Garland Jeffreys

A Coney Island of the Soul

By Falling James

Garland Jeffreys is a longtime performer whose songs capture slices of New York street life as definitely as the work of his peers Lou Reed and Bruce Springsteen. The Brooklyn native's latest album, The King of In Between, is as lively and diverse as the City That Never Sleeps, bursting with jaunty reggae ("Roller Coaster Town"), poetic acoustic ballads ("In God's Waiting Room"), soul-rock anthems ("I'm Alive"), shadowy funk ("Streetwise") and the sparkling thrum of Dylanish evocations ("Coney Island Winter"). Over the years, his insightful songwriting has plumbed the depths of love and racism, and his 1973 single "Wild in the Streets" has been memorably covered by the Circle Jerks and Chris Spedding. A true New York icon, Jeffreys was glimpsed up close in Wim Wenders' documentary film The Soul of a Man.

Early show at McCabe's SOLD OUT so get tickets here for second show at 10 PM.  This Santa Monica institution is one of the best places on the planet to play.  This will be the third venue on our little California mini tour after Slim's in San Francisco and SOhO in Santa Barbara.  Cool previews coming in from San Franciso Weekly, San Francisco Examiner, Santa Barbara Independent.

Psyched to be heading west with the band for three shows: 2/18 at Slim's San Francisco, 2/19 at SOhO Santa Barbara and finishing off at McCabe's Santa Monica on 2/25.  Will be staying with my best friend Phil in LA.  Have been friends since we were five years old.