Jay Trainer
San Francisco, California, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
"If the Jay Trainer Band’s self-titled EP puts you in mind of the West coast psychedelic blues-rock explosion of the ‘60s, it’s not just because you got a stray ...whiff of incense on the wind. For one thing, singer/guitarist Trainer makes his home in the Bay Area, from whence came the likes of Santana, the Grateful Dead, Big Brother & The Holding Company et al, and he bears the undeniable influence of those artists. For another, the six-song EP, recorded in San Francisco, boasts a band that includes veteran horn man Mic Gillette, who has performed with the likes of Santana and the Big Brother-esque Cold Blood, bringing some serious old-school flavor to the mix. As a guitarist, Trainer has truly soaked up the sounds of the psychedelic ‘60s, using generous amounts of fuzz and wah-wah in his tone and embarking on instrumental excursions that show a marked preference for the path less traveled. But he’s adept at acoustic guitar as well, as he shows on ballad-oriented tunes like “Run” and the more low-key moments of the slowly building “Children (Of the Sun).” But don’t think of Trainer as a backwards-looking artist retreating to the sounds of an earlier era, think of him as a proud torchbearer, carrying the legacy into the future."
- Jim Allen, LimeWire
Discography
LPs: Alive In A Small Room, The Waking Hours, Of The Sun
EPs: Touch To Feel, My Wide Open Eyes
Photos
Bio
Jay Trainer combines thick, prolific guitar riffs and stark lyricism, while drawing on the traditions of funk, rock, blues, and psychedelia to craft a modern classic. The singer/songwriter possesses a unique ability to effortlessly negotiate tone and volume, moving from a quiet, almost jazzy tone to a booming thunder at any given moment. The effect calls to mind the masters of several genres of rock music.
To achieve this, Trainer pulls from his roots: blues revivalists, folksy protest songs, classic songwriters and classic rockers like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and The Allman Brothers Band. But the aspect that grabs both music lovers and critics is the additional elements ranging from the likes of Jeff Beck to Jeff Buckley. His unique combination of genre-defying compositions and free-form jams have been causing a stir in the local Bay Area scene.
Having shared the stage with national acts including North Mississippi All Stars, legendary guitarist Dickey Betts, Robert Walter's 20th Congress (founding member of The Greyboy Allstars), Eric McFadden (former touring member of George Clinton's P-Funk All Stars), Cowboy Mouth and Vinyl, Jay Trainer has created a new foothold in the West Coast music scene with a rare combination of infectious backbeats and guitar driven grooves.
The live show is what Trainer is known for. His performances are raw, personal and uninhibited. It is clear from his latest EP, simply titled Jay Trainer Band, that he has brought this same energy to the studio. Tracks like "Miss You Well" and "As The World Burns Down" capture the emotion and expression of his live performance. Tracks like "Maybe I'm Wrong" and "Run" show Trainer's ability to use the studio like an additional member of the band. A veteran of countless recording sessions, his "get it in the first take" approach has paid off and is bringing back a great sense of honesty to Rock 'n' Roll.
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