Jesse Daniel has finally released his LP Son of the San Lorenzo, an album that pays a beautiful tribute to his mountain hometown of Ben Lomond and to the stories had there, including his own. He's incredibly proud of the album that brought him to many emotional places.
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I asked Jesse Daniel all about his incredible album, where he regaled me in the interesting process behind the writing and production of the 11 songs.
While reading, why not throw the album on now? I'd also save it, if I were you.
"When I set out to write this album, it started very organically as a themed body of work to pay tribute to the small coastal mountain town where I grew up - Ben Lomond, CA in the San Lorenzo Valley," he explained to me.
Daniel has performed the titular track "Son of the San Lorenzo" to his live audiences for a while. It's such a popular track, that the title became his nickname, something he's worn like a badge of honor.
"As I began writing seriously for this album, I realized these songs were taking a very deep and vulnerable direction... Each song I wrote felt more like a piece of my own body than a song, like a living, breathing part of my story here on earth up until this point," he explained. And this really comes across.
Listening to Son of the San Lorenzo feels like you're walking side by side with Jesse Daniel as he goes over his life with you. Each song has significance in his journey. Although, "these songs are not all introspective and serious."
"Some are more of a simple recounting of events from my life, others lives I've known and local history from the area."
Jesse Daniel Explains The Music Significance Of Ben Lomond
Jesse Daniel calls representing his hometown his "cross to bear."
"t's such a small town, it makes me very proud to try and put them back on the map as far as country music goes in present day," he explained.
"Back in the 60s, 70s and 80's we had artists like Larry Hosford, Lacy J Dalton and The Doobie Brothers living in the same area I grew up in," he continued. "But as time went on a lot of people seemed to forget the musical impact that place had on the world. It fostered so much art and music we know and love today."
Impressively, the album not only has a classic sound, but was produced classically, too. "We cut these songs live to tape, just like they did back in the 70s," he revealed. "The studio we recorded at is all analog, so the gear was incredible and the environment was very inspiring."
Although "it was challenging to make a record this way" as there is "much less margin for error," they pulled it off beautifully.
Son of the San Lorenzo is a vacation to Daniel's hometown, where you get to see all the sites of the small yet mighty mountain town. No matter how fun, dangerous, heartwarming, or heartbreaking.
The album is out now.
