Mason Jennings
(born 1975 in Honolulu, Hawaii) is an American pop-folk singer-songwriter. He is well known for his simple yet catchy melodies, intimate lyrics, literary and historical themes, and distinct voice. His music has appeared in the surf film Shelter
and he has toured extensively.
|
MASON JENNINGS TICKETS
EVENT | DATE | AVAILABILITY |
---|
Mason Jennings Tickets 5/25 | May 25, 2024 Sat, 8:00 PM | | Mason Jennings Tickets 6/20 | Jun 20, 2024 Thu, 7:30 PM | | Mason Jennings Tickets 6/23 | Jun 23, 2024 Sun, 8:00 PM | | Mason Jennings Tickets 7/26 | Jul 26, 2024 Fri, 8:00 PM | | Mason Jennings Tickets 7/27 | Jul 27, 2024 Sat, 8:00 PM | |
|
Biography
Born in Hawaii, Jennings moved with his family to
Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, at an early age. Jennings learned to play guitar at the age of 13, when he began writing songs. Jennings later dropped out of school and moved to Minneapolis to pursue his musical career.
[1]
Jennings produced his self-titled debut album in 1997 on an analog four-track in the living room of a rented home, playing all instruments himself. In October 1998, joined by
drummer Chris Stock (a.k.a. Chris Stocksmith) and
bassist Robert Skoro, he began a weekly
gig at
Minneapolis' 400 Bar as the Mason Jennings Band. A little more than a week after The Mason Jennings Band was formed, it was asked to fill in for the
Jayhawks, who had a standing Thursday night gig but were moving on to record for American Records. The two week gig ended up lasting four months. In April, 1999, six months after forming, The Mason Jennings Band and Mason were voted by the 1999 "Picked to Click Poll" conducted by Minneapolis newspaper,
City Pages. Mason began touring nationally and expanded the depth of his sound by inviting saxophonist Chris Thomson to play with them occasionally and replacing Stock with Brazilian jazz drummer Edgar Olivera.
Birds Flying Away
(2000) revealed Jennings' political activism and penchant for singing first-person narratives of imaginary rustic characters. Following the release of this album, Noah Levy of
The Honeydogs took over drumming duties from Olivera.
In 2002, Jennings released a studio album,
Century Spring
, and a "fans only" collection of acoustic songs,
Simple Life.
An
EP supporting
Century Spring
was also released, featuring the album's opening track, "Living In The Moment," two live tracks, and the previously-unreleased "
Emperor Ashoka." Jennings released all three discs — and re-released his earlier albums — on his homebrew record label, Architect Records.
In 2003, Skoro and Levy left the band and were replaced by bassist
Chris Morrissey (
Bill Mike Band) and drummer Brian McLeod.
On
February 10 2004, Jennings released
Use Your Voice
, which notably included the songs "Keepin' It Real," ostensibly written at the request of
Shrek 2
producers (but not used in the film), and "The Ballad of Paul and Sheila," an acoustic dirge for late
Minnesota senator
Paul Wellstone. On
September 30 of that year, the band released a
DVD entitled
Use Your Van
, which chronicled the recording of
Use Your Voice
and part of the promotional tour. The DVD was filmed by Andy Grund.
On
June 17,
2005, Jennings signed with
Glacial Pace, a subsidiary of Sony's
Epic Records headed by
Modest Mouse frontman
Isaac Brock. Minnesota's
Star Tribune credited Brock with convincing Jennings to sign after the Mason Jennings Band had opened for several Modest Mouse shows in 2004. Jennings had long avoided the major labels, citing desires to maintain creative control and dodge big-label politics.
Jennings recorded his sixth album,
Boneclouds
, at
Pachyderm Studio in
Cannon Falls, MN with producer
Noah Georgeson. The album was released on May 16, 2006 by Glacial Pace. Soon thereafter, bassist Chris Morrisey left the band.
Mason Jennings opened for
Guster during their Winter 2007 tour. Accompanying Mason was new bassist Arabella Kauffmann and Brian McLeod on drums.
Mason sang two
Bob Dylan songs in the movie "I'm Not There" (released in November 2007 in the U.S.): "
The Times They Are a-Changin'" and "
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll."
In early 2008 Mason signed with
Jack Johnson's record label, Brushfire Records. Jennings released
In the Ever
in May 2008. The title was inspired by his son referring to where he was before he was born as, "In the ever". Mason and Johnson met at
Gustavus Adolphus College's Earth Jam in 2001 when Mason was scheduled as Johnson's opening act. Both enjoyed the other's musical style and toured together shortly afterward.
In more recent news, Mason announced at the Elemental Experience Music & Arts Festival in San Diego on May 2, 2009, that he will be releasing a new album summer 2009. He also mentioned that he would have music on the soundtrack for the documentary 180 degrees south. The documentary will be released in the fall of 2009.
On June 2, 2009 the single "Sunlight" was released on iTunes and all proceeds will go to the Surfrider Foundation in efforts to help clean up beaches around the country.
On June 20, 2009, Mason Jennings headlined the Locally Grown Festival in Ojai, CA. Jack Johnson sat in for a portion of the set, singing both Mason and Jack's songs. Zach Gill performed as well, as the show ended with "I shall be released", a Bob Dylan cover.
Discography
- Mason Jennings
(1997)
- Birds Flying Away
(2000)
- Living in the Moment EP
(2002)
- Century Spring
(2002)
- Simple Life
(2002)
- Use Your Voice
(2004)
- Use Your Van DVD
(2004)
- Boneclouds
(2006)
- If You Need a Reason EP
(2006)
- In The Ever
(2008)
- How Deep is that River EP
(2008)
- Blood of Man
(2009)
References
- Bio from Mason Jennings web site.