The Roots Grow Deep: An Interview With Jay Psaros and ‘The Trees Beyond the Town’ Album
I remember one of the first times I saw Jay Psaros perform his instrumental tune “Tripping and Running“. From that moment I was reeled in to the songwriter’s work and the dude didn’t even use any words in the tune. He has a presence on stage and embedded into his songs. Calm and confident but soft, warm and alluring. Its entrancing.
Just about 2 years ago Psaros released his eponymous record and opened new doors. Jay’s always been a guy all about connection, be it through his music, his artist development work with PB & Jay Records or just grabbing a beer with someone to chat at his favorite local haunt. Its that connection and drive to seek out real human interaction that makes Jay a standout in and around New England.
On the verve of another release he has released a campaign to help get the record out into the world and connect with folks who want to help him get it there. Check out his Indie GoGo video below and read on for a quick conversation we had about this new record, the community and how he feels about the state of crowdsourcing.
RLR: Tell us a bit about this new record as far as logistics. The where, the who, the how?
JP: I decided to have producer Lorne Entress produce this record. He did such an amazing job with my last one that I really wanted to explore what else we could conjure up now that we are more familiar with each others styles…his as a producer and mine as a writer/performer. I knew I wanted to do another record with Lorne ahead of time, so it was a great help knowing how he works already. I was able to pick and choose songs which catered best to his particular style of production. We have been recording at his studio Harmony Street in Pomfret, CT which is a great spot in an unassuming, scenic and laid back setting. I used a couple of the same players as the last record…Jesse Williams on upright bass and Kevin Barry on Pedal Steel/Dobro/Guitar. I really love Jesse’s melodic bass sensibilities as well as Kevin’s unique feel. We have been using Sam Kassirer (who is also a producer. Josh Ritter, David Ramirez) for keyboards. He’s been a great addition, really adding some nice moods, tones and depth to the record. Our process has been a mix of live tracking and then overdubbing. The live tracking element brings a nice energy to the mix while the overdubbing allows immaculate attention to detail!
RLR: Based on your campaign video, it seems like these songs have been through the ringer a bit. On stage, off stage. Just fine tuning them and you whittled it down to 8 songs. So, tell us a bit about how your writing process worked for this album and how it typically works. Do you usually try stuff out live to see how it feels in front of folks? Whats your typical process and did it differ at all for choosing these particular tunes for this project?
JP: Yeah this time around I opted for 8 songs. I went back and forth a bunch trying to decide if I wanted to do more or less but financially, eight seemed like a great number. I tend to write songs that fall across many different genres, so having eight songs also helped in giving the record a more cohesive feel. Some of the other material, although it would have been a great addition, might have taken the record a bit out of context. I’ve definitely been afforded the ability to “put these songs through the ringer,” as you guys at RLR would put it. Typically, the songs for my next record are sketched out a couple years before hand. I always try to have ideas “in the bank” so I can patiently workshop them and prepare them for when I want to release something new. I’ve become a lot more patient, not necessarily with the writing process, but the refinement process. I’ll play songs at gigs and see what works, what doesn’t and use this time to build my confidence and knowledge of the material. The way I perform a song seems to mature much later than the actually writing of one. I also like to make a lot of demos out of my home studio. My typical rule is that if a song can’t be performed well alone, it doesn’t have enough power to make it to a band or a record. There are exceptions though, and making demos helps to find those exceptions. There are some songs that I’m just not wonderful at playing solo, but really fit nicely with an arrangement. I have a song on this new record like that, called ‘Only Love’. It’s very, very mellow and gets swallowed up easily in a live environment when performing solo. When I recorded a demo with some arrangement, however, it really had a nice thing going for it so we decided to pursue it while in the studio.
RLR: You’ve been kind of all over the map from local bar gigs and open mics to opening up for some big names on larger stages. You’ve certainly put the work in and forged some great relationships with people (including us here at RLR). When you are playing these different stages is your performance and strategy different for say, playing for some folks at a happy hour downtown in the summer vs. playing the Cape Cod Melody tent opening for Rick Springfield? Or are you kind of a “put it all out there no matter what” kind of performer?
