"A wealth of fresh, original ideas...one outrageous or innovative idea after another." Victory Music Review

11 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Modern Folk, POP: California Pop



Details:
Jess Grant writes songs that provoke and amuse, fusing lyrical intensity with diverse pop styles and working-class ethics. Raised by a father whoâs tone-deaf and a mother who called sheet music âthose little black dots with lines,â Jess had to look elsewhere for musical inspiration. He was drawn to the stories sung by folk singers like Ed McCurdy, the Kingston Trio, Harry Belafonte, Joan Baez and the Weavers.

Driving cross-country as a kid, Jess would look forward to hearing rockânâroll hits like the Rolling Stonesâ Satisfaction and Chuck Berry's Memphis. In high school he took up the piano and his imagination was captured by the music of Jethro Tull, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, David Bowie, Paul Simon, early Supertramp and early Genesis.

Jessâ own music has changed over the years, and his songwriting has grown more focused. Starting out on piano in high school, he switched to bass for a couple of years before finally settling into his current position of rhythm guitarist and lead singer. Some of Jessâ favorite performing songwriters currently include Graham Parker, Steve Earle, Ani Difranco, Richard Thompson, Bruce Cockburn, Joan Jett, Utah Phillips, Delbert McClinton, Sheryl Crow, Dave Alvin, and James McMurtry.

Jess tackles topics that would stump a lesser songwriter, and his shows invariably elicit some uncomfortable titters. âFor my Foreskinâ is a cutting but humorous critique of circumcision; âOh Victoriaâ is a lovelorn look at lingerie catalogs and the self-pleasure they can provide; âElvis and the Magiâ recasts the Nativity tale with Elvis Presley in the holy infantâs role; and âLiving in the Haremâ is told in the voice of a eunuch living among a rich manâs wives. Not songs for the faint of heart â but luckily Jess writes plenty of love songs too.

Career Spotlights:

· "For My Foreskin" -- Best Original Song (TLCTugger Contest, 2006)
· Featured performer at the 9th Int'l Symposium on Circumcision (2006)
· Leader of Jett City (the worldâs only tribute to Joan Jett)
· âMy Birthrightâ -- finalist in the Tumbleweed Festivalâs song contest (2005)
· Featured performer at the IWWâs 2005 Centenary Celebration (Vancouver BC)
· Appeared at Seattleâs NW Folklife Festival (2005)
· âAuto Shopâ -- heard on NPR's Car Talk (2004)
· âHandsâ -- title track on Normajean Jacobâs CD (independent release, 2003)
· Studied with Steve Seskin at the Sisters Songwriting Academy (2002)
· Opened for artists Utah Phillips, John Trudell, Jello Biafra, & Penelope Houston

Discography
The Washington Waltz (full-length acoustic CD on Bristling Barnacle Music, 2003)
Oh Victoria (rock EP on Bristling Barnacle Music, 2003)