Eilen Jewell Brings Noirish Retro-Rock To Club Helsinki Hudson

Eilen Jewell, self-styled "queen of the minor key," brings her blend of noirish rockabilly, surf-tinged country, retro-rock and jazzy folk to Club Helsinki Hudson on Friday, April 17, at 9pm. Jewell will be playing old favorites and songs from last year's terrific album, "Gypsy."

Idaho native Jewell, a favorite of Helsinki audiences, emerged from Boston's thriving indie-roots music scene in the mid-oughts and has established herself as a solidly rootsy vocalist and Americana songwriter since that time. Jewell's influences are as varied as Billie Holiday and Bob Dylan, Gillian Welch and Bessie Smith, Patsy Cline and Howlin' Wolf. You might even hear some Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley in some of her work. Somehow she blends all these disparate approaches and more and carves out a unique musical niche for herself as singer, songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player.
Jewell leads a tight quartet that blends influences of surf noir, early blues, rockabilly, and 1960s era rock 'n' roll. Over the course of a decade, Jewell and her band have toured relentlessly. They have performed for legions of fans from Boston to Boise and Madrid to Melbourne at festivals, theaters, rock clubs, and coffeehouses. Jewell's fans marvel at her warmth, unique wit, and onstage humor alongside her beautiful songs and fiery performances.

Since her official 2006 debut, "Boundary County," Jewell has surveyed a wide range of traditional musical styles, from the folk and jug band leanings of her early recordings through an album-length homage to Loretta Lynn and the country gospel of her work with the Sacred Shakers, through 2009's "Sea of Tears," which bristled with the electricity of 1960s UK garage rock and Chicago blues.

Her album "Down Hearted Blues" was named one of the top albums of 2017 by readers of No Depression Magazine. The album featured 12 vintage gems written or made famous by an array of artists both renowned and obscure, from Willie Dixon and Memphis Minnie to Charles Sheffield and Betty James. Like an expert stonecutter, Jewell chiseled them into exciting new shapes and forms, honoring history while breathing new life into each discovery and making it her own.

For reservations in The Restaurant or in the club call 518.828.4800. For the most up-to-date concert information, visit www.helsinkihudson.com.