TALENT IS WHERE YOU FIND IT

In our town, it's everywhere.

I always laugh when I see a list, “THE HUNDRED GREATEST ROCK GUITARISTS.” In our small Colorado city, there are world class guitarists who can shred with the best of them. Some are friends of mine I met at the dog park. Some are from the bottomless well of local talent which spews forth a new band every month.

I write about music so I can get free records. It’s a wonderful habit and pasttime. It would be impossible to keep up with new music if musicians didn’t want reviews and didn’t make CDs. I love power pop. You can find my reviews on Substack under Remember the Lightning, Steve Lauden’s column.

I have known Stephan Hoff since joining Karate West twenty years ago. Stephan is a veteran. Army 82nd Airborne. 82-86. Vicenza, Italy 2 years / Ft Bragg 2 years. He installs tile for a living. He is a master craftsman. He also has a band with his wife Joellen. He is a world class musician who plays keyboards and the drums, and probably everything else except horns. Joellen has an exceptional class voice. She could sing opera if she liked, but thank God she doesn’t, because the songs they co-create bring a lot more joy to our lives. They have a studio in their basement and recently built a tiny cabaret on the back lot of their property called The Nest, because they have two parrots. Couple years ago I was riding my bike north along Boyd Lake when all of a sudden I heard, “Mike!” I stopped. It was Stephan, taking his parrot Birdie for a ride in a backpack designed to hold birds with a mesh screen.

When I heard Stephan had a band I asked what kind of music. He gave me a CD. Sophisticated urban soul. You can call it whatever you want, but it’s loaded with bridges and hooks with superb backing. GiandJo.com Go look. I’m going to post a song below, but their catalog is deep and they are working on their next album.

Saturday nights in the summer they invite their friends over to listen to their live performances. It’s only Joellen and Stephan. Most of the instrumentals Stephan prerecorded, but that doesn’t detract from their performances. He plays keyboards and drums and sings. Joellen sings, sometimes rhythm guitar. Their voices intertwine perfectly and it’s obvious to everyone there how much they love one another.

I would like to see them get a record deal, but the only labels I know are power pop. People listen, express their amazement, and say it doesn’t fit. Fifty years ago their music would be dead center bullseye, recalling as it does the work of Burt Bacharach, Neil Diamond and the Carpenters.

Yesterday was 103 degrees. The nest is air-conditioned and cooled. The heat kept a lot of people away but there was a decent crowd, mostly Stephan and Joellen’s friends and neighbors. They sing some standards. Peggy Lee’s “Fever.” Prince’s “Purple Rain.” I called out “FREE BIRD” and was ignored. AS I ALWAYS AM.

They’re not seeking a record deal. They’re too busy. They do it for the love of the music. I’d love to see them get wider distribution but they don’t need the money. They are preparing a new album, featuring their latest composition, “In the Middle.” Give it a listen and you’ll understand.

https://www.giandjo.com/