Getting Down With Getting Started: Jamie Kent at The Gopher Hole

No matter the decade, the style, or the location, breaking onto the scene in the music world is a complicated and challenging task. The world of home studios and recording has expanded exponentially in the past decade, but so has the multitude of new material. The easier it becomes to put your music on the internet, the harder it is to set apart from the next myspace or regular website.

That's why I have every reason to be impressed with the perseverance and confidence in Jamie Kent, a long-time friend and new-to-the-scene singer/songwriter from Northampton, MA.


Jamie dropped in on Goucher College's Gopher Hole last Friday night (11/13/09) and took an hour or so to share his jazz/folk melodies and acoustic work. When we talked about what kind of artist he has been aspiring to become, we talked a lot about his performance as a whole and how much he as to offer to a crowd of willing-listeners.

As you can easily tell from the up and coming jamiekent.com, he's a playful guy whose mischievous and curious sense of humor is at work in a number of his songs. Jamie wants not only to capture his audiences with a particular melody or guitar noodle, but also to snag you in with his bright and multi-faceted personality. Speaking of an open mic he had played a few nights earlier, Jamie said that he had been complimented adamantly for "wearing his heart on his sleeve". This is something that Jamie tries to do. Even in being constantly playful and a bit of a joker, it shows when he sings that Jamie believes in his material. On "Isabella", we are treated to his unique ideas about what it would be like to be stuck in a cubicle and attempt to talk to the pretty girl in the cubicle next to him.

His comedy aside, Jamie pays unique attention to the dynamics of his vocals, which he admits have some heavy influences from the likes of Jamie Cullum, Peter Cincotti, and even the greats like Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. In the midst of his simple, yet catchy arrangements, we are treated to his innovative tone and let-loose mentality in singing.

Last, but certainly not least, Jamie Kent knows a thing or two about music, having been a complete concert nut for most of his life. He is offering all of his music for free, including the newly stamped EP "The Collective" and the upcoming full-length album "Neoteny". Keep your eye on his progress through his blog and stay tuned for the announcement of his "Big Idea".