Jes Sheldon
“Wow.” Everytime I see Jes Sheldon perform, that’s what I think.
Terrific singer who owns her own voice. As a vocalist she’s a great musician. A badass.
But the thing that captivates me…and that is the word for it…is the way she lets the music move through her. To watch her is to see what the music “looks” like. Much in the same way it is to see energy (eaves) moving through ocean waters.
I’m bringing it up because very few have this quality or ability. When the music kicks in, a freedom shows up in this woman that makes what she’s doing qualify as high art. And you can feel that.
She stays busy with a number of projects in the Central New York area, so it’s not too hard to catch her performances. I saw her the other night backstage at a show where we were both performing. A gracious person. Jes was kind enough to visit with me for this interview.
Chuck Schiele: Where does your music path begin?
Jes Sheldon: Like many musicians my path began in church. We attended a very large church in Virginia when I was a little girl. My first performances were for a congregation of 1500-2000 members. This, supplemented with time spent on the front porch with my dad and his guitar really shaped me as a performer. Years later I realized that time spent on the porch with my dad taught me to sing harmony. I didn’t know it at the time. I just didn’t want to sing the same notes as him.
CS: Aside from being a vocalist, do you play other instruments as well?
JS: I play percussion and some ukulele but my voice is really my instrument. Oh, and Kazoo. I know it sounds silly, but I just pretend I’m a trumpet and wail away on the kazoo. In fact I have a kazoo with a pickup that I can plug in and amplify. I’m looking forward to plugging it into some fun pedals and getting weird with it.
CS: Please tell us a bit about Transient Kicks. Who’s in it and what does the project mean to you, artistically?
JS: The six members of Transient Kicks are; Jack Jarvis on drums, Matt McIntynre on bass, Mike Callaghan on keys, Ryan Drescher on guitar, Bailey Elmore also on guitar, and of course myself on vocals. We really vibe together as a group. Everyone has their part to play and there is little to no stepping on toes. In fact, it’s more about encouragement than ego and that’s very refreshing. The ability and freedom to improvise without judgement has opened me up artistically. There’s no expectation for me to be anything short of my wild, weird self.
CS: How’d you come up with that name?
JS: I had to refer to Bailey on this one as I was not yet a member when the band was formed.
Bailey Elmore: The band name mostly came from a random unhoused person in the back of the old Valley Blues House. Matt and I, and our drummer at the time were discussing band names and this guy approached us. We told him what we were doing and without skipping a beat he said “Transient Kick.” About a week later our pal Mike Powell (not the local musician) said we should add an S to the end making it “Transient Kicks.”
CS: I’m glad I asked. I am always interested in how things pull from the ethos. Cool story, thank you, Bailey. So…Jes Sheldon & The Stewards of Sol: Please tell us about this project, and how the two projects differ and or relate.
JS: The band was formed out of necessity. I had been asked by Stacey Waterman to play a food truck rally at the state fairgrounds. However, I didn’t have a band at the time. I had reached out to Mark Westers as he was already playing there with a different group on a different stage earlier that day. He was booked to play Shifty’s with The Barndogs that night so I couldn’t take the gig. But this opened the conversation about playing music together. After playing a few duo gigs Mark suggested we start a band and invited Rolland Brunet (bass) and Dan Morison (drums) to join us. As they say the rest is history.
During lockdown my now husband Mike McNamara asked me, “If we ever get back to live music again what kind of band do you want to be in?” My answer was, two bands. An “old man blues band” that plays mostly rock, soul and blues covers to fill my pockets, and a big original jammy improvisational band to fill my soul. Now I have both. It turns out my pockets aren’t terribly full and both bands satisfy my soul.
CS: Where do you find inspiration? How does the writing and musical process work for you?
JS: Inspiration is literally everywhere. I’m a fan first and try to take in as much live music as possible from all kinds of genres. I also love nature and try to unplug from the virtual and connect to the source whenever I can.
The writing process has manifested in multiple ways for me. Sometimes I write lyrics first and it takes years and a new band to bring it to fruition. Sometimes I get inspired by something the group is jamming on and make up lyrics on the spot. Sometimes I only have a concept or a handful of lyrics and it takes a while to flesh it out. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and have to write down whatever is spewing out of my subconscious. I will say it tends to come in waves.
As a performer I’ve always enjoyed interpreting others’ songs and lyrics. Most of Transient Kicks’ lyrics were written by Bailey. It has been my distinct honor to give her words a strong female voice. That being said I’ve found a deeper sense of catharsis singing my own words. I feel like I have a much more meaningful connection with the audience as well. The less I fear my own vulnerability the deeper the connections.
The show you and I both played at The Ridge actually inspired me as well. I’m in the process of writing a few tunes better suited to the Stewards of Sol. I figured if the band’s got my name on it I might as well be singing my own songs.
CS: You are captivating to watch perform live. Downright compelling. And I’ve seen many artists. To watch music moving through you on stage is a lot like watching the energy of a wave move through the water – or as smoke billows and swirls into the air. It seems you go somewhere, someplace and manage to take us with you. It seems effortless as if by natural law, per joy.
Does any of this resonate with you?
What goes on in you when you are flowing all around in performance?
JS: Thank you, yes, I’ve always said I feel more like conduit than anything. The music truly moves me and moves through me. People ask, “how do you do it?” I honestly don’t know. I just open my mouth and it comes out like that. Not to discount PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. After all, I’ve been singing on stage since I was a toddler.
CS: What are some of the highlights in your music journey?
JS: For me it’s been less about playing big stages, opening for national acts, or sitting in with great bands and more about the people I’ve connected with through music (like you). Whether it’s fellow musicians, crew, or friends/fans I truly feel blessed to have this extended music family. Shoot, I even met my husband at a show.
CS: What would be your best advice for any musician/artist?
JS: Stop giving a shit about what people think of you and start loving yourself a whole lot more. Don’t waste your time on the people who don’t like you, they probably don’t like themselves either. Embrace your weird and vulnerable side. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. And above all BE KIND!
CS: What do you see in the near future for your music?
JS: Well gigs are finally slowing down for the season and I’m looking forward to a little break. Lots of writing, rehearsing, and refueling. I have a couple of gig’s with The Stewards of Sol coming up in October and Transient kicks will be making their Sterling Stage debut. TK is also working on a highly themed Halloween show 10/30 at Funk ‘n Waffles.
CS: How do we all stay in touch with your music?
JS: The best way is through the necessary evil that is facebook. I post all my gigs on the Jes Sheldon Music page. There is also a page for Jes Sheldon and The Stewards of Sol and of course Transient Kicks (also on instagram and our website transientkicks.com).
CS: Thank you, Jes. I appreciate you taking time for us here at Sounds of Syracuse. See you out there!
JS: Thank you Chuck!
