XE LA

Being nominated for
Best Singer-Songwriter
Cleveland Scene Music Awards-
Jason Bracelin has this to say:
"Granted, XE LA doesn't fit easily into the singer-songwriter category. But then again, this high-energy jack-of-all-trades doesn't fit easily into any category. With a spontaneous, oft-improvised sound that veers from punk to spoken word to jazz to hip-hop, XE LA's songs often leave listeners as breathless as the man singing them. An open-mic regular who also performs with art-rockers 3io, XE LA is among the most prolific artists in Cleveland. He plays out nearly every night of the week, and no matter how many times you catch him, his set is never the same. He's also a graphic artist, which is fitting, as XE LA's exuberant tunes often sound like a comic book come to life. " - Cleveland Scene - Jason Bracelin

-----VENUES-----
Kansas New Music Festival
CBGB in NYC
Middle East club Cambridge
MaMa Kin Boston, MA
Derby Hollywood
Highland Grounds Hollywood
Molly Malones Hollywood
Galaxy Gallery Hollywood
Agora Theater Cleveland, OH
Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
The Grog Shop Cleveland, Oh
Art Bar Columbia S.C.
Charleys Flagstaff, AZ
Warehouse 21 Santa Fe, NM
Kimo's San Fransisco
The Saint Asbury Park, NJ
Lilly's Bar Chicago, Ill
Produce Road Cafe Portland, OR

-----COLLEGES-----
Kent State
Penn State
R.I.T.
Cleveland State University
Wooster College
Cuyahoga Community College
- Luna.

4/8/2005
"XE LA rocks out acoustic beats with rhythm and soul. Through his falsetto vivacity,
XE LA ties the various music styles he encountered in to a cohesive, independant style." - CWRU - The Observer- by Marina Takahashi

Küschtik contains all original material, and I mean that in every sense of the word. Trying to categorize his music as one thing or the other, or making comparisons with other artists really does not do Xela justice. Never derivative or imitative, Xela’s music is an intuitively perfect combination of various aspects of the many different genres and styles of music he has studied and absorbed.

Exemplified in songs like “Cattlyst” and “G’Goddog” is Xela’s talent for composing melodious and clever pop ditties (read, “Hits”). His songs are chock full of infectious hooks and resonant refrains. He also knows how to find his way across a bridge. That, however, is just the beginning. Xela’s lyrics are by turns philosophic, whimsical, wry and sometimes cynical. His poetic and humorous use of wordplay is thought provoking and insightful. Examples of his expertise at turning a phrase can be found in nearly every song, especially in tunes like the reggae flavored “lalaland”, where Xela rastas philosophic about hitting the road, and “look@cha”, which begins with the opening lick from “Misty” and goes on to adroitly skewer the self-appointed arbiters of “what jazz is.”

Xela’s voice is also eminently fascinating, displaying many facets, moods and subtleties. His phrasing is jazzy, daring and expressive and he can go from a Tom Waits’ growl to a Jeff Buckley falsetto in one phrase (or less). Xela’s vocal prowess rarely fails to add interest, texture and surprise to his compositions. Check out “World of Hours” and “Glass 1/2 Fool”.

If you’ve been looking for something real, heartfelt and definitely memorable, do not delay in purchasing this CD. Küschtik is destined to be a keeper in your collection and certain to go into high rotation on your CD player, iPod, MP3 or other music delivery system of your choice. You can purchase Küschtik at http://www.CrookedRiverGroove.com or on Xela’s website, http://www.LuvMutha.com or at any of his live performances, which, like this CD, are highly worthy of your attention.

Xela will be giving a free concert in Kent at the ECC on N. Water Street on Sat 10/8 beginning at 9:30 pm. On Mon 10/10, Xela will host his regular open mic night at B-Side in Coventry. Xela performs from 9:30 to 10:30, with open mic following. On Tue 10/11, Xela is at Phoenix Coffee in Lakewood, performing from 8 pm to 11 pm with open mic following.

Then, on Wed 10/12, Xela embarks on a month long cross-country tour which will include St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Portland, San Diego, and San Francisco.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Laura Varcho lauraevarcho@yahoo.com
- http://www.coolcleveland.com/index.php/Main/CoolClevelandSoundsXela