Josh Jensen On the Making Of “Windbreaks & Waves”
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "Windbreaks & Waves" and the story it tells?
The inspiration for “Windbreaks & Waves” came to me while I was playing my guitar on a picturesque Puget Sound shoreline and the song just came together. “Windbreaks & Waves” is an instrumental piece intended to put the listener into a place by the water where the waves lap the shore and the breeze puts your soul at ease.
Could you discuss the lyrical themes or messages conveyed in "Windbreaks & Waves?"
I like to think that the message conveyed in “Windbreaks & Waves” is one that brings the listener to their happy place.
How do you feel "Windbreaks & Waves" represents your artistic identity?
When I started getting into the guitar, I had a dear friend who exposed me to a variety of amazing musicians and musical styles. So, as a budding guitarist, I listened to a lot of fingerstyle guitar players, including D’Gary and Leo Kottke for example, and I think this song really picks up hints from many of them. “Windbreaks & Waves” definitely draws from those early influences that helped form my artistic identity.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in music?
I live in Seattle, Washington and am blessed with beautiful family including a wife and three kids. My kids are young, so my days are typically spent with them and then I escape to play music after everyone in the house is asleep. Music has always been somewhere I go to decompress. I started getting into music at an early age – I always loved singing and performing and was lucky that my parents enrolled me into piano lessons when I was 6 or 7. I started playing guitar when I was 13 years old, my first guitar was a Takamine acoustic guitar. Shortly after that I got a Fender Stratocaster and amplifier. I was hooked! Naturally, I continued performing and playing in bands or doing solo gigs because I have always been driven by music. In high school, my band Popular By Association got to record an album at Seattle’s famous Dutchman studio that Kurt Cobain referred to as “the grungiest place in Seattle.” We were flying so high after that experience. I have had so many unexpected but incredible experiences through music and it is something that I hope my kids get to experience someday with whatever drives their passions.
Are there any particular skills or techniques that you have been working on lately?
Lately, I have been working on bluegrass flatpicking and fingerpicking. I’ve been listening to a lot of Doc Watson, Tony Rice, Billy Strings, Sierra Hull, Punch Brothers, and other artists of that ilk. I have found that bluegrass is catchy and pleasant to listen to but is played proficiently by such skilled artists that can play fast and accurate. A lot of the recent material I have written leans more towards Americana and bluegrass, which is a bit of a departure from what I was writing with my last band, Water Felon, before the pandemic hit.
Colourshop Takes You on an Acoustic Journey With “Northern Lights”
Staff Pick
Photo credit: Gareth Kay
“The first and only time I saw the northern lights was a few years back. I was in the north of Sweden at the end of November. I was so determined to see this amazing phenomenon that I did not mind waiting for more than half an hour in the harbor of this little town called Lulea. As you can imagine it was freezing cold, a cold I have never experienced before in my life and that certainly my nice-cut-fake-wool coat did not help with. Eventually even if just for a few seconds I was able to see it and I went home happy. Sometimes you gotta be determined if you want to reach the result you want.” Alfredo Salvati (Colourshop)
From the initial encounter with the northern lights a few years back in Sweden, Colourshop hasn’t stopped his footstep exploring the world and new routes. With a guitar in his hand, a pen to tape down the ideas, and a voice that sings from the heart, Colourshop, the solo project of Alfredo Salvati aims to recreate the untamed moments and sounds.
“New routes are sometimes more difficult to find, it's yourself you might find when you try,” said the artist. Just like the inspiration behind, “Northern Lights” is a sonic journey that breaks you free from the mundane routine and reconnects with curiosity, excitement, and adrenaline of a new adventure. It’s easy to lose track of time in Salvati’s intimate vocal and warm, atmospheric guitar.
His voice has a smoky timber that reminds you of the finest wood, while his guitar takes further step weaving its own storytelling into the song where the mountains and Scandinavian landscapes take roots. He manages to achieve a rich texture and refreshing sonics with simplicity. It’s always a journey when you tune into Salvati’s music where the years left their golden reflection of wisdom and mastery in his craft and sound.
SINGLE REVIEW: SCOTT ROCCO “SOUTHERN LOVE”
Song of the Day
Photo credit: Tamara Lee Carroll
Scott Rocco is a brilliant and powerful storyteller. His lyricism puts you in the front row as if both witnessing and engaging in each memory where he reflects, reveals, and captures the powerful images and moments in life with his words. His genuine, cathartic vocal delivery reaches deep into your heart and soul that connects you with profound feelings you thought you have long forgotten.
Rocco’s music makes you get in touch with the pure, beautiful, almost magical experiences and emotions in life. As a singer-songwriter, the element of guitar is often overlooked by the listeners, but Scott Rocco layers his storytelling with his guitar playing as well, bringing a raw, flowing touch to his aesthetic.
“Southern Love” opens with a grounding, hypnotic guitar passage that paves a beautiful soundscape underneath Rocco’s nostalgic storytelling. The warm southern vibe is rich as the sunshine where the slides and familiar wholesome sound recall the country, rock vibe. Tender, light, and sparkling, yet deep and complex with a speck of bittersweet, “Southern Love’ is inspired by the realization after a breakup that no matter what happens, the love and connection will always stay true. The song has an unforgettable heartfelt, passionate sound that leaves a mark in your heart.