by Alan K. StoutMusic Columnist
Sitting down with George Wesley and talking about his life of music is not a bad way to spend some time. It’s engaging, enlightening and enjoyable, and as the local music icon reflects on his 35 years of performing and 25 years of recording, the stories flow easily. He recalls his early bands, early records, both the highs and lows of his career, and his growth and journey as a musician.
On Friday at the River Street Jazz Caf�, Wesley will host a “Super Jam” to help celebrate his 35 years of recording and 25 years of making records. And it should be a special night for the Factoryville native, who comes from a long line of family musicians and whose first group, The Dead Branch Band, debuted in 1974.
“It was actually one of the first Grateful Dead tributes,” recalls Wesley with a smile. “There really wasn’t any such thing at that time, but we were about as close as you can get.
Wesley says that right around the same time, he began to fully discover the sounds of Bob Marley and reggae music. It would change his life forever.
“It was positive rhythms, and he was speaking a Jah,” he says, adding that he found the spiritual aspects of the music equally appealing. “I loved the music, and I wanted to play it. And everybody around me was like ‘You’re a white guy from Pennsylvania. You can’t play reggae.’ And it was actually Jerry Garcia — I went to see [Garcia’s band] Legion of Mary a few times — and he was playing Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley songs, and I said ‘Wait a minute. If these guys can do it …’
“That validated what I wanted to do.”
Soon, Wesley was incorporating rock, reggae, pop and jam music into his own sound. He gigged with a band called the Small Axe Band, and later, with a project called Second Wind. He says that, for him, good musical vibes have always stemmed from the instrument he holds in his hands and his ability to bring his own touch to any song.
“Most of all, I just love to play the guitar,” he says. “And I love all kinds of music. Even with the Grateful Dead, they covered other people’s songs their way, and my father taught me that. My father would play ‘Johnny Be Good,’ and he’d do his own riffs. He wouldn’t play the Chuck Berry riff. He’d say ‘No, that’s Chuck’s riff. I’d be copying it. I want to interpret it.’ I took that as one of my earliest musical lessons.”
Wesley’s first recording was in 1984. Working with his musical partner, Don Rogers, the two recorded a 45 rpm single, “Coming Back For More,” with the B side “Got A Lot of Love.” In 1987, The Wesley Rogers Band recorded its first full-length album, “Strong” which was released on cassette. In 1990, Wesley, now fronting his own group of musicians, recorded “Forward,” his first album that was released on CD. It was funded through the sponsorship of Red Stripe, a popular Jamaican beer.
“I didn’t even have a CD player to listen to it,” recalls Wesley with a smile.
Wesley has clear memories of each album. He describes “Forward” as being “out of the gate” and the “foundation” of his musical catalog. And he finds some ironic humor that his group disbanded after the tour for 1992’s “Do What You Like” album. “The musicians went their own way,” he says. “Everybody got caught up in doing their own thing.” It was aptly named.
With 1995’s “Celebration of Creation,” Wesley says he learned what he truly inspired him as a musician and songwriter, and just as important, what did not. And he recalls working methodically on 2000’s “Timekeeper” CD, recording it again and again. “Sailing On The Seas of Fate,” his first album after the death of his daughter, Jennifer, helped provide some healing
“That was probably my most therapeutic session,” he says. “I was just happy to have music to hang on to. That is one of the most sacred albums to me, because my son James and I worked on it at a time when we needed to be together. When I recorded it, it was heavy. But that album is one of my favorites.”
With “When I’m Next To You I Feel Lucky” and 2008’s “Hold On,” Wesley began to incorporate looping — which he uses when he performs live — into the recording process. This has given him great creative fulfillment, and with the latter CD, he feels that he’s finally found his ideal sound. Thinking back on the past 35 years, he appreciates the long ride.
“I’ve learned to be patient,” he says. “I’ve learned to accept the things that don’t happen as being blessings, as much as the things that do happen. For a long time, I’d been frustrated that ‘nobody gets it.’ But I guess it’s not really important, as long as I get it. One of the cool things about the Internet is archive.org. They put shows up, and I have shows up from 1989 to present, and I’ll go on there and check, and there’ll be 17,000 downloads. There are people taking time to listen to my stuff, and care about it.
“I’m fortunate that I can make a living as a musician,” he adds. “I’m serious about my message, and my message is the oldest message in time: Love each other, love what you do, help each other, and be thankful for everything. That’s the beauty of music.”
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George Wesley’s Super Jam Anniversary Show, featuring many past and former members of Wesley’s bands, River Street Jazz Caf� (667 N. River St., Plains), Friday, May 15, 10 p.m. Cover: $10. Info: www.georgewesley.com, 570.822.2992
Guest musicians: James Wesley (his son) on drums; Chris Condel,drums and vocals; Peter Fritz,bass; Annette Miraglia, percussion and vocals; Angelo Miraglia, keyboards; Freeman White, keyboards and vocals; John Shemo, guitar, harmonica and vocals; Carl I and Myke Halchak, percussion. There will also be special appearances by Don Rogers (Wesley Rogers Band 1984-88) on guitar; Frank Stepanek (Grammy Award winning reggae group, Black Uhuru) on guitar and vocals and Mark James (Breaking Benjamin) on bass.
