Martin Sexton folk-rock coming to Randolph
|
|
Martin Sexton will perform in Randolph on Oct. 16. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
Toolbox
By ART EDELSTEIN Arts Correspondent - Published: October 9, 2009
Martin Sexton, an up-and-coming voice in acoustic pop music, performs at the Chandler Music Hall in Randolph on Oct. 16. This is an opportunity to hear a performer with great energy, an intriguing guitar style, and a powerful voice.
Sexton, a native of Syracuse, N.Y., has eight albums to his credit in a career that spans 17 years. He initially caught the attention of the music industry busking in Boston near Harvard Square. His first album, "In the Journey," was a very low-tech affair that he sold out of his guitar case while performing on the street. He has since released seven more albums and tours extensively.
Sexton's latest album, "Seeds," is on his own KTR label and reveals a musician with strong vocal abilities. I detected some John Hiatt overtones while listening. I also caught bits of African-American soul and gospel in his lyrics and delivery.
On stage solo, Sexton is a subtly complex guitarist. His guitar chimes with rock, blues, jazz and folk styling.
Sexton's music represents a variety of pop music styles. He is firmly rooted in acoustic rock but adds soul music and blues to his offering. Occasionally he hints at country or pure acoustic folk.
Among the many raves Sexton has received are those of the popular singer/guitarist John Mayer who called Sexton, "the finest new male singer-songwriter of recent memory, and … a vocalist of amazing proficiency and sensual conviction."
Billboard magazine said he was a "master of dynamics, reducing a room to silence with his blustering baritone, then teasing that silence with a fluttering falsetto."
Acoustic Guitar Magazine said Sexton "jumps beyond standard fare on the strength of his voice, a blue-eyed soul man's supple instrument," adding that "his unpretentious heartiness helps him focus on every soul singer's goal: to amplify the sound of the ordinary heart."
Jon Pareles, the respected music critic for The New York Times said: "Martin Sexton is ripe with … raw, expansive talent. His voice comes in a hundred impossible shades. His songs are sweet and spirited and soulful. His repertoire is like a cross-country tour of the American musical vernacular."