{"id":30722,"date":"2025-02-27T09:20:44","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T14:20:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=30722"},"modified":"2025-02-27T09:20:45","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T14:20:45","slug":"on-stage-jefferson-berry-the-urban-acoustic-coalition-bring-new-album-to-118-north","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=30722","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Jefferson\u00a0Berry & the Urban Acoustic Coalition bring new album to 118 North"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/div>\n
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Jefferson\u00a0Berry & the Urban Acoustic Coalition<\/p><\/div>\n

Jefferson\u00a0Berry & the Urban Acoustic Coalition have spent more than a decade establishing themselves as one of the Philly area\u2019s top folk-rock\/folk bands.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Jefferson\u00a0Berry\u00a0& the\u00a0UAC\u00a0released their fourth studio album,\u00a0\u201cSoon!\u201d on April 16, 2021. The band\u2019s previous albums were \u201cGuitar on the River\u201d (2016), \u201cThe Habit\u201d (2018) and \u201cDouble Deadbolt Logic\u201d (2020).<\/div>\n
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Berry and his band got even more prolific after \u201cSoon!\u201d \u00a0–culminating with \u201cBorn Into A Blizzard,\u201d which was released this week (February 25).<\/div>\n
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The band will celebrate with an album release show at 118 North \u00a0(118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a><\/i>) on March 2.<\/div>\n

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\u201cThis is our fourth album in five years \u2013 and all of them have charted,\u201d said Berry, during a phone interview Wednesday from his home in the Fairmount section of North Philadelphia.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe UAC are really some of the best players in Philadelphia. We recorded the album at Kawari Studio in Wyncote with Matt Muir, who is a great engineer.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe started early last year \u2013 March 2024. I produced the album and it took about six months. We also did some award-winning videos.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe won Music Video of the Year at the Jersey Shore Film Fest with \u2018First Purple Light.\u2019 It was the first ever music video to use AI.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Berry grew up in Southern California and is a graduate of University of California Santa Cruz, a school whose sports teams are nicknamed, \u201cBanana Slugs.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cI grew up in what used to be Malibu,\u201d said Berry.<\/div>\n
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He eventually landed in the Philadelphia area where he became part of Philly\u2019s folk\/rock\/Americana scene.<\/div>\n
Berry\u2019s website presented the history behind\u00a0UAC:<\/div>\n
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\u201cIn 2006, at around 3 a.m. at the Falcon Ridge Festival,\u00a0Jefferson\u00a0and his banjo playing brother Hank were playing a Hillbilly version of \u201cWhite Room\u201d by Cream. In fest-jam fashion, each vocal verse was separated by an instrumental-lead verse. Out and of the shadows and into the light of the campfire came this guy with a mandolin and long red hair, playing the song\u2019s iconic Clapton lead pretty much verbatim.<\/div>\n
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\u201cAs the sun was coming up,\u00a0Jefferson\u00a0asked Bud Burroughs if he wanted to start a band, and Hippies and Hillbillies was born. The album Drumless America was recorded in Bud\u2019s living room: a quirky mix of covers ranging from Robert Earl Keen and Townes Van Zandt to Neil Young and U2, the show and CD was fun for some but considered blasphemous at the bluegrass festivals the band played.<\/div>\n
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\u201cBud and\u00a0Jefferson\u2019s next venture involved\u00a0Jefferson\u2019s daughter.\u00a0 Briana Berry and her sister were raised at the summer festivals\u2014Kerrville, Falcon Ridge, XFS and Philly.<\/div>\n
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The Berry\u2019s 2009 album, \u201cFairmount Station,\u201d featured songs written by Briana and her dad. It was promoted nationally to radio by Powderfinger Promotions and charted fairly high for an independent release on the folk charts. The band played X-Fest and the Philadelphia Folk Festival that year.<\/div>\n
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The Urban Acoustic Coalition came to be in 2014 with the release of Guitar on the River. Again, Bud Burroughs served as the music director for a collection of\u00a0Berry\u2019s city-themed songs. Recorded at MelodyVision by Rodney Whittenberg, the album\u2019s sessions grew the band.\u00a0Jefferson\u00a0Berry and the Urban Acoustic Coalition (a mouthful) played the Camp Stage at the Philadelphia Folk Festival that year with a Coalition of players from Boris Garcia, Bad Sister and Beaufort.<\/div>\n
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This was an example of the \u201ccoalition\u201d aspect of the band, an ethic that allowed players to keep their other projects alive while clearing dates with the\u00a0UAC\u00a0periodically.<\/div>\n
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Berry said, \u201cWe\u2019re mini-Americana folk-rock with a couple jazzy numbers. We\u2019ve been called the Steely Dan of folk music. We\u2019re storytelling with acoustic instruments.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe core of UAC is Bud Burroughs on mandolin and keyboards, Uncle Mike Damora on bass, and Dave Brown on everything — banjo, lap steel, guitars and fretless bass.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019ve been together for 20 years. Right now, we also have Theresa Ratliff on vocals and Adam Stranburg on drums.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cBorn Into A Blizzard\u201d displays the diversity that is contemporary folk music today. As with previous releases, the songs on\u00a0\u201cBorn Into a Blizzard\u201d\u00a0touch on themes of city living and these strange times.<\/div>\n
