A Golden Opportunity: Jordan Youtz to craft album in OU's recording studio

You'd be hard pressed to find a musician in Athens more bursting with sunshine and joy than 20-year-old, acoustic guitar-wielding singer-songwriter Jordan Youtz. He can typically be seen performing at open mics around town at places like Donkey Coffee and Espresso, and has been prepping to record a 10-track album in the School of Media Arts and Studies' state-of-the-art recording studio during the upcoming spring quarter.

I recently sat down with Youtz at his house on W. Washington Street, in his living room that among mismatched college-kid furniture also houses a drum kit and a few acoustic guitars, to talk about the project. After musing over inspiration, the collaborative process, and the apparently incredible John Mayer concert Youtz attended the night before, the interview devolved into an hour-long jam session--which you can hear the best bits of at the end of this post--where Youtz and I fooled around with some of the material he plans to record. There were guitars and a drum kit sitting around; we couldn't help ourselves.

Youtz is recording the album as senior Trevor Sherman's final project before graduation, which Youtz tells me is something of the equivalent to a thesis paper for a music production major, but sounds a hell of a lot more fun.

"He came to me and said he had to record an acoustic artist, 10 tracks," Youtz said. "I was amazed, I felt so privileged. I've been in the studio once and I was really intimidated, because it's so awesome."

And indeed; completed in 2004, the School of Telecommunication's recording studio is 1,755 square feet and features two control rooms, one equipped for both analog and digital multi-track audio recording, the other fully digital and featuring Pro Tools software, for work with sound and video. It was designed by John Storyk, founder of Walters-Storyk Design Group, a firm responsible for many state-of-the-art recording studios around the world--not the least famous of which being Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios in New York City.

"I don't think I'm ever going to have this opportunity again," Youtz said. The recording time, for which Youtz says he's had to clear his Thursday and Sunday nights from 10 P.M. until 6 A.M., will be completely free of charge.

"I'm not pursuing music as a career, but this is right at my fingertips," Youtz said. "I'm just going to go balls-to-the-wall with it."

Youtz is recording the album with his friend and fellow musician Joey Fuller, who Youtz says he met after playing an open mic at Donkey last year. The pair have been playing together since, with Fuller primarily supplying lead guitar to Youtz's radiant pop tunes.

"He's a shredder, just completely rips it up," Youtz said. "The album wouldn't be as cool as it's going to be without him."

"I wish he were here for this interview," Youtz said, reaching for his guitar from the corner, and beginning to play one of his original songs. I, not one to miss the opportunity to mess around with a drum set, climbed from the couch to behind the kit. With my computer still recording from the interview, we captured a rough, extended preview of some of the material that Youtz plans to record for his album. Check out the track below, and try not to be uplifted by Youtz's intricate, rhythmic guitar and sun-soaked melodies (and try to ignore my rather rudimentary understanding of playing drums):




-WD

Live @ Donkey, 2/4/10

8:04 PM:

I'm early. I've never arrived before 10 PM, and I usually come with an acoustic guitar in my hands, and occasionally a maraca in my coat pocket.

I'm currently sitting in one of the armchairs in the back room of Donkey Coffee and Espresso, located on W. Washington Street here in Athens, waiting for the establishment's Open Stage to begin. I was led to believe it started at 8 PM, but as I'm looking at the small, plastic-encased sign on the end table next to me, it doesn't get rolling until 9. I could have stayed at my buddy's house for another beer after all.

Donkey, in addition to their fine coffee, plays host to myriad arts and entertainment, including stage shows most every Friday and Saturday night. On Thursdays, though, the stage is open to anyone confident enough to show off their performance prowess, usually though the medium of acoustic guitar. You usually have to sign up at least a few days in advance if you're looking to play. In the past, I've been here to perform myself, usually with a buddy or two. Tonight I'm here with my laptop to live-blog the proceedings. I've now got about 30 minutes before the initial act... maybe these two fellows who just walked by with guitar cases. Time for a refill and a cigarette.

