Kaisercartel: Great Music

Kaisercartel

Been meaning to do a blog about this very special duo for some weeks now.  Kaisercartel!  I was oh so lucky enough to meet these two fabulous people back in July at a small concert here in the Springs.  Their music has a certain heartfelt elusivity that I absolutely treasure.  They like to play at a small coffee house here called Shuga’s that lends itself, to well . . . intimate gatherings.  It also makes it easier to meet and talk to the musicians!  They both have a genuinely good time playing that is sooooo palpable.  They are extremely approachable, kind, and just full of good vibe.  You feel charmed, entranced, happy, and may even find yourself blushing.  Weird, I know. Guess you just had to be there.

They ended the concert by playing a song which entails them walking into the audience and singing the last song while looking right into your eyes.  I was able to experience this, and it was an experience I will never forget.  Anyway give ‘em a listen, you will be very happy that you did.  Start with these:

Blue Sky:

Oh No:

Okay:

Claire Small: Ledger

Claire Small: Ledger

Music is essential to life.  Last year I had the pleasure of meeting Claire Small while on a trip to Austin.  Although I did not have the pleasure of hearing her perform live I did get to have a great conversation with her.  When I got back home to the Springs I looked up her music on iTunes and was very impressed.  Claire puts a lot of passion into her music and I thoroughly enjoyed what I heard.

Tracks like “Rewind” have energy and sparkle with hope that never crosses the line of cheese.  “Citronella” has a moody, sensual sadness to it that you can relate to and savor.  “Numbers” is haunting, honest and has some subtle Middle Eastern flair that I adore.  And then there is “Cryin’ Before Ten”, this one graces my ears at least twice a day.  Claire has been wowing since an early age:

A few years and about thirty songs later, encouraged by parents and teachers Claire responded to an ad from a new local music venue needing regular acts. At the audition her singing and writing style caught the eye of honky-tonker Greg Garing. Though she was only fifteen years old, Garing took her under his wing and made her a part of the mid- 1990’s Lower Broadway revival that included acts such as BR-549, Paul Burch, and Lucinda Williams. In both ’95 and ’96 she was the youngest artist to play at the Nashville Extravaganza “breathing out the music of the angels”, and “wowing a small crowd with technique far beyond her years” as reported by the Nashville Scene.

Give her a listen if you get the chance, you won’t be dissapointed.