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The indulgences of our screen time (\u201cHow Could You Think That\u201d), the need to start over (\u201cLeaving Santa Maria\u201d), the homeless condition of the once successful (\u201cSleeping in Public\u201d), and the lost orientation of street people (\u201cSand in My Shoes\u201d) offer the songwriter\u2019s observations of how things are these days.<\/div>\n
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The album does balance out however with fun tunes about summer days on the river (\u201cGuitar on the\u00a0River\u201d), the way we treat our heroes (\u201cPhilly Eats its Own\u201d) and\u00a0Berry\u2019s father\u2019s version of the day he was born (\u201cBorn on Payday\u201d).<\/div>\n
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Musically, the album is genre defiant with songs ranging from the samba jazz of \u201cThirty Miles to the Beach\u201d to the pure folk of \u201cThis Dawn of Mine.\u201d\u00a0Berry\u00a0continues to juxtapose divergent styles and genres with his songwriting and storytelling to offer a refreshing take on folk music.<\/div>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s Americana,\u201d said Berry. \u201cIt\u2019s acoustic rock. Basically, I\u2019m an urban storyteller. It\u2019s folk music for the city.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Berry\u2019s\u00a0lyrics are informed by his years in corporate media followed by a dozen years teaching African American History, Economics and Government to inner-city Philadelphia high school students. Symeer Woods (aka Lil Uzi Vert) and the late Rasheen Jones (aka Runup Rico) were among his students.<\/div>\n
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\u201cOn the song \u2018Shattered Glass\u2019 on my last album \u2018Double Deadbolt Logic,\u2019 I got a lot of info from my class \u2013 like how to boost and strip a car,\u201d said Berry.<\/div>\n
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This weekend, Berry will introduce live versions of songs from \u201cBorn Into A Blizzard.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re doing about half the new album,\u201d said Berry. \u201cWith four albums in five years, there\u2019s a lot of material to choose from.\u201d<\/div>\n
Video link for Jefferson\u00a0Berry\u00a0& the\u00a0UAC — https:\/\/youtu.be\/ccLDKtpF8ys<\/a><\/i>.<\/div>\n
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The show at 118 North on March 2 will start at 7 p.m. The opening act will be Stackabones.<\/div>\n
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Tickets are $10.<\/div>\n
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Other upcoming shows at 18 North are Nirvani on February 27, Town Mountain on February 28, Solar Federation on March 1.<\/div>\n
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Rachael Yamagata<\/p><\/div>\n

Rachael Yamagata is a veteran singer\/songwriter who has been a professional musician since 1995 starting with the Chicago band Bumpus.<\/p><\/div>\n

Over the years, she has performed at many Philly area venues from small clubs to larger venues such as Union Transfer and Ardmore Music Hall.<\/div>\n
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On February 27, she returns to the area to share a bill with Matt Nathanson at the Keswick Theatre (291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside, www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>).<\/div>\n
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\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to be on some dates with Matt Nathanson,\u201d said Yamagata yesterday from a tour stop at Mayo Performing Arts in Morrisville, New Jersey.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI met him last year singing some backups on his new record. We\u2019ve circled the same crew of people for 20 years and only just met. He felt like a brother from the get go.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Nathanson\u00a0is a singer-songwriter whose work is a blend of\u00a0folk\u00a0and\u00a0rock and roll\u00a0music. In addition to singing, he plays acoustic (sometimes 12-string) and electric\u00a0guitar and has played both solo and with a full band.<\/div>\n
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His work includes the platinum-selling song, \u201cCome On Get Higher\u201d. One of his hit songs, \u201cGiants,\u201d was the opening music for the\u00a02016 World Series of Poker\u00a0in\u00a0Las Vegas\u00a0on\u00a0ESPN<\/div>\n
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Over his almost 30-year career, Nathanson has evolved into one of the most applauded songwriters and engaging performers on the music scene today.<\/div>\n
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His sixth studio album,\u00a0\u201cSome Mad Hope<\/i>,\u201d yielded his breakthrough multi-platinum hit, \u201cCome on Get Higher.\u201d He followed up with\u00a0\u201cModern Love<\/i>,\u201d a critically acclaimed album that garnered Nathanson two RIAA Gold Certified singles, \u201cFaster\u201d and \u201cRun.\u201d<\/div>\n
Nathanson is touring in support of his recently released album, \u201cKing Of (Un)Simple.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Unfortunately for Yamagata\u2019s fans, there is no new album. Her most recent album is \u201cPorch Songs,\u201d which was released in October 2018.<\/div>\n
Yamagata\u00a0is a talented singer\/songwriter but not the most prolific artist when it comes to releasing albums of her music<\/div>\n
Yamagata, who hails from Fairfax, Virginia, released her first album \u201cHappenstance\u201d in 2004. She followed with \u201cElephants…Teeth Sinking into Heart\u201d in 2008 and \u201cChesapeake\u201d in 2011.<\/div>\n
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When\u00a0Yamagata\u00a0performed on September 23, 2016 at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, it was the official release date of her most recent album \u201cTightrope Walker\u201d \u2013 and her birthday.<\/div>\n
