Hudson Valley Singer-Songwriter Gets Second Chance at Pleasantville Music Fest
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It’s no wonder that many of Greg Jacquin’s folk rock songs are about life in Westchester and its people. The Hudson Valley native recorded several albums in the 1990s, took a hiatus and returned to release his 2018 work “Hudson River” to rave reviews.
A year later his next album, “Clocks Slow Down,” offers a wide range of musical muses of heartache, humor and a touch of political commentary. Jacquin has delighted audiences with a voice that is both soft and melodic as well as tough and gritty.
“I’m playing songs off my two albums, Hudson River and Clocks Slow Down,” Jacquin said of his upcoming set this Saturday at the Pleasantville Music Festival’s Chill Tent where he will be accompanied by guitarist Rich Berta and pianist Christine Chanel.
Songs on his playlist will include “The Station,” “Highways & Hotels,” “Yesterdaze” and “Floating.”
Before the pandemic Jacquin said he had been organizing singer-songwriter showcases around the country and embarking on a couple of tours. There were few options available when COVID-19 shut down live performances.
“When everything stopped the only thing available for most of us was livestreams,” Jacquin said. “That was okay and it was good to connect with other musicians, but it got old very quickly. Musicians thrive on the contact with the crowd.”
During the pandemic Jacquin said he started writing a few new songs.
“It’s been difficult and the songs aren’t finished. I will definitely be getting back to writing,” he said.
Last year, Jacquin, who lives in Tarrytown, opened the record store Marquee Records, located on the second floor of the Tarrytown Music Hall. Jacquin had performed on its stage several times as well as having been a volunteer there for years. He always wanted to open a record store and the opportunity came when the theater closed at the pandemic’s outset.
Jacquin’s idea was to sell donated and new vintage vinyl records to help keep the theater running. It was an instant success. In two days, sales reached $8,000 and the store became a permanent fixture at the theater.
“We raised a ton of money for the theater,” Jacquin recalled.
The store sells records from the 1920s through the 1990s. Some recordings are by performers who are still touring.
Because of his commitment to the music hall, Jacquin was made front-of-house manager when the venue reopened.
“Being house manager and managing the record store is a lot of fun and very rewarding,” Jacquin said. “I’m in the right place.”
Jacquin said he has been both a spectator and a volunteer at the Pleasantville Music Festival in the festival’s early days.
“I applied to perform and I was in line to play first in 2020 but COVID shut all that down,” he said. “I was happy when (festival Executive Director) Bruce (Figler) circled back after COVID and asked me to perform this year. I have missed performing and am very excited.”
Abby is a local journalist who has reported on breaking news for more than 20 years. She currently covers community issues in The Examiner as a full-time reporter and has written for the paper since its inception in 2007. Read more from Abby’s editor-author bio here. Read Abbys’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/ab-lub2019/
