“Tender Fragility to Unexpected Steeliness”

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Bruce McCall, Chris Brown, Dan Rieser, Erin Hill, folk, Harry Chapin, Jamie Fox, jazz, Jen Chapin, music, New Yorker Magazine, NYC, Stephan Crump, storyteller, The Cutting Room

New York, NY — Jen Chapin’s show at the Cutting Room on Friday, January 17, is a critics pick in The New Yorker. 

 NIGHT LIFE 

JEN CHAPIN

Cutting Room

“With songs delivered in a style that ranges from tender fragility to unexpected steeliness, Chapin brings a jazzy edge to the folk form. Sometimes she explores a fleeting emotion, sometimes she weaves a solid narrative—not at all surprising from the daughter of Harry Chapin, a master musical storyteller. She’ll be performing songs from her new album, “Reckoning,” with a fine band including her husband, Stephan Crump, on bass, Jamie Fox on guitar, Dan Rieser on drums, Chris Brown on piano, and Erin Hill on harp and supporting vocals. (Cutting Room, 44 E. 32nd St. 212-691-1900. Jan. 17.)”  The New Yorker

cover: Bruce McCall

 

End of year news for Jen Chapin’s ‘Reckoning’!

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Chris Griffy, Examiner, Go Away, Harry Chapin, Jen Chapin, Kacey Musgraves, Pete Chianca, Pollstar, Reckoning, Sammy Witness, Whyhunger, Wicked Local

New York, NY — Jen Chapin’s Reckoning has landed on a couple end of year best lists.

The album is no. 20 on Chris Griffy’s, Examiner’s Best Americana albums:

“Jen Chapin inherited the very best of her father Harry’s talents but has not been content to rest on his legend, instead writing a new chapter to the urban folk book her dad began with her own jazz-tinged offering “Reckoning.” From the album’s standout track “Don’t Talk” to the socially conscious “Feed Your Baby”, every track on “Reckoning” is poetry.”

Jen’s song, “Go Away” also landed on Pete Chianca, Wicked Local’s “23 stellar songs from 2013” list. Pete writes that “Jen Chapin, Kacey Musgraves and Sammy Witness were among a slew of strong female voices from 2013.”

““Go Away” from “Reckoning,” Jen Chapin. Jen is far funkier than her father Harry ever was, and this spare, sly track packs the same punch whether you decide she’s talking about a neglectful lover or a needy child. Or possibly both.” Peter Chianca, Wicked Local

Please also click here to read Pollstar’s in-depth, wonderful interview with Jen about her Reckoning, life, music, activism and lifelong involvement with Whyhunger. 

Photo of Jen Chapin: Nathan Leatherman (2013)

 

American Songwriter premieres Jen Chapin’s new video, “Go Away”

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American Songwriter, Go Away, Harry Chapin, Jen Chapin, Peter Chianca, Reckoning, Stephan Crump, Wicked Local

American Songwriter: Excusive Premiere: Jen Chapin’s “Go Away”

American Songwriter premiered Jen Chapin’s new video for “Go Away”, one of the evocative and provocative tunes from Jen Chapin’s upcoming new album, Reckoning (release date: May 28th).

American Songwriter also published an essay Ms. Chapin wrote about her personal backstory to this song.

Watch video and read this exclusive here: http://www.americansongwriter.com/2013/05/video-premiere-jen-chapin-go-away/

“It’s probably no surprise that Chapin seems to naturally inhabit the characters in her songs — her father was Harry Chapin, one of modern music’s greatest storytellers. But Jen is far funkier than her father ever was, even as she paints sometimes grim tableaux of frustrated wives, struggling mothers and a challenged populace….That Chapin can find joy among “the ducks and the dreamers,” as she sings on the Sondheim-esque “Paris,” speaks to her formidable — and ever-developing– talents as a songwriter and a storyteller.” Peter Chianca, Wicked Local

Jen Chapin in The Courant

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Harry Chapin, Jen Chapin, Pledge Music, Reckoning, The Courant, Thomas Kintner, Tifenn Python, Why Hunger

Jen Chapin was recently interviewed by Thomas Kintner for The Courant, prior to her performance at The Kate, in Old Saybrook, CT. Click here to read the wonderful feature.

“Despite occasionally touching on her father’s catalog, she is very much her own artist, filling uncluttered musical backdrops with highly verbal lyrics that favor verbose detail over foggy allegory.”  Thomas Kintner, The Courant

Find out more about the making of Jen Chapin’s upcoming new album, Reckoning.

Cover art above: Tifenn Python