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\u201cAfter this tour with Matt, I\u2019m hunkering down for all things record release,\u201d said Yamagata. \u201cI\u2019ve had numerous left turns on this one \u2013 TMJ, hearing issues, rerouted schedules of key people working on the songs \u2013 2020 even.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Yamagata has stayed busy as a touring musician \u2013 both with her own shows and as a backup singer for other artists. She has toured all around the states as well as Europe and Asia.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe made the rounds of the U.S. and finished up three weeks in China,\u201d said Yamagata. \u201cI had an amazing run of festival shows these past two weeks in China and South Korea.<\/div>\n
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Yamagata, a prefecture on Japan\u2019s Honshu Island, is known for mountains, hot springs and temples. Snow-covered conifers famously resembling \u201csnow monsters\u201d mark its Mt. Zao ski resort area, which is also the site of hot springs and hiking trails around color-shifting Okama Crater Lake.<\/div>\n
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The capital, also called\u00a0Yamagata, is home to the hillside Yamadera Buddhist complex, centered on ninth-century Risshaku-ji Temple.<\/div>\n
The Land of the Rising Sun also has a link to Rachael Yamagata.<\/div>\n
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Yamagata was born to a\u00a0Japanese American\u00a0father and an\u00a0Italian German\u00a0mother.<\/div>\n
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\u201cTouring all the while, it\u2019s been a bit much of a stop-and-go process,\u201d said Yamagata. \u201cBut it gave me some time to do some needed revisions on a few of the tracks.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI\u2019m very proud of the end result. It feels like a slow burn movie soundtrack album with the occasional jump off the cliff action stunt thrown in.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe final song — the beast –the one that gave me tmj singing it — is now complete. We built a pyramid with this one and who knew the journey it would become.<\/div>\n
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\u201cAt long last we enter mastering phase and that is the real time update for what has been a true journey and test of resilience.\u201d<\/div>\n
Yamagata\u2019s fans who love her heartfelt, emotional songs will not be disappointed with her upcoming album.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThematically, it\u2019s a heart restart record — permission to grieve,\u201d said Yamagata. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s a lyrical reflection on what may lie beyond us on this planet and major doses of reverence for the human spirit.<\/div>\n
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\u201cOn this duo run, Michael Chaves joins me on electric guitar and acoustic guitar, and I float back between acoustic and keys. It\u2019s half new songs and half old songs all configured for our formation.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Video link for Rachel Yamagata \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/L15GMITfyBE<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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The show at the Keswick Theatre on February 27 will start at 7 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Ticket prices start at $34.<\/div>\n
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Other upcoming shows at the Keswick Theatre are Howard Jones and ABC on February 28 and March 2 and John Cusack on March 1.<\/div>\n
Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a><\/i>) \u00a0will present AC Steel and the Perpetrators on February 27, Steve Shanahan Band on February 28, and john Flynn on March 1.<\/div>\n
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Every Sunday, Jamey\u2019s presents \u201cSUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM\u201d featuring the highly acclaimed blues group the Philly Blues Kings.<\/div>\n
Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street,\u00a0Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com<\/a><\/i>) will host Joe Louis Walker on February 28, Cris Jacobson March 1 and the Outlaws on March 4.<\/div>\n
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Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808, www.st94.com<\/a>) will have Jamie McLean Band on February 27, Bad Animals on February 28, Joe Louis Walker on March 1, Noah Guthrie on March 2, Simon Phillips Protocol on March 3, Rufus Wainwright on March 4, and East Nash Grass on March 5.<\/div>\n
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Colonial Theater (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, thecolonialtheatre.com\/events<\/a>) will present Marc Broussard on March 2.<\/div>\n
Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will have The Hansen-Protasi Group on February 27.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Jefferson\u00a0Berry & the Urban Acoustic Coalition have spent more than a decade establishing themselves as one of the Philly area\u2019s top folk-rock\/folk bands. Jefferson\u00a0Berry\u00a0& the\u00a0UAC\u00a0released their fourth studio album,\u00a0\u201cSoon!\u201d on April 16, 2021. The band\u2019s previous albums were \u201cGuitar on the River\u201d (2016), \u201cThe Habit\u201d (2018) and \u201cDouble […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30720,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4357],"tags":[3162,11968,4742],"class_list":["post-30722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-jefferson-berry-the-urban-acoustic-coalition","tag-rachael-yamagata"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30722"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30722\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30723,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30722\/revisions\/30723"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}