Tom Britt, Craig Krampf and Jonell Mosser perform at Greener Groundz in Bowling Green. Photo by Pennman 12/10/10.

Jonell Mosser returned to Greener Groundz for a nice two-hour set of her brand of bluesy, jazzy, soulful, and intense vocal magic. Accompanied by Tom Britt on guitar and Craig Krampf on chair (stay with me), her voice was highlighted throughout the show (as it should be). So what’s up with the chair? Greener Groundz is a small room, so when people play here (even people with full bands) they usually only bring one or two others to accompany them. And I’ve never seen a set of drums in the place, because they are going for intimacy (and volume control). So to keep the beat Mr. Krampf was playing a vintage, wooden folding chair, sometimes with brushes, sometimes with sticks. And he played them with considerable zest, so there was no problem hearing it.

Another nice thing about a small room is that it fills up fast, and tonight was no exception. So you get that energy of a packed house combined with the intimacy of a small club. It was a perfect setting for a marvelous singer.

This was my first time seeing Mosser live, and although this was a small room I got the feeling that even in a bigger place she would make you feel right at home. She is an artist who clearly loves what she does, and that energy jumps right off the stage. She talks to individuals between songs, she is expressive in voice and gesture, can hit the lows and highs, and mixes several styles effortlessly, segueing from one to the other with ease. It almost feels like you’re in her living room. Great vocals, great songs, and a few background stories in between made for a very good night.

Mosser is a true singer. Although she has written some songs, I don’t believe she is known as a singer/songwriter. So she picks some excellent cover tunes and makes them her own; so much so that they don’t sound like cover songs. She performed John Hiatt’s “Real Fine Love”, but no resemblance to Hiatt there. How about Bob Dylan’s “Trust Yourself”? I can assure you Mosser sounds nothing like Bob Dylan, because if she did we wouldn’t be writing this (sorry Bob). Other highlights were an upbeat “Silver Bells” (just to get us all in the Christmas spirit), the jazz lounge-feeling “Ordinary Splendor of You” (which I believe Mosser did write), and the classic rock beat-laden “Bo Diddley”. There’s all the variety of styles I was talking about. She keeps things interesting.

Mr. Britt provided just the right amount of accompaniment on guitar. Playing various styles with varying tones (as the songs called for), he stood out so that you could really take notice and get into the playing, without taking anything away from Mosser. A few times Mosser yielded the floor to Britt and just enjoyed the groove. It’s obvious they are comfortable with each other. And Mr. Krampf was solid providing the beat, and at times had quite a presence himself. The bottom line is that they work very well together.

Ms. Mosser comes to Bowling Green several times a year as she is based in Nashville. I’d especially look for her at Greener Groundz, because they love her there. You can also catch her with Kentucky Thunder, a band featuring four female singers. They were scheduled to play at the Jambodians event on Dec 26th, so you’ll probably be able to read about that in a future issue. For more info on Jonell Mosser’s music, tour dates, and merchandise please check out www.jonnellmosser.com.

 Jonell Mosser performed at Greener Groundz, Bowling Green, KY 12/10/2010

About the author: Pennman bought his first 45 at age nine and has been hooked on rock ever since. He has spent much of his disposable income on music, especially live performances. He writes reviews of the shows he sees and keeps a keen lookout for upcoming shows in or near Bowling Green. He has a BA in Communications, specializing in journalism, and has dabbled in music himself, both as a player and instructor. Find more of Pennman’s work at www.associatedcontent.com/user/165511/pennman.html or visit him at www.myspace.com/pennman_bg or www.facebook.com/pennman