Christian Kiefer, Sacramento News & Review 9/16/04-
Few musicians in town could be called “professional.” I don’t mean professional in regard to actually making a living playing music (there are, needless to say, even fewer of these folks), but rather simply those musicians who perform and present themselves at a consistently professional level.
Richard March is one such performer. In fact, among singer-songwriters in this town, he has the most professional stage presence, hands down--so much so that local musicians of any genre would be well-served watching a Richard March show and studying how the man performs his songs. March’s approach has many facets, all of which were in fine form last week at the Fox & Goose. First, make lots of eye contact with everyone in the room (and I mean everyone). Second, look like you’re having a good time. Third (actually first, but you get the point), make sure you have a crackin’ band that understands your songs and music. Fourth, write songs that folks can sing along to even if they’ve never heard them before (this is also Jackie Greene’s strong point in a live setting) and then make sure you have regular fans in the crowd who will sing along, hence encouraging others to join in. Last, make sure you, the central performer, are really, really good at what you do.
March covers all of these facets, and he does them all very well. It is particularly noteworthy that his band includes longtime guitar wizard Steve Randall, formerly of the Amazing Sweethearts, a player who is clearly one of the best country-style guitarists in the area. I’d like to see Randall step into the spotlight more in March’s band, because his leads are remarkable--melodic and perfectly in keeping with the style of the music. But this criticism is a slight one, as the complete package of March and band is certainly working on many levels. In the end, it’s great to hear a country band that sounds like a country band (even if March is, as he says, “a guy from the suburbs”).
Few musicians in town could be called “professional.” I don’t mean professional in regard to actually making a living playing music (there are, needless to say, even fewer of these folks), but rather simply those musicians who perform and present themselves at a consistently professional level.
Richard March is one such performer. In fact, among singer-songwriters in this town, he has the most professional stage presence, hands down--so much so that local musicians of any genre would be well-served watching a Richard March show and studying how the man performs his songs. March’s approach has many facets, all of which were in fine form last week at the Fox & Goose. First, make lots of eye contact with everyone in the room (and I mean everyone). Second, look like you’re having a good time. Third (actually first, but you get the point), make sure you have a crackin’ band that understands your songs and music. Fourth, write songs that folks can sing along to even if they’ve never heard them before (this is also Jackie Greene’s strong point in a live setting) and then make sure you have regular fans in the crowd who will sing along, hence encouraging others to join in. Last, make sure you, the central performer, are really, really good at what you do.
March covers all of these facets, and he does them all very well. It is particularly noteworthy that his band includes longtime guitar wizard Steve Randall, formerly of the Amazing Sweethearts, a player who is clearly one of the best country-style guitarists in the area. I’d like to see Randall step into the spotlight more in March’s band, because his leads are remarkable--melodic and perfectly in keeping with the style of the music. But this criticism is a slight one, as the complete package of March and band is certainly working on many levels. In the end, it’s great to hear a country band that sounds like a country band (even if March is, as he says, “a guy from the suburbs”).