The Square"

The Medina Arts Council, as part of their Art in the Park Music Series, is proud to present singer/songwriter Jim Gill in concert on the Medina Square, Thursday, July 12. This free concert, which begins at 7:30pm, will be staged in the gazebo on Medina's historic hub. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket, a picnic basket and the whole family as you relax in the grass for this special music event.

Like a glass of Guinness in a room full of Miller Lite, Jim Gill stands out among Ohio singer/songwriters with a voice that is "Absolutely killer!" according to Nancy Lackner of Three Rivers Productions who represents Jim in the Pittsburgh area. Gill brings a stage show that is part Harry Chapin storyteller and part Robin Williams Night at the Improv. "It's almost not fair to be so musically talented and flat-out hilarious at the same time!" noted venue owner, Kelly Steele.

2007 has already been a banner year for this talented tunesmith. In February Jim shared the stage with Nashville phenom Mary Gauthier at the Columbus Performing Arts Center and brought down the house with his opening set. Most recently this Westfield Center resident was invited to appear at The Beachland Ballroom with Michael Stanley, Alex Bevan, Carlos Jones, Jim Ballard and a group of others as Cleveland area musicians paid tribute to John Bassette, an influential local songwriter from the 70's who died late last year. The concert marked the nationwide release of the John Bassette compilation tribute album. The disc includes tracks by Tom Paxton, Marti Jones and Don Dixon, as well as the artists mentioned above. It appears this hometown boy has inched ever closer to making it in a much bigger pond!

Jim was also a finalist in the 2006 Kerrville Folk Festival New Song Competition held in Texas. As a result, his song "Walk In My Shoes" has been enjoying airtime on XM radio. He also finished first runner up in the 2006 Pittsburgh Singer/Songwriter competition. Consequently, he has been asked to perform in Pittsburgh several times since that showing and as a result has grown a modest fan base in the Steel City. Over the past year Jim has performed in New York, Vermont, Philadelphia, and Boston as he brings his original contemporary folk music to an even wider audience.

"Jim Gill is one of the best dang singer/songwriters in America, let alone Ohio, and I'll stand on Steve Earle's kitchen table in my muddy boots screamin' it at the top of my lungs!" -- Louis Pastor, poet.

Gill has just finished production on his fourth release, "Jim Gill Live Volume One". The disc will be available at the Medina concert. It contains 14 tracks culled from shows at Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, The Ritz Theatre in Tiffin and Coffee Amici in Findlay, Ohio. There are 4 new songs on this recording, along with fan favorites plus a few hilarious stories that always unfold at his live concerts. When asked about the inclusion of some stories along with his music, Jim quickly responded, "I can't tell you how many people have asked me if I ever record these stories, because they're dyin' to get to their hands on a copy!" For the record, there are some doozies on this live album. Growing up as the only son in an Irish-Catholic family of ten seems to have given this artist more than enough fodder for outrageous yarns.

The new CD now joins his previous releases, "So Fine", "Sky", and Jim's EP, "Music for The Laramie Project". With this body of work Jim Gill is rapidly making a name in songwriting circles as a master wordsmith and an evocative storyteller. "More depth than your average poet", observed Jeff Niesel of the Cleveland Free Times, adding, "He has a quiet intensity much like John Gorka and Greg Brown." Cleveland Plain Dealer music Critic, John Soeder observed, "This gifted singer/songwriter grabs your ear and doesn't let go, whether he's delivering hard-hitting tunes about the world around us or heartfelt personal ballads. Don't miss a chance to catch this captivating performer in concert!"

Akron music producer Jim Ballard has described Gill's memorable voice as, "Jim Croce with warmth and range!" Armed with both six and twelve string acoustic guitars and his signature silky-smooth baritone voice, Jim Gill's music and hilarious stories make for a delightful evening out. He's also added a new techno wrinkle to his solo shows. He utilizes a looping device that allows him to actually record his voice in the midst of a performance then harmonize over it making for some exciting on-the-fly vocal effects. Do yourself a favor and catch one of the North Coast's hidden treasures in his own hometown. You can read more about Jim and listen to clips of his original music at www.JimGillMusic.com - Medina Gazette 2007


Discography

"So Fine" released 2001
"Sky" released 2004
"Music For The Laramie Project" EP released 2006
"Jim Gill Live Volume One" released 2007
"Walk In My Shoes" 2006 Kerrville new song finalist, (featured on Christine Lavin's XM radio show, The Village)
"Been Through So Much Together" contributed track to this John Bassette tribute CD, featuring Tom Paxton, Michael Stanley, Alex Bevan & others 2007

Photos

Bio

With a performance style that is part Jim Croce musical storyteller, part Robin Williams' Night at the Improv, Jim Gill is rapidly making a name for himself as a must-see act on the Northcoast. Audiences all over Ohio have been enjoying this performer since 2001. "He writes with more depth than your average poet," writes the Cleveland Free Times, adding, "he has a quiet intensity much like Greg Brown and John Gorka". Jim opened for Gorka at the 2005 Village Folk Festival. The Medina Gazette wrote of Jim's work, "music that is sparse, introspective and compelling."

2007 has seen Jim open for Nashville artist, Mary Gauthier at the Columbus Performing Arts Center as well as numerous performances in Ohio and Pennsylvania including sharing the stage with Peter Mulvey at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland. 2006 was a busy year as well for this talented tunesmith. He was invited to write and perform three new songs for a production of The Laramie Project, he finished first runner-up in the 2006 Pittsburgh Singer/Songwriter competition and he was a finalist in the 2006 Kerrville Folk Festival new song competition in Texas!

Accompanying himself on 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, Jim's signature baritone voice has been described by music producer Jim Ballard as, "Jim Croce with warmth and range." His concerts also include the occasional harmonica and a new "techie" wrinkle, a looping device, allowing Jim to sample his own voice, and then sing over it, creating exciting on-the-fly vocal harmonies. The effect is quite arresting!

"...a captivating performer... don't miss a chance to catch Jim Gill in concert!" –Cleveland Plain Dealer music critic, John Soeder.

As memorable as the songs are, it's Jim's banter with audience members between numbers that many fans have come to equally enjoy. Telling stories culled from a life of being the only son in an Irish Catholic family of ten gives Jim a wealth of outrageous material on which to draw. "He is simply flat out hilarious!" noted Cuyahoga Falls venue owner, Kelly Steele.

"Jim Gill took the stage and lovingly led the audience through the highs and lows of life. His guitar work, sensitive and clever lyrics, and warm stage presence embraced the crowd. We truly felt like we were part of an experience...a relaxed, colorful, beautiful journey, rather than mere patrons at a concert." �Michael Strong, Director, The Ritz Theater