| To describe the music of David Berkeley, imagine a road trip in Nick Drake’s old car, give Ryan Adams a seat, Grant Lee Phillips is there, maybe Beck has the wheel and Joni Mitchell is giving directions. The music they’d listen to would be pretty close to the music of this young, charismatic singer from Georgia. His voice is warm like a tumbler of bourbon. He believes in the lyrics he writes, and he sings them from the marrow of his bones.
Born 26 years ago in the Garden State, David Berkeley’s earliest memory is of singing in public. He was three. His babysitter would walk him around the neighborhood (while selling Avon products), and for no apparent reason, he would sing songs to neighbors. They would return with Oreos and Fig Newtons. The result (aside from a few rotten teeth) was that he discovered the power music has to move people and the power his voice had to get him free food. About 20 years later and still singing, Berkeley graduated from Harvard University where he studied literature and philosophy. After about 4 years based in Brooklyn; a stint in Santa Fe, NM; and some time in Idaho and Santa Cruz, CA; Berkeley now lives in Atlanta.
Berkeley showcased this past spring at South by Southwest, finished up a national tour and is playing up and down the East Coast (venues like the Bowery Ballroom, the Iron Horse, Joe’s Pub, Fez, the Pearl Street Ballroom, Passim, The Tin Angel, Makor, the Knitting Factory). He has just finished recording his second record, “After the Wrecking Ships” with his producer Alex Weinstein in New Paltz, New York. His first record, "The Confluence,” is in its second pressing. The title of Berkeley’s first record refers to the merging of the Snake and Salmon Rivers in northwestern Idaho, where Berkeley worked as a
whitewater rafting guide. Most of the songs from this collection were composed along the banks of the Salmon.
Rollingstone.com calls Berkeley “a double fantasy of Nick Drake
and Donovan.” Americana-UK gives Berkeley’s debut album 4 stars, dubbing it a “fantastic record…which I suspect will be remembered for some time to come; it is reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel doing something pretty serious with Natalie Merchant and makes the likes of poor old David Gray seem laughable.” The new record has a bigger sound, reflecting Berkeley’s time in New York playing with a full band (w/ Alex Weinstein on electric guitar, Tyler Gibbons on bass, Dan Vonnegut and Greg Beyer on drums and Adam Buchwald on mandolin). The music is still introspective and thoughtful, but there is new edge and heightened emotion in Berkeley’s sophomore effort. “After the Wrecking Ships” is an exciting and passionate piece of art.
Radio stations across the country (including KCRW in Los Angeles, WFUV in NYC, WICN in central New England, WCFR out of Amherst, KPFA in the Bay Area…) and around the world are beginning to spin tracks from this collection. Berkeley has performed at the United States Supreme Court (he was not on trial). He has shared bills with Rhett Miller, Marshall Crenshaw, Ed Harcourt, Joseph Arthur, John Doe, Hem, Mia Doi Todd, Gary Jules, Willy Porter, the Brothers Creeggan of Bare Naked Ladies, Pete Francis of Dispatch, Marah, Mofro, Mason Jennings, Amy Correia, Shawn Mullins….
The future is bright for David Berkeley. You'd be wise to jump aboard. For booking and inquiries, contact Alan Wolmark at CEC Management: cecus@aol.com, or email David at david@davidberkeley.com.
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