On Stage: Jefferson Berry & the Urban Acoustic Coalition bring new album to 118 North

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

Jefferson Berry & the Urban Acoustic Coalition have spent more than a decade establishing themselves as one of the Philly area’s top folk-rock/folk bands.

Jefferson Berry & the UAC released their fourth studio album, “Soon!” on April 16, 2021. The band’s previous albums were “Guitar on the River” (2016), “The Habit” (2018) and “Double Deadbolt Logic” (2020).

Berry and his band got even more prolific after “Soon!”  –culminating with “Born Into A Blizzard,” which was released this week (February 25).

The band will celebrate with an album release show at 118 North  (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com) on March 2.

“This is our fourth album in five years – and all of them have charted,” said Berry, during a phone interview Wednesday from his home in the Fairmount section of North Philadelphia.

“The 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.

“We started early last year – March 2024. I produced the album and it took about six months. We also did some award-winning videos.

“We won Music Video of the Year at the Jersey Shore Film Fest with ‘First Purple Light.’ It was the first ever music video to use AI.”

Berry grew up in Southern California and is a graduate of University of California Santa Cruz, a school whose sports teams are nicknamed, “Banana Slugs.”

“I grew up in what used to be Malibu,” said Berry.

He eventually landed in the Philadelphia area where he became part of Philly’s folk/rock/Americana scene.

Berry’s website presented the history behind UAC:

“In 2006, at around 3 a.m. at the Falcon Ridge Festival, Jefferson and his banjo playing brother Hank were playing a Hillbilly version of “White Room” 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’s iconic Clapton lead pretty much verbatim.

“As the sun was coming up, Jefferson asked Bud Burroughs if he wanted to start a band, and Hippies and Hillbillies was born. The album Drumless America was recorded in Bud’s 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.

“Bud and Jefferson’s next venture involved Jefferson’s daughter.  Briana Berry and her sister were raised at the summer festivals—Kerrville, Falcon Ridge, XFS and Philly.

The Berry’s 2009 album, “Fairmount Station,” 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.

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 Berry’s city-themed songs. Recorded at MelodyVision by Rodney Whittenberg, the album’s sessions grew the band. Jefferson Berry 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.

This was an example of the “coalition” aspect of the band, an ethic that allowed players to keep their other projects alive while clearing dates with the UAC periodically.

Berry said, “We’re mini-Americana folk-rock with a couple jazzy numbers. We’ve been called the Steely Dan of folk music. We’re storytelling with acoustic instruments.”

“The 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.

“We’ve been together for 20 years. Right now, we also have Theresa Ratliff on vocals and Adam Stranburg on drums.”

“Born Into A Blizzard” displays the diversity that is contemporary folk music today. As with previous releases, the songs on “Born Into a Blizzard” touch on themes of city living and these strange times.

The indulgences of our screen time (“How Could You Think That”), the need to start over (“Leaving Santa Maria”), the homeless condition of the once successful (“Sleeping in Public”), and the lost orientation of street people (“Sand in My Shoes”) offer the songwriter’s observations of how things are these days.

The album does balance out however with fun tunes about summer days on the river (“Guitar on the River”), the way we treat our heroes (“Philly Eats its Own”) and Berry’s father’s version of the day he was born (“Born on Payday”).

Musically, the album is genre defiant with songs ranging from the samba jazz of “Thirty Miles to the Beach” to the pure folk of “This Dawn of Mine.” Berry continues to juxtapose divergent styles and genres with his songwriting and storytelling to offer a refreshing take on folk music.

“It’s Americana,” said Berry. “It’s acoustic rock. Basically, I’m an urban storyteller. It’s folk music for the city.”

Berry’s lyrics 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.

“On the song ‘Shattered Glass’ on my last album ‘Double Deadbolt Logic,’ I got a lot of info from my class – like how to boost and strip a car,” said Berry.

This weekend, Berry will introduce live versions of songs from “Born Into A Blizzard.”

“We’re doing about half the new album,” said Berry. “With four albums in five years, there’s a lot of material to choose from.”

Video link for Jefferson Berry & the UAC — https://youtu.be/ccLDKtpF8ys.

The show at 118 North on March 2 will start at 7 p.m. The opening act will be Stackabones.

Tickets are $10.

Other upcoming shows at 18 North are Nirvani on February 27, Town Mountain on February 28, Solar Federation on March 1.

