KFOG World Class Rock: Local Scene Vol. 6

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Jeff Larson

Name: Jeff Larson

Website:

www.jefflarson-music.com

Inquiries: larchmontgroup@comcast.net

"Ghosts of San Miguel" was first a title (I keep a log of titles) that I had while driving through the central coast of California and passing the San Miguel Mission off 101. Sometimes titles bring an instant melody and this was one of those where the chorus was there without an instrument in hand. Once I returned home to the bay area I did some research on the Mission's history and found there was a ghost story associated with it! I started writing down misc. details of the story as I researched further online and in bookstores. In short the Mission was secularized for a time around 1846 and sold to William Reed who turned it into a Bed and Breakfast of sorts. Bragging about hidden gold led British pirates to the Mission and to the demise of Reed. The pirates never found the gold. Without getting into the dark details, the song is a collection of images related to the ghost story involving the pirates who thirst for gold and never find it and William Reed, his wife Maria, and others who fell victim there and are rumored to wander the Mission grounds. At the time of its writing I was in the middle of a project that I felt was getting too inward and so having this subject matter come around was very welcome.

I'm a bay area native, born in Castro Valley and now reside in the south bay. I have been with labels in Holland, France, Japan, and Los Angeles over the years - they all somehow sense the "San Francisco" vibe in the sound. I'm never sure what this means, but I think in my case there is some attachment to a folk-rock sound that has a slight psychedelic feel to it. The music also has a tension between pop and roots leanings which I think is part of this identity.

Dates:

Currently booking fall dates on the east coast. 11/19 Patriots Theatre, Trenton, NJ Others TBA

Upcoming projects:

I've been working these past 8 months on a project with Gerry Beckley of America (the band) producing. The title is "Heart of the Valley" and will be on his HumanNature label in the Fall of 2009. Tracking has been between Los Angeles and the bay area with several trips up and down the coast in the making of it.

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