Singer/songwriter Jill Jack will close Darke County Center for the Arts 2017-2018 Coffeehouse Series season on Thursday, May 4 with a concert at Arcanum Historical Society’s Wayne Trail House; the show starts at 7 p.m. If your first reaction to this news is “Never heard of her,” please keep reading, because this column is aimed at you.
DCCA’s Coffeehouse Series was established to offer patrons an opportunity to experience outstanding performances in an inviting social setting at an accessible cost; an additional purpose was to provide a venue within our community for artists who are exceedingly talented but would probably not attract an audience large enough to fill majestic Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall. Therefore, most Coffeehouse presentations feature people that most of us never heard of, a fact that has no direct connection to how good their show will be or your response to that show.
Coffeehouse shows offer much to attract audiences—a comfortable atmosphere, access to food and drink, intimate interaction with a performing artist as well as with friends and neighbors. And you can depend upon DCCA to only present high quality artists—like Jill Jack—whether you’ve ever heard of them or not. In this day of diverse segmented musical genres, most people have never heard of artists who have gained great fame within their own constituency; look at the complete list of Grammy Award winners, and see how many—or how few—names you recognize. So whether or not an artist is known to you or me or anybody else is irrelevant to the enjoyment you will derive from that artist’s performance.
Billboard magazine has said this about Jill Jack: “She’s got the stage presence, the voice, the ability to interpret songs passionately… there’s a lot of soul in what she does.” Her hometown paper, The Detroit Free Press, has declared “Her voice can soar like opera and smoke like the blues… one of the strongest voices in Detroit, or in the country for that matter.” Additionally, Jill Jack has won 38 Detroit Music Awards in every conceivable category that applies to a singer/songwriter, so apparently those who know her best appreciate the quality of her talents.
Jill Jack’s pretty, delicate voice can smoothly transform to become strikingly strong and clear, offering rare versatility and authenticity that sounds at home in all styles; she might remind you of Joan Baez on one song, Janis Joplin on the next, and Billie Holiday on the one after that. Jill is known for her magical ability to connect with her audience, as well as her skill in crafting melodies and lyrics which touch hearts and stir souls. Her songs range from folk to rock to soul to country, revealing the hopes, dreams, triumphs and failures she encounters and shares with her fans.
So now you’ve heard of Jill Jack; why not invest a little time and a few dollars to discover for yourself the talents of this artist who has not yet achieved national fame, but has gained many accolades. The inspiration and joy derived from the thrill of discovery will reward your investment many times over, and you will join those in the know, aware of another deserving artist doggedly pursuing a successful career despite lack of universal recognition and acclaim. Tickets to Jill Jack’s show are $10, and can be obtained by contacting DCCA at [email protected] or calling 937-547-0908. Tickets are also available online at www.CenterForArts.net and will be sold at the door if any remain by showtime.