9:00 PM:

No one on stage yet. I've had two cups of coffee and I'm wired. There are two girls on the couch next to me, one of them describing to the other in great detail why her boyfriend sucks. Someone better step up to the microphone soon.

9:08 PM:

Two guys with an acoustic guitar each are setting up, indeed the two I saw walk in earlier. They introduce themselves as Chris and Shane, and they're going to play some covers for the crowd, they say.

And indeed, the first song is "The Boxer," originally by Simon and Garfunkel. They're harmonizing nicely. Next is a "Bob Dylan favorite," as they announce, and it's "Mr. Tamborine Man." The girls who were previously discussing shitty boyfriends are now singing along. The pair on stage are doing these tunes justice, adding harmonica to the Dylan tune. And now The Rolling Stones' "Angie." Enjoyable.

9:33 PM:

Now we've got another troupe setting up, two females, one with a guitar, one on vocal duties, and a guy wearing a beanie with some sort of large percussion instrument nestled between his legs. I've seen this drum-looking thing before, but it's official name escapes me. It looks like a single, large bongo.

They begin playing without announcing themselves. The room is starting to get quite crowded, and suddenly I'm thankful for scoring this comfortable armchair early. The group's first song may or may not be an original composition, as they didn't say, but I do not recognize it. Next is a version of "Hallelujah," originally by Leonard Cohen, and made more famous by the late Jeff Buckley. The gentleman previously on percussion duties is now playing guitar and singing, trading verses and harmonies. They falter on the tempo in a few instances, and seem to have cut out a verse or two... but nice enough.

Then they break into the recent Kings of Leon radio-smash "Use Somebody." Interesting to hear it played acoustically, sung by a female, and accompanied by this bongo-thing. Midway through, they abruptly transition to Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind," and then back to "Use Somebody." I'm taken aback, and then even more so when the next tune turns out to be Lady GaGa's "Bad Romance." Seriously. It's a few different kinds of awesome, and I'm as confounded as I am enthralled.

9:53 PM:

I see a guy on the other side of the room whom I've seen play here before. He's got long hair tied into a ponytail and scraggly beard. The performance I know him by consisted of yelping into the microphone, as loud as possible, while banging on his guitar like he was tenderizing a piece of meat. I hope he's signed up to play later.

9:57 PM:

Another couple of guys step up to the stage, one of them taking up the stand-up piano that's perpetually on the side of the stage. I don't think I've ever seen anyone use the thing before. The other's got an acoustic guitar. They say they're going to do two covers and two originals.

They're starting with a Matchbox 20 song. I don't know which one, because they all sound the same. Sorry, but Rob Thomas isn't really my bag. I just know this particular tune was rather inescapable sometime during my high school years. At least the guy on piano is doing a rather respectable job. Next is what I'm assuming is one of the originals they alluded to, and it's in a similar vein.

Shit. Another Matchbox 20 song. I'm having another cigarette.

10:16 PM:

A gentleman and lady are taking the stage, the gentleman sitting with a set of bongos in his lap, and the lady with an acoustic guitar. Lady announces herself as Emily, as in Emily Dale, she says. I've not heard of her, but that MySpace looks impressive, doesn't it? Her partner is called Tony.

They start with a midtempo number with no introduction. Then Emily moves to the piano, announcing this one as new song she wrote within the past few weeks. Great voice. She's interacting with the crowd more than anyone else has done, as well, instructing us to clap along with this new song. Everyone is joining in, as will I when I'm finished typing this paragraph.

As an aside, I find it funny that I've attended / taken part in Donkey Open Stage nights on numerous occasions, and having never seen a person use that piano before, two have done such tonight.

She finishes with another original called "Old Fashioned Kind of Love," which she says she's currently in the process of recording. More clap-along fun.

10:43 PM:

The last act of the night hasn't started yet (Open Stage ends at 11 PM), but a buddy of mine is calling me for a favor. Don't consider this a cop-out, I'm just a good friend. My apologies to the girl with the guitar who's setting up at the moment.

-WD