Rachael Yamagata is a veteran singer/songwriter who has been a professional musician since 1995 starting with the Chicago band Bumpus.

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.

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).

“I’m thrilled to be on some dates with Matt Nathanson,” said Yamagata yesterday from a tour stop at Mayo Performing Arts in Morrisville, New Jersey.

“I met him last year singing some backups on his new record. We’ve circled the same crew of people for 20 years and only just met. He felt like a brother from the get go.”

Nathanson is a singer-songwriter whose work is a blend of folk and rock and roll music. In addition to singing, he plays acoustic (sometimes 12-string) and electric guitar and has played both solo and with a full band.

His work includes the platinum-selling song, “Come On Get Higher”. One of his hit songs, “Giants,” was the opening music for the 2016 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas on ESPN

Over his almost 30-year career, Nathanson has evolved into one of the most applauded songwriters and engaging performers on the music scene today.

His sixth studio album, “Some Mad Hope,” yielded his breakthrough multi-platinum hit, “Come on Get Higher.” He followed up with “Modern Love,” a critically acclaimed album that garnered Nathanson two RIAA Gold Certified singles, “Faster” and “Run.”

Nathanson is touring in support of his recently released album, “King Of (Un)Simple.”

Unfortunately for Yamagata’s fans, there is no new album. Her most recent album is “Porch Songs,” which was released in October 2018.

Yamagata is a talented singer/songwriter but not the most prolific artist when it comes to releasing albums of her music

Yamagata, who hails from Fairfax, Virginia, released her first album “Happenstance” in 2004. She followed with “Elephants…Teeth Sinking into Heart” in 2008 and “Chesapeake” in 2011.

When Yamagata performed on September 23, 2016 at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, it was the official release date of her most recent album “Tightrope Walker” – and her birthday.

“After this tour with Matt, I’m hunkering down for all things record release,” said Yamagata. “I’ve had numerous left turns on this one – TMJ, hearing issues, rerouted schedules of key people working on the songs – 2020 even.”

Yamagata has stayed busy as a touring musician – 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.

“We made the rounds of the U.S. and finished up three weeks in China,” said Yamagata. “I had an amazing run of festival shows these past two weeks in China and South Korea.

Yamagata, a prefecture on Japan’s Honshu Island, is known for mountains, hot springs and temples. Snow-covered conifers famously resembling “snow monsters” mark its Mt. Zao ski resort area, which is also the site of hot springs and hiking trails around color-shifting Okama Crater Lake.

The capital, also called Yamagata, is home to the hillside Yamadera Buddhist complex, centered on ninth-century Risshaku-ji Temple.

The Land of the Rising Sun also has a link to Rachael Yamagata.

Yamagata was born to a Japanese American father and an Italian German mother.

“Touring all the while, it’s been a bit much of a stop-and-go process,” said Yamagata. “But it gave me some time to do some needed revisions on a few of the tracks.

“I’m 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.

“The 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.

“At long last we enter mastering phase and that is the real time update for what has been a true journey and test of resilience.”

Yamagata’s fans who love her heartfelt, emotional songs will not be disappointed with her upcoming album.

“Thematically, it’s a heart restart record — permission to grieve,” said Yamagata. “Sometimes it’s a lyrical reflection on what may lie beyond us on this planet and major doses of reverence for the human spirit.

“On this duo run, Michael Chaves joins me on electric guitar and acoustic guitar, and I float back between acoustic and keys. It’s half new songs and half old songs all configured for our formation.”

Video link for Rachel Yamagata – https://youtu.be/L15GMITfyBE.

The show at the Keswick Theatre on February 27 will start at 7 p.m.

Ticket prices start at $34.

Other upcoming shows at the Keswick Theatre are Howard Jones and ABC on February 28 and March 2 and John Cusack on March 1.

Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com)  will present AC Steel and the Perpetrators on February 27, Steve Shanahan Band on February 28, and john Flynn on March 1.

Every Sunday, Jamey’s presents “SUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM” featuring the highly acclaimed blues group the Philly Blues Kings.

Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com) will host Joe Louis Walker on February 28, Cris Jacobson March 1 and the Outlaws on March 4.

Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808, www.st94.com) 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.

Colonial Theater (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, thecolonialtheatre.com/events) will present Marc Broussard on March 2.