Jabe

Jabe Beyer's childhood unfolded amid the landscapes of western New York, where journeys along back roads with his parents—who regularly attended craft shows—exposed him to the strains of American roots music that would later inform his own compositions. He settled in Boston during 2000 and laid down his first album, Twenty Point Turn, inside a cramped apartment. The recording introduced a gravelly-voiced troubadour whose approach fused bluegrass, country, and cowpunk. It received several local honors, notably the Outstanding Debut Album Award at the 2000 Boston Music Awards. Jabe promoted the record through self-financed tours spanning New England, the East Coast, and additional regions of the United States, steadily expanding his audience. In 2001 he and his band issued Outback Country Vampire, which extended the sonic territory of the debut by drawing on traditional folk forms, murder ballads, and the darker textures associated with 16 Horsepower to create a propulsive strain of folk-core. Further touring followed, along with a relocation from Boston to New Hampshire. Woodeye Records brought out Drama City, his third album, in March 2003. The wide-ranging release paired a disc of studio material recorded with bassist Jay Aucella, drummer Dave Westner, and mandolin player Sean Staples alongside a second, video-enhanced disc containing three live performances and previously unreleased mp3s.