DAVID JACOBS-STRAIN

David has come a long way from slugging a bamboo gear cart with a tattered "Delta Blues" sign through the Oregon Country Fair mud at the age of 13. 12 years of solo shows, from the Sierra Nevada to the Berkeshires have made him into a performer of strength and virtuosity. His outrageous guitar work jumps from wild fingerstyle to slide and percussive drive produce enough tone to rival an electric jam band. And his voice carries an emotional intensity that his songs demand. David's newest record " Live from the Left Coast" is built on the raw energy and stripped down vibe that fans have been asking for: David on guitar, vocals, Bob beach on harmonica are all it takes to bring this set of mostly originals to life. David's recent studio project Terraplane Angel was procuced by with maverick Nashville legend Ray Kennedy (Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Malcolm Holcombe, Ray Davies). David's two previous releases (Liar's Day and Ocean or a Teardrop) were produced by Stephen Stills' long time bassist Kenny Passarelli (Otis Taylor, Joe Walsh). David's roots are in the deep blues of Fred Mcdowell and Charlie Patton, but his own writing speaks from the northwest; the way Lucinda Williams writes about the South or Tom Petty captures Southern California. The songs about love and loss, joy and outlaws, are set in the landscape of old mining towns and old-growth clearcuts where counterculture kingpins reign. Jacobs-Strain's ability to capture emotional intensity in a deeply personal way has made him a mainstay at festivals such as Strawberry, MerleFest, the Vancouver Folk Festival, and Telluride Blues. His guitar work, both thundering and shimmering, has landed him onstage alongside performers like Taj Mahal, Bob Weir, Los Lobos, Etta James, and Del Mcoury. Boz Scaggs chose him to open for two different summer tours. At David Grisman's invitation Jacobs-Strain appeared alongside many of the nation's great string players on the Tone Poets compilation.