Fulton Calvery

Fulton Calvery:  When did you first realize you had a talent for singing? 

Jake Livgren:   From the earliest ages, my Grandmother, who was amazing human being as well as a singer and pianist, would sit with my sisters and I and play old songs from her era, as well as Disney songs and such, and have us sing them with her. She taught us so much about singing and music in general. To be honest, my sisters were much more diligent about it and as a result, are much better singers than me today. I was usually too busy playing with my GIJoes, but I joined in often enough to learn a few things. I didn’t start taking it seriously until around middle school when I discovered rock music. I sat for hours a day putting on Kansas and Toto albums and used guys like Steve Walsh, Bobby Kimball, and Steve Lukather as my personal vocal coaches. 

Fulton Calvery: You sing two songs on the CD - Two Small Words, and Every Day's A Holiday. How did you approach each song when recording your vocals? 

Jake Livgren: On Holiday, I used the attitude on your demo as an inspiration. I really liked the kind of raw, post punk feel that it had. On Two Small Words I felt like there were some real emotive lyrics that inspired a more soulful approach. I just kind of let my spirit run with that one. 

Fulton Calvery: Do you have other musical projects you are currently working on? 

Jake Livgren:   I have a few irons in the fire. I’ve done some work with Kerry here and there lately on some upcoming stuff of his. I am also continuously working on an upcoming album with my long time partner Bill Evans. I also co-wrote and sang a track this year on the new Time Horizon album. Always looking for more opportunities though. 

Fulton Calvery: You have recorded vocals on songs for your uncle - Kerry Livgren.  How does he convey to you what he is envisioning for the vocal part since he is not a vocalist? How has that experience been for you? 

Jake Livgren: Well first of all, I’ve learned so much about what I know from Kerry. Particularly studio techniques, most of which I had down by the time I was 20. I’ve been singing for him since I was 15 years old. By now we work like a well-oiled machine whenever we get together. 

The thing I find really funny about how we operate, which is unlike how I work in any other capacity, is that I almost never go into the studio to record his songs having heard them before. It’s really amazing some of the stuff we’ve done that way. I go in, he plays me the music track, then again and he sings the vocal part along with it until I’ve got a basic idea of the melody. From there, I go into the booth with a lyric sheet and we just create. I do a lot of my own interpretations and ad libs and he’s usually very positive and receptive to what I do. We also usually write the harmony parts on the spot and sometimes create entirely new stuff as we go. It’s a ton of fun. It’s been one of my truest joys in life to say that I’ve been able to learn from and work with such a genius and at the same time, spend time with my uncle who is my hero. I love that man and owe him so much. 

Thanks Jake!  You always deliver when it comes time to step up to the microphone and sing.   Fantastic job!

As Promised! Here is the lineup for the new Fulton Calvery CD.  I am still tossing around a few titles for the CD still but I do have the songs and the players.  These are some great players who have mastered the secret of playing music that puts a smile on your face, a tear in your eye, and can rock your socks off.   I haven’t had a matching pair of socks since I started recording with these guys.  My sock budget is completely blown.

	Jake Livgren - Vocals  Jake sings 2 songs on the CD - Two Small Words and Every Day's A Holiday.  From Topeka, Kansas Jake has made a name for himself in the band Proto~kaw and Jabberwockie.  You can find music from Proto~Kaw on iTunes or numavox.com     Itunes Protokaw
	Stephen Crane - Vocals   Stephen sings the song Rip My Heart Out.   From Austin, Texas He is currently a member of The Texas Blues Runners. He recorded an album in the 80s called KICKS that was produced by Steve Lukather of Toto.  Many people also may remember him from the band BABY that toured the Midwest relentlessly in the ‘70s.  Steve can belt out some rock and roll. TexasBluesRunners CDBaby
	Terry Wright- Vocals  Terry rocks the vocals on Those Crazy Things You Do.  Currently living in Topeka, Terry is very active with his music ministry. Most of my friends will remember Terry from the band Submtyion and he also sang on my last two CDs.
	Jeff Hansen-  Guitars  Jeff lends his acoustic guitar coolness to the song Two Small Words and rocks out the electric on Rip My Heart Out.     I played with Jeff in the band Submytion and we have been great friends since.     Jeff has a CD called Heart To Heart that he released last year.  The CDs can be purchased by sending an e-mail to jhansenku@cox.net
	Troy Schuster – Drums  Troy lays down the groove for the songs Two Small Words and Rip My Heart Out.     Troy lives in KC and recorded his drums at Miller Recording Studio.  Troy can be seen either playing in several KC bands or lending his drumming chops to the local Musical Production Into The Woods
	Chris Brungardt – Guitars, Post Production  Chris plays a hot guitar solo on the song Into The Twilight. We are also performing one of Chris’ songs called A Lie Becomes The Truth  Chris lives in Hays, Kansas and manages the guitar web site Chops From Hell
	Fulton Calvery – Guitars, Songs  I hope you agree we have a great group of musicians lined up to rock this music and let the music take over.     This will be my 4th solo CD and it promises to deliver with some great songs, excellent musicians, and rock’n fun.

