SKINNY SINGERS
The Independent
August 13, 2007

The highlight of Thursday night's Skinny Singers concert at the Independent was special guest Phil Lesh encoring with the band on a few Grateful Dead covers, including “Friend of the Devil,” “Ripple,” and “Sugaree.” The Skinny Singers draw from the same bluegrass-country-rock n' roll-Americana tradition as the Dead, so their fans completely lost their fucking minds screaming and cheering as if the Beatles had landed when Phil appeared.

The Skinny Singers band includes Tim Bluhm from the Mother Hips, and Jackie Greene, a young blues and soul singer who has made himself known through an album that got picked up by SF's mom-rock station, KFOG. This unlikely pair were accompanied by a drummer and together played a soulful mix of blues and outlaw country cover songs, as well as some of Tim's and Jackie's original tunes.

Jackie Greene is a pianist, singer, and guitarist who has one of those "million-dollar" voices. You can tell from the first note out of his mouth that he's both naturally gifted and well-schooled. On Thursday night, in the low lights and haze of a dozen joints floating through the crowd, he sang like a gruff blues vocalist, smoothly matching his stride piano and wicked blues guitar styling. In spite of the loose atmosphere, Jackie's pop sensibilities ran like a river through each song he sung, and it reminded me of Elton John's country western rock n' roll records like Honky Château or Don't Shoot I'm Only the Piano Player.

Tim Bluhm's roll in the band is definitely a supporting role to Jackie Greene. He alternated between laying down grooving bass lines and offering some skronked-out country-blues guitar playing that was like watching a tightrope walker who flails and staggers but nails every step.

Tim's restraint on stage made the few songs he took over as lead vocalist feel special. His vocal technique ranges from sweet falsettos to blown-out rock n' roll shout-singing. With Skinny Singers he seems to be in a really comfortable place with a moderate volume band playing loosely arranged songs that give him room to show off the nuances of his earthy voice. Hearing Tim sing is like listening to the sound of redwood branches rustling in a gusty breeze coming off the Pacific.

There's a special connection between these two singers. They share a love of country western and rhythm n' blues roots music, but onstage they each pull the music in different yet complimentary directions: Jackie towards a classic pop feel; and Tim towards a rough-hewn California naturalist vibe. Check them out if you're in the mood for some masterful 70's Americana folk rock!

[Jeff Bissell]

[STREAM] Skinny Singers: Various Tracks