Jesse Dee

$12 advance / $15 day-of-show / 21+ / Doors at 8pm

Jesse Dee writes timeless songs that resonate as both humble tributes and clever updates of the classics. He brings them to life with a compelling voice that will lift you up as sure as it will lay you down.

As a youngster in the Boston suburb of Arlington, Jesse was fascinated by the doo-wop groups and rhythm and blues artists he heard on the oldies stations. Since then, the singer/songwriter has drawn inspiration from everywhere he can; the raw and righteous Stax legends and the steam rolling electric grit of the Northern soul icons have ended up front and center.

Jesse has been hard at work since releasing his critically acclaimed debut album, Bittersweet Batch (7Not/Munich) in 2008. He and his band, an all-star gathering of Boston's best talent, have toured the United States and Canada and are in high demand on the European festival circuits. A tireless performance schedule has earned Jesse a steady following. His stage presence and stamina are simply undeniable.

Some of Jesse's heroes have picked up on his raw attack; he has performed with the likes of Al Green, Solomon Burke, Spencer Wiggins, Bettye Lavette, and his personal favorite, Etta James. Having shared the stage with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, James Hunter, Raphael Saadiq, and Nikka Costa, Jesse is also recognized as an important player in soul music's modern era.

As a songwriter Jesse is able to channel real emotion and poetry into a workhorse strut. With a list of legendary influences fueling his honest-man's delivery, Jesse carves out a vocal identity that's purely his own. Whether he's crooning it or belting it out, the beauty of Jesse Dee's music is that it's charged up with a perfect mix raw energy, class, and heart stealing forces. It works well in every environment, from posh jazz sit downs to sweaty rock clubs to big festival stages in front of 10,000 people. You can dress it up as easily as you can drag it through the mud.

Jesse molds all of the influences and experience into a well-honed, hard-working package, one that takes its rightful place in the evolution of soul music. It's more than a tribute: It has fresh legs to carry the torch into the future. His second album is in the works and due for release in early 2012, but you can always get the best of what's to come by seeing Jesse play live. Soul music is in good hands with Jesse Dee.