 Photo Credit: Julia Przech Hailing from Connecticut, singer-songwriter Jeff Przech likes to tell stories - musical stories. Influenced by contemporaries such as Isbell, Adams, and Simpson, along with Kristofferson, Jennings, and Dylan, Przech's 2015 debut release, Sounds Like Fresh, was carried by those story songs and led by Przech’s deep, soulful vocals and acoustic guitar work. Now, Przech is recording new material with his band, The Outfit, taking the storytelling of the first record and adding a twang and rootsy grit. Ahead of the forthcoming album, Przech kindly took the time to answer his Essential 8 and speak about songwriting and inspiration, meeting Kristofferson, and much more. Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you? Mentor? I wouldn’t say that, but I do feel like I have a musical big brother and that would be Dennis Fancher, the lead guitar player on both of my records. Even though he’s only a year older than I am, he has three times the experience and he’s the best guitar player I’ve ever seen. He has always - ALWAYS - encouraged my writing and my original music and he always knows the perfect part to play in all of my songs without me having to say a word. Besides all that, he’s been the voice of reason and rationality when I’ve gotten frustrated about one thing or another, helping me to remember what’s really important and why we make music. He’s a great player and a great friend. Why did you chose to anchor the album with the songs you did? I started the album with “Maribelle” because everyone agreed it just came out the best and encapsulated the vibe of the record. It’s ironic, because the version on the record is the first and only take we did of the song in the studio. We we having trouble getting a good take on another song so we took a break with “Maribelle” and we all knew we nailed it. I ended the album with “The Weight” because it’s the cover song. My first record ended with the lone cover as well so I thought I’d continue the tradition, so to speak. Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination? A little bit of all of these I suppose. I draw inspiration mostly from my life and experiences I’ve had. “Maribelle” is probably the only example of a song that’s complete fiction. That song isn’t about anyone I know, but at the same time everyone probably knows someone a little like her. I don’t even know where the name came from. It just popped into my head one day while I was driving down Rte. 9 in Connecticut. I remember that very well, but I have no clue where I came up with that name. I’m starting to lean more towards character writing, which will be fictional for the most part. I just want to write songs people can relate to. What are your “must have” albums for the road?
My must haves are all saved on Spotify playlists, but I usually gravitate to the same artists - Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Jason Isbell, Mark Knopfler/Dire Straits. The Band’s “Rock of Ages” gets a ton of play also. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Hayes Carll because he’s a superb writer and a lot of Richie Kotzen actually. He’s not my ‘genre’ per se, but I love his guitar playing. If it’s late and I’m trying to stay awake it’s hair metal time - Tesla, Ratt, Skid Row, etc. What’s the most frustrating thing about being on the road? Being away from my kids and my girlfriend. It can be a lot of fun, but it can be lonely. I don’t mind being alone from time to time, but lonely is no fun. What’s your dream venue and why? I would like to headline Infinity Hall here in Connecticut. It’s not the biggest venue - 300 max - but it’s a stunning room with all the old wood and it sounds fantastic in there. I’ve had the chance to open a couple shows there for Shawn Mullins and Pat McGee, but I’d really like to have my own name on the marquee and sell it out. I’d also love to open a show for a bigger artist at College Street Music Hall, also here in CT. Have you met any of your heroes? If so, how did it go? I have, actually. I got to meet and shake hands with Kris Kristofferson after one of his gigs in 2011. Very cordial and quiet man, but also quite a presence about him. He was a Highwayman for God’s sake. I also met Jason Isbell last year after one of his gigs in New Haven. Also a very, very nice guy and seemed genuinely appreciative of my compliments. Is there a professional “bucket list” item you would love to check off? There are a few for sure, but I’m going to keep those to myself. I try to keep my hopes high but my expectations low. It’s harder to be disappointed that way and I feel like if I put my biggest goals out there, they’re less likely to happen. Probably sounds a little silly, but I played baseball for years so I guess that’s where the superstitious side comes from. I will say it would be nice to be playing a show and having people singing along to my songs. Bandcamp Listen to "Maribelle" HERE
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