JP: Haha, yeah I’ve certainly been in a wide variety of places both figuratively and literally. Some much stranger than others. Regardless of the situation, I try to be professional. Sometimes that means completely understating myself to provide ambiance in a fine dining situation, while others it means trying to be as energetic and giving as possible. As a working musician, it’s really important to know when you are “putting on a show” vs. simply providing atmosphere. I had a long regular gig at The Boston Harbor Hotel, which is a fine dining, 5 star hotel/bar situation. Nobody there was there to see a show, and I wasn’t about to force that on anybody. I always played to the room and what the hotel wanted which kept me in steady pay and in steady tips. Adversely, one of the bigger and rowdier rooms I play is The Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom. The Ballroom holds about 2,000, fills up quick and is filled with people who are energetic and there to see a show. Nights like that, I let it all hang out. People are paying hard earned cash to see live music and I want to make sure I give as much to them as possible while on the stage. Then there are the more intimate situations, like house concerts and listening rooms. I really enjoy that stuff because it’s an environment where I can pour my attention into the emotion and craft of the song, knowing that the ears are there specifically to listen more so than “listen AND watch”.
photo by Craig Michaud
RLR: It has been 2 years since the last record, which was another crowdsourcing project. They have obviously been a big help to you as an artist to get your music out there and to garner support from your fans. I think its an amazing tool that has been developed over recent years to get music into a fans hand and also let them play a hand in the making of the art. Do you think the trajectory of crowdsourcing will continue to be as fruitful as it has been, or do you fear that it may become too saturated in years to come?
JP: Hmmm great question here. I can certainly attest to the benefits of crowdsourcing as can so many of my peers on a local and national level. I don’t see it fading away any time soon…at least I hope it doesn’t. There are typically two types of thoughts (at least in my mind) that are always at conflict with each other. One is that, ideally, I wouldn’t need to “ask for help” through crowdsourcing and that the immense expense of making a record could eventually be covered with out risk via my performing and record sales. That being said, the typical response that I’ve gotten (especially this time around) seems to be one of positivity, support and excitement. It’s a weird thing, because of course there are lots of family and friends who are probably tired of hearing me play contributing, but the longer I’m in the business the paradigm keeps shifting more and more to…dare I say…actual fans. These people tend to be very excited at the opportunity to be a part of a project and receive the material before it’s release. I think that it’s these types of fans, fans that are educated and interested not only in a songwriter but how they operate, are the fans and people that will keep crowdsourcing alive. It has the vibe of a fan club, but with the ability to purchase new music before it “hits the shelves.” Given the excitement that these campaigns can generate for music lovers, I see them sticking around for a long time, even if the modern music paradigm shifts towards one that is more economically feasible for artists.
RLR: We are hugely community focused here at RLR, so who are a handful of local folks who you are really digging into lately?
JP: One of the things I love most about RLR is that every time I turn around, you guys are featuring my friends. I love that. I’ve really been enjoying the music of Abby Vail. She’s a bit of a newcomer at the ripe age of 23?…but she is developing a fantastic body of work. Great lyrics, fantastic voice, nice feel. I’ve been able to work with Abby a bunch recently and will begin production on a single for her this week. I’ve also been enjoying what Carlin Tripp has been up to. He was kind enough to have me help him with his latest record. I’ve known Carlin for a bit now and I’ve loved following his progression. He’s really come a long way. I’ve always love the music of Susan Cattaneo as well. She’s a great writer and has really put together (in my opinion) one of the classier musical outfits together to further accent her vocal abilities as well as her abilities with a pen in hand. I’ve been digging the new stuff from Nico Rivers as well. Sam Chase has also been a favorite of mine for a while. I think he encompasses the “classic singer/songwriter” almost to “T”…man this question gets harder as the list goes on because, there is so much talent here in the north east it’s scary. I’ve been a huge fan of Shun Ng for quite some time. I’ve always marveled at his musicianship and his poise as a performer. This really could go on and on. I think this is one of my favorite things about this business is the fact that you can be a fan and a peer at the same time. I’ve been lucky to work alongside many of my favorite local musicians…there’s just so many that all bring so many diverse things to the table.
RLR: Anything else you really want to mention?
JP: Hmmm…well first off a big thank you to you, my friend. Maybe it’s that we are both a couple of Weymouth boys but I’ve always felt a kinship to you and have always been a little bummed that we didn’t get to hang more when you were here in town.
Second, I think I’d just like to say thanks to everyone that has kept their ears on me for so long. I was super nervous at the beginning of this campaign. I was expecting two months of really grinding it out to meet my goal, but in just two weeks the project is 145% funded with orders still coming in. I can’t express how grateful I am for that. As an artist, sometimes you need a project to complete exceed it’s expectations in order to keep your chin up in such a difficult field. Thank you for that!
