RadATL Podcasts & Interviews

PODCAST: Papa Jack Couch on a lifetime in songs and asking the questions that cannot be answered

BEARING WITNESS: Papa Jack Couch. Photo by Chad Radford.

Papa Jack Couch arrived on Atlanta’s music scene like a ghost — a man from another era, out of time and out of place, with a body of songs that demanded to be heard.

In 2018, he released his debut album, Meriwether via his own MIle One Records. A year later, he released his second album, Witness Tree, backed by a cast of Atlanta’s finest musicians.

At 70 years old, Papa Jack had suddenly reached a disarming high point as a songwriter, channeling a lifetime of spirituality, wisdom, joy, and tragedy into songs with titles such as “Twilight Memories,” “HighLine Woman,” and the title track from his second album.

With a gentle voice drifting softly over steel strings, Papa Jack summons a deeply felt blend of Southern folk, soul, and cosmic Americana into every note and every nuance of the songs he sings. And every number tells a story — stories of discovering music, crossing paths with his musical heroes such as Gram Parsons and Johnny Cash, leaving music, and ultimately returning after the death of his wife.

Press play to hear a podcast about Papa Jack Couch and the stories behind his songs, featuring interviews with Damon Moon of Standard Electric Recording Co. and Brian Revels.

RadATL Podcasts & Interviews, Uncategorized

Kristen Englenz shines with ‘ingénue,’ Soul Food Cypher celebrates women in hip-hop, and more Atlanta music news

OH EVENIN’ STAR: Kristen Englenz’s debut album is out now. Photo by Leona Tryon.

Over the last three years, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Kristen Englenz has spent much of her time traveling back and forth between Nashville and Atlanta, although she still calls Atlanta home. On Friday, March 6, she returned to the Eddie’s Attic stage to play the release show for her proper debut album ingénue — and yes, that’s ingénue with a lowercase i.

“I thought it was more visually pleasing, interesting, and balanced,” Englenz says. “However, I have found that most people are capitalizing it anyways, so I may have to get over that.”

The album is the follow-up to Englenz’s 2015 The Extent of Play EP, and was recorded by Ken Coomer of Wilco and Uncle Tupelo fame at Cartoon Moon Studios in Nashville. As the story goes, Englenz had been enlisted to sing back-up on Decatur-based songwriter Mike Killeen’s album Ghost, which Coomer happened to be recording and producing. When Coomer heard Englenz’s parts, he approached her to produce ingénue. Coomer also plays drums and percussion throughout the album, and one early single, “Pray for Rain,” features the golden voices of the Blind Boys of Alabama singing as well. Continue reading at CL.

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Tuesday Night Musicians Jam feat. Rasheeda Ali and the ESP House Band

Rasheeda “Ra Flautista” Ali hosts the weekly Tuesday Night Musicians Jam Session at Elliott Street Deli & Pub. Each week, Ali leads an ever-changing cast of Atlanta’s finest players in a serpentine set that channels musical inflections from the furthest regions of the cosmos, all in the name of ecstatic communal revelry — no two nights are ever the same. Donations at the door. 9 p.m. Every Tuesday night at Elliott Street Deli & Pub. | More info.

RadATL Podcasts & Interviews

Atlanta Music News: Soul Food Cypher turns 8 + new music from Upchuck, Arbor Labor Union, DKA, and more in the February issue of CL

THE CREW: Soul Food Cypher is calling on 100 emcees to join their ranks. Photo courtesy Soul Food Cypher

Since 2012, Soul Food Cypher has convened on the fourth Sunday of each month to showcase the positive and constructive role that rap music can play in shaping daily life. By concentrating on expanding consciousness through the craft and ingenuity of freestyle rap and spoken language, SFC builds structure by facilitating regular cyphers (a group of freestyle rappers rhyming in a cyclical motion, following each other’s lead) that foster creativity and a sense of camaraderie within the city’s underground hip-hop scene.

“Our aim is to provide Atlanta’s lyricist community with a safe and nurturing environment where their voices and artistry can grow,” says SFC’s executive director Alexander Acosta. “We look to solidify the art of freestyling as a genuine aesthetic to the wider artistic community and carry this rich tradition to the next generation.” Continue reading at Creative Loafing.