Jessie Smith

Five Years, a Radio Show, and Looking Forward

Healing, TS10

Grateful. I think that’s the place to start. When I stop to take a breath, when I take a moment to ponder this path, I feel grateful. I feel other things too. I feel deeply loved. I feel fortunate. I feel purposeful. However, my predominant response is gratefulness. This Tomme Suab thing started a little over five years ago as a simple blog in which I hoped to shine some light on some of the incredible musicians with roots here in western Wisconsin. Over these five years, it’s grown into something more, something deeper.

Tomme Suab’s central focus is to help whoever engages with it to experience a deeper level of peace. You can read more about that focus here. I won’t get into all the details of how we got there from that original vision, but the process has been sweet. I started out sharing about locally-rooted artists, but eventually I was privileged to spread the word about artists from all over, connecting with folks from all over the States, as well as a few from other spots around the world. It’s crazy. I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with Converge Radio here in Eau Claire as a member of its Community Advisory Board. I’ve had the opportunity to book shows on behalf of Converge and even presented the first ever Tomme Suab Presents show a few weeks back (thank you, Jessie Smith!). And then there were those weekly TS10 playlists.

I’ve loved making mixtapes ever since I was a teenager. I still remember trying to record my favorite songs off the radio with my cassette recorder (look it up, kids). When I eventually got a dual cassette deck stereo system, I would record songs off my tapes and records (I had some sweet vinyl back in those days… you know, before all the cool kids were into that) and mix them the way I wanted. That evolved eventually into iTunes and Spotify playlists. And then finally, I began putting together weekly playlists for Tomme Suab which I shared every Monday. These playlists were called the TS10… may they rest in peace. The TS10 weekly ritual came to an end just a couple of months back.

In July, I hosted my first ever Tomme Suab Radio Hour on Converge Radio. That show began as a platform from which to launch the TS10 each week. However, before long, it only made sense to let the TS10 end and focus my playlist passions on the radio show. The Tomme Suab Radio Hour has been running strong every Wednesday at 5pm Central (with a replay on Saturday afternoons as well) on 99.9 on your western Wisconsin radio dial and streaming at Converge’s website. Doing this has been a great source of joy.

Since I’ve been so focused on the show, I have, unfortunately, neglected virtually the rest of the Tomme Suab effort. So, not much new has emerged here on the blog of late. However, that will not continue. The Radio Hour is a vital part of TS’s overall mission, but it’s not going to be all there is. The show is only a step in the ongoing evolution of Tomme Suab. There will be more writing focused on artists, provocative music, social issues, faith, and any number of other subjects which fall in line with the idea of experiencing deeper peace. Rumor has it there may even be a podcast coming up, as well as a Tomme Suab YouTube channel with some original content. Maybe you’ve noticed that the site has a new, fresher feel to it visually as well.

I’m so grateful for these past five years and the ridiculously cool experiences it’s afforded me (I was able to actually contribute to the 2018 version of Eaux Claires… more on that later). But this thing is just beginning and I’m excited to see where this path leads. I’d love for you to walk that path with me!

-Ed

Getting Swampy With Jessie Smith

Album Releases, Artist Focus

A couple of years ago, I came across an EP on NoiseTrade from an artist named Jessie Smith. Having been raised on sweet tea and hot, steamy summer days, the southern vibes of Smith’s sound were immediately appealing. I especially connected with the rawness and grit of her single, Secrets in the Hollow. I felt so engaged by the song that I included it on one of Tomme Suab’s weekly TS10  playlists.

Normally, when I share an artist’s music on the TS10, I start following them on social media. For what it’s worth, Smith is a “fun follow” on Twitter; funny, self-deprecating, and honest. Last summer, she tweeted about performing in Wisconsin. I replied back to her, telling her she really ought to get up to Eau Claire next time she’s in this neck of the woods. Thankfully, she’s planning to come up this way in August as she tours the upper midwest promoting her newly released album, Like the Sun.

Like the Sun is more of what drew me to Secrets in the Hollow (which is included on the record). As I mentioned above, having grown up in Dixie, I love the southern soul I hear throughout. That sound is what Smith would call “swampy.” I’ve been curious about that label and recently asked Smith about that as well as other aspects of her music and new release.

EH: Where does the “swampy” vibe come from? What drives that sound for you?

JS: I grew up in the hot, marsh-y, traditional south. Music in that neck of the woods was bendy, dirty, soulful, and used acoustic instruments. It was all about coming together and playing together. Though my immediate family was not musical, all the influences outside of them were there. In college, I tried on many different “styles” of music, but this swampy, messy, soulful thing was always what clicked with me the most. It also fit with my personality. I love the messy, darker life stuff, and I write from that place a good bit. And swampy-sounding music allows me to be the messy-deep chick I am on the inside. 

Image from Jessie Smith’s website

EH: What are your lyrics based on? What inspires them?

JS: I don’t write songs one particular way. The one thread that stays the same, though, is vulnerability. I figured if I’m going to write something, it better at least be real. I am always trying to understand the meaning of things. “Sitting Pretty” is my attempt to understand the culture of money and the pressures around it. My song, “Here With You” is about marriage and what I am trying to understand about love. I also have written songs about my struggles with depression, and “In The Morning” and “Lighting Up The World” shows this. I basically lay myself bare for my songs.

EH: What song on the record is the most meaningful to you?

JS: SUCH a hard one to answer! It’s a tie between two. “Been In The Storm” because it was one of the first songs I had written in my beloved “swampy” style, and it really solidified the theme of my music career. And “Take A Chance On Me” because that one was the first song I wrote that kind of wrote itself, and I still get chills singing it.

EH: How has the album been received thus far?

JS: It is doing well! I had some great album reviews on No Depression and a few other music blogs, and that was a great surprise. My favorite thing has been hearing from people who appreciate my rawness – it’s scary putting yourself out there on a stage, but there’s just no other way to do it, in my opinion, and to see it being well received makes me have hope in the world again, ha.

EH: Do you have any specifics yet on your potential visit to Eau Claire?

JS: I am currently looking to book shows in Eau Claire and surrounding areas for the first week of August. I am already booked to play for Band On The Sand on Crater Island in Brownsville, MN, August 4th and 5th.

You can catch some of her swampy vibe by checking out Like the Sun for yourself. You can stream or buy it by clicking the appropriate links on Smith’s homepage. And, if you’re in Wisconsin or Minnesota, plan to see Smith play live at the event in Brownsville (close to LaCrosse) or in Eau Claire.