I hope you’re as excited as we are to get this music out to the music fans.

As a musician there are many people that have influenced my guitar playing and songwriting.   Most of them have influenced me in other ways to - sense of humor, outlook on life,  and sometimes for good or bad - lifestyle choices.

To me, someone that can move me with their music is like some kind of superhero.  I can't put my finger on it but I want what they got.   I want to play music like them - I want to wear my hair like them - I want to wear clothes like them - I want to be laid back like them - I want to be intense like them.  When I was a kid - I wanted to be them.

Many of my musical influences were local musicians.  I got to watch them up-close and study them.  One such musician was Warren Eisenstien who played guitar bands with White Clover and Cocky Fox.  Both bands were out of Topeka.   Being from Hays, Kansas it was a treat to see musicians from Topeka come play our small town.  I always thought Topeka musians had the funniest sense of humor and seemed to have "that something special" when it came to music.  Warren was from New York but moved to Kansas to attend college and play music.  

Warren played a black Gibson SG through a Marshall amp.  I only saw him with White Clover a few times but saw him with Cocky Fox many times.  He played loud, He played with attitude, and he played with style.  I used to stand in front of the stage as a teen ager and watch how we played.  Cocky Fox also put out a 45 vinyl record called "And When."  I learned that song note-for-note and we covered it in our band.  It was the 70's and not just anybody could record and produce a record like today. It was a cool thing to know a band that made a record.

Cocky Fox had the coolest poster.  It portrayed the band standing in front of a magazine rack and each member was reading a magazine that had some funny feature article.  It remains the coolest band poster I have ever seen.
That is Warren - second to the left.    3rd from the right is Jeff Glixman - He went on to be the sound engineer and the producer for the band Kansas.  On the right is Greg Curry - besides dressing like a girl he went on to work in some cool recording studios in New York.  On the far left is Dave Wilson - I am not sure of his whereabouts.

But -  This shows the kind of band I liked.  They played great music, and the had a great sense of humor.

Well - as history would have it - White Clover went on to become the band Kansas.  Warren kept in school and became an ophthalmic optician.  And recently this month.  He was able to play with his old band mates once again.  and he continues to impress me.  Check him out on the video below.  He has a solo towards the end.  Not bad for a teen age werewolf.


Check him out:

 I spent the first part of my life explaining to my mom who The Beatles are and why they were so cool.  I have spent the last 20 years of my life telling my daughters who The Beatles were and why they were so cool.  I can safely say that my daughters understand it way better than my mom did.

Last night (5/30/2013) I took my daughter's and my niece to see Paul McCartney in concert in Tulsa Oklahoma.   It was a great family thing to do for any family that has ever heard a Beatles song, a Wings song, or a Paul McCartney song.   I would list them here but I am not sure the internet has that much room.

As most musicians my age The Beatles are the main reason I wanted to play music.  Hearing their songs, harmonies, or lyrics puts me in a world that I enjoy being in.  And of Course - Paul McCartney was a huge part of that.  

I think Paul could come out on stage with just an acoustic guitar and his voice and keep an arena full of people happy all night.   His band is fantastic - I am merely saying that he is one of those talents that could pull it off by himself if he wanted to.

I enjoyed his acoustic numbers a lot.  He has a way of picking the guitar that most guitar teachers would try to correct.  But that's what The Beatles were about - do your own thing - If it works - it works.   I use that philosphy in all areas of my life.  

I loved the way he told stories between some of the songs.  I would pay just to hear the stories.

It's no secret he turns 71 this year.  Yet he has the energy and charisma of a 20 or 30 something.  His outlook on life still inspires me.

Sometimes I think the best of life is behind me -  After last night - I am excited about the future. 

He still inspires me to write and play music.