 Published September, 2006
Music Row Magazine
AMERICANA MUSIC CONFERENCE FEATURES SPECIAL EVENTS
The 2006 Americana Music Conference, set to take place in Nashville on Sept. 20-22, will feature educational sessions, showcases, special hosted lunches, late night cocktail parties and a trade show in the Convention Center Sept. 21-22. One highlight is the Americana Internet Cafe & Listening Lounge downstairs in the Convention Center. The rooms will feature wi-fi, computers, refreshments and the Jammin’ Around With Jamie-Sue Radio Show with performances by artist such as Bonnie Bishop, Ron Block, Jen Cass and others. The 5th Annual Americana Honors and Awards will be hosted by Jim Lauderdale and will feature performances by Sam Bush, a house band led by Buddy Miller, Elvis Costello, Rodney Crowell, Vince Gill and many more. For details visit www.americanamusic.org.
Guest who performed at the AMA Jammin Round With Jamie-Sue Radio Show included:
Published June 16, 2005
Local music beat: Nashville comes 'round' to Lansing
By Anne Erickson
For the Lansing State Journal
Singer-songwriter Jamie-Sue Seal brings national, regional acts to town
Nashville has long been considered the reigning hotbed of songwriter rounds, where songwriters present their original material in an intimate setting. Two years ago, singer-songwriter Jamie-Sue Seal had the idea to start similar rounds in Lansing.
Seal, who spent some time in Nashville, began bringing national and regional songwriters to town. Each month, artists played at Schuler Books & Music in the Eastwood Towne Center; two months ago, the rounds moved to Christ United Church. The latest is Friday.
The contacts Seal made from her years as a Nashville musician come in handy when scouting songwriters for the series. Take Friday's line-up: songwriters Tim Thompson and Dick Wagner.
Seal got to know Thompson while living in Nashville. Thompson is a regular at Nashville's famed Bluebird Cafe, one of the nation's premier venues for songwriters. He's also a long-standing session guitarist. He lays down parts for soundtracks, commercials and his own catalogue of CDs; his latest album, the jazz-heavy "Faces," is finding national airplay.
Seal knows Wagner from past contacts, as well.
The two met through musician pals in the Saginaw Bay area, where Wagner originates. Wagner co-wrote a string of Alice Cooper hits, including "Welcome To My Nightmare"; he worked with Hall & Oates, Steve Perry, Meatloaf and others. His brief late-'70s/early-'80s classic rock band Ursa Major can be found on the liner note "thank yous" of succeeding rock groups.
Friday, expect to find Seal and bandmate Greg Jenkinson joining Thompson and Wagner onstage for a few numbers.
"Sometimes, if we already know the songs or they tell us the chords, we'll play or sing background vocals," said Seal. "It's very laid-back."
Anne Erickson column-Lansing State Journal What's On
Published September 29, 2005
Local music beat: Check into the Embassy Hotel
By Anne Erickson | For the Lansing State Journal
Jamie-Sue assembles songwriters to jam
It's not every day that singer-songwriters from all over the United States can be found jamming together in mid-Michigan.
But when that's the case, chances are they're making music at one of Jamie-Sue Seal's songwriters-in-the-round concerts.
Seal brings artists to Christ United Church in DeWitt on a regular basis - everyone from Nashville session musicians to Lansing's most familiar faces.
The songwriters present their original material in an intimate setting. They play solo numbers, jam together, hand out prizes, answer questions from the audience. Seal and bandmate Greg Jenkinson join them onstage for a few tunes.
It's a full night of music, culture - and it's never the same show twice.
"Each of the concerts is special," Seal said. "Even if you invite the same people back, it's always unique. It's a great opportunity to see musicians interact."
The latest round happens Saturday, featuring three artists from the Michigan-based Embassy Hotel Records label.
The label features roughly 10 acts. Seal describes it as a "co-op situation," where the label acts as a springboard for band publicity. Artists are active with the label. They vote on label decisions; they incorporate label-mates into their shows; they organize showcases together.
"It's their own label," Seal said. "They've been able to get high-quality people in their roster."
A few of those people include local performers Eric Kelly, John Latini and Morris Paul Lippens - all playing Saturday's show.
The scoop on the performers?
Kelly comes from several local bands: Dirty Johns, The American Cosmos and Dirt Road Logic. He's a regular at the Ann Arbor Ark and at Mackinac Island bars. His music mixes roots, country and blues with a Bob Dylan flavor. His songs often depict the events, places and people in Michigan.
"He's a big history buff who digs all things Michigan," said Seal.
Latini heads The Flying Latini Brothers. He's won several songwriting awards, including the 2004 Metro Detroit Songwriting Contest. He plays pedal steel with Embassy band The Hummingbirds.
Lippens fronts the roots group Paul's Big Radio. He plays alt-country, seeped in folk and Americana tradition. A Canadian native, Lippens calls his music "Northern Country," blending American blues with Canadian roots.
What's to expect from Saturday's show?
"I think they're really going to bring a unique perspective to the audience," Seal said. "These people are all coming from the same label, but different bands. So, I think it will be a really fun time."
Edward Groves Journal www.edwardgroves.com
Monday: June 20, 2005
Friday night, Heidi and I went to Jammin' Round with Jamie-Sue held in a small town just north of Lansing. Jamie-Sue Seal hosts, and participates in, the event. This month she brought in Tim Thompson from Nashville and Dick Wagner.
A "round" is where each of the songwriters (Seal, Thompson, and Wagner) take their turn presenting a song. This gives them a chance to talk about the song and to play it with little or no accompaniment. You hope you are hearing the song as originally written. You've seen these kind of things on tv and it was well done here.
Jamie Sue is a songwriter from the current country vain. Her voice can go from torch-singer soul, to that kind of white-trash-trail-park-hard-drinkin' snarl that you can't help but love.
Thompson is an excellent guitarist and songwriter who can span several genres from jazz to gospel to country. We purchased three of his CDs. He's definitely a Nashville Cat.
I've already talked about the Mystery Man.
Both Thompson and Seal deserve a wider audience. I recommend their CDs and for local folks, I recommend this event.
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