Jacob Augustine Makes His Debut

By Jaye Drew, freelance writer
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
On December 12th at 9 pm, Maine singer/songwriter Jacob Augustine will make his Portland debut with a seven-piece band, which includes members of the acclaimed local funk outfit Sly Chi. There is a good chance you have not heard of Jacob Augustine. I was wondering how I hadn't heard of him myself after perusing his Myspace Music page last Friday. Later that night I set out to meet up with this mystery man and find out where the hell he has been hiding.

Jacob was born in Lincoln, Maine, but he spent some time in California. He recorded the album 'Harmonia' in Gypsy fashion, driving around Southern California to musicians' houses with a Pro-Tools rig in the back of his car.

"We actually recorded it kind of guerrilla style... so everyone you hear on there we never really rehearsed anything or played with them.."

Jacob has been back in Maine playing solo shows here and there and popping up at open mics while working on the line-up for a band.

"I really wanted to get the band going because playing solo acoustic music, as anyone who plays solo acoustic music knows, is challenging. You could be Bob Dylan and if people have enough beers in them they like the sound of their own voice better than what you're doing."

Violins, stand-up bass, trumpet, harmonica and banjo lend to a timeless emotional brilliance on the tracks ofÊ 'Harmonia'.Ê Jacob has a very distinguishable voice I'm tempted to call 'angelic' but it's the kind of angel who has lived a few lives and a few of them hard. His verses and melodies ice the cake with political and spiritual subject matter made easy-listening to the most unsuspecting voyeur. It's so painstakingly honest and laden with social and spiritual substance that it may call to mind a modern Bob Dylan with a sweeter timbre.

Ê Jacob describes his work as a no-holds-barred, take it to heart approach, "on aÊpersonal level my goal is just to commemorate the more real side of things in life because, especially in this country, music nowadays really isn't - I'm not talking local music or even a lot of independent music but really what the masses listen to is very mind numbing. It turns people apathetic and it sways young people down the wrong paths. You know, you've got young kids watching T.V. and it's about making money and having as much sex as you possibly can. I think lyrically - especially message-wise - sometimes people just dance around things and they try to play it safe."

The members of the seven-piece ensemble performing with Jacob at The Empire Dine and Dance on Friday will be joining him in the studio to record his second album 'Tommy The Dark Horse'. Tyler Stanley (keys), Matt Day (Trumpet), Brian Graham (Sax), Rafael Keilt-Freyre (upright bass), Erin Libby (drums) , Megan Martelle (violin) and Jacob Augustine (vocals, guitar, banjo) soldier the army that will take to the stage at 9 pm at 575 Congress Street. The band 'This Way' will also be performingÊ in support of their newly released album 'We Could All Make History'. Cost is $7 now and $10 the day of the show. In the meantime, go get acquainted at www.myspace.com/jacobaugustine.