by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
Last Thursday, Chelsea Saddler showcased songs from her debut CD, A Good Woman, at European Street as part of the Songwriting Circle with Larry Mangum and John Longbottom. It was also Chelsea’s 21st birthday. Before this momentous gig, I was deluged with emails from musicians proclaiming Chelsea possessed an extraordinary songwriting talent. This unusual praise was coming from songwriters I respect and who rarely extol their peers. It was a love-fest that symbolically anointed Chelsea the second coming of Joni Mitchell – the queen of women songwriters past and present.
Grizzled troubadour John Longbottom has played with the all-time greats of folk, including Pete Seeger, Steven Stills, Don Williams and many bluegrass bands. John teamed up with Paul Martin from the Ferrymen, a wildly popular East Coast Irish duo. As I found out, John is a witty and engaging performer who shows advanced chops on acoustic guitar. He has a thousand funny stories to go with his thousand original songs. John’s songs are indeed eclectic, from his Irish folk influences to his hokey stories of living in a small town in Ohio. Indeed, John is an entertaining artist who knows his way around his guitar neck and his massive Ovation 12 & 6 string double-neck.
Of course, Larry Mangum is an established regional folk artist whose songs are well known among Florida folk scene devotees. His tribute to Gamble Rogers is one of his most popular hits with fans. I’ve been Larry’s friend for twenty-five years, and his exceptional songwriting talent has grown exponentially. Today, Larry is a poised and accomplished artist who knows how to work an audience. Since his idol, Gamble Rogers, died in 1991, Larry is one of Gamble’s few disciples who is worthy to carry on his legacy.
I was excited to finally witness Chelsea perform live. From her first song, she exceeded my expectations. Chelsea is an old soul trapped in a young body. Her songs are concise, emotionally deep chronicles of her life and experiences set to catchy melodic structures. Her mature insight into life far exceeds her age. Although she is only 21, her spirit is on the fast track to enlightenment.
More significantly, Chelsea’s raw talent at writing songs that exactly express the mood and tone of her lyrical poetry is uncanny. Rarely does a talent like Chelsea come along. Looking back over the years, she could be compared to Joni Mitchell or Carol King, who have the knack for writing memorable songs that express joy, sorrow, love, betrayal, and even moral turpitude without waxing gushingly sentimental. As an interesting paradox, Chelsea’s songs bring out her mature spirit, yet when she speaks she comes across as age-appropriate. Clearly, she was in awe of her stage partners, Larry Mangum and John Longbottom. Remember, she is just getting started as a professional singer/songwriter, so she has many years of creativity ahead of her.
Although there have been many famous songs written about cocaine–pro and con, Chelsea’s haunting ballad sent shivers up my spine. It may be the most poignant drug song ever written because of its subtlety and insight. In presenting this song, Chelsea lays bare her soul, which catches the audience off-guard in a moment of stunning honesty. Her other work is equally engaging.
Recently, I talked to Chelsea about her musical career, which is just getting off the launch pad. Remarkably, though, after witnessing Chelsea perform live, she came off like a seasoned pro.
“I’ve been writing songs since I was a girl, since my dad was a musician. I write what I know. In other words, I write about experiences I’ve been through, so all my songs are personal. I guess you could say it’s an ongoing musical journey. Up until the CD release showcase at European Street, I had been playing open mic nights and private events to get some playing-out experience. I’ve been lucky to meet such esteemed singer/songwriters as Larry Mangum and John Longbottom, who have helped me to get my name out and line up some professional gigs,” Chelsea said.
Indeed, I was fortunate to witness this exemplary talent at the European Street in San Marco and I look forward to seeing Chelsea’s exceptional talent propel her to great heights.
|
EU Critic’s Choice Awards
