Local Talent Shines Bright

From bands like The Black Keys and Devo to singers Jessica Lea Mayfield and Chrissie Hynde, Akron area performers are hot and getting hotter.

By: Jay Minkin
Date: 10/26/2008
October has been a month to showcase the past, present, and future of the best and brightest musical talent to come from Northeastern Ohio. The Black Keys played a sold out show at E.J. Thomas and then opened the following week at the Akron Civic for legendary punk/new wavers Devo and their Duty Now For The Future show. Joseph Arthur is scheduled to stop home on Halloween night for a performance at the swanky Musica in downtown Akron.   

Two local women have also made a national splash with album releases. With Blasphemy, So Heartfelt is the new full-length album of personal songs from 19-year-old Kent native Jessica Lea Mayfield. As the story goes, the father of Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach listened to the album White Lies by Jessica and her brother David. Dan sent a note to Jessica about her vocals via her MySpace home page and a friendship was born. Dan and Jessica spent time working on songs and the fruits of this collaboration eventually were produced by Auerbach.

Jessica explained during a live taping at 91.3 The Summit, “At first it was uncomfortable to perform my heartfelt compositions in front of an audience. Now, I reach for uncomfortable...because these songs about my life make the experience more personal with the audience.” Songs like “I Can’t Lie To You, Love,” “We’ve Never Lied,” and “For Today” are just a sampling of Mayfield’s haunting, deep rich vocals with Auerbach’s guitar riffs layered within. 

The second—entitled Break Up The Concrete—is from The Pretenders, but by all means is the product of fifty-seven years young and Rock ‘n Roll Hall of famer Chrissie Hynde. When I had a chance to speak to Ms. Hynde briefly at her restaurant VegiTerranean, the entrepreneur was more inquisitive about how I enjoyed my meal than discussing her latest project.

It’s been over six years since the last Pretender’s album and this collection of songs was conceived after Ms. Hynde returned from living in London to a Highland Square flat in her hometown. Sample songs like “Boots in Chinese Plastic,” “Love’s A Mystery” and “The Nothing Maker” clearly show this singer/songwriter is back in business and ready to remind us of her extraordinary talent.  

Reach Jay at blues4bird@aol.com.

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