Multi-instrumentalist and singer Kim Mackenzie has been a stalwart sideman in the local music scenes of San Antonio and Hawaii for 25 years.
Putting pretense aside, I will now switch to first person.
After landing in Texas in 2001, I spent many years partnered with local singer-songwriter Glenn Allan, gigging regularly in and around San Antonio. Glenn had an album of all original country folk half in the can when we met, and we released it as a duo in 2004.
In recent years, I've ventured back into the eclectic territory of my formative musical years. Any given weekend, you can find me playing in a variety of bands — primarily gypsy swing with Los Djangoleros, but also with local country, folk, roots rock, Irish or Cajun/zydeco bands, plus anything else that strikes a chord and needs a fiddle.
For the bulk of my career, I've backed up other musicians, which suits me fine — my favorite thing in the world is making someone else sound better. But throughout the years, I've collected a pretty deep catalog of songs that I've sung enough to feel like they're a little bit mine.
After being asked contribute at tune to an Elliott Smith tribute, I hit up friend and fellow musician Joe Reyes to back me up. Playing that tune together sparked the idea of this album for me.
Joe and I whittled that long list of songs down, and spent a leisurely year arranging and recording. (Save for accordion on a couple tracks, contributed by Ray Symczyk, Joe and I provide all the instrumentation and vocals on the album.) It was nice and easy, and nothing but fun.
The result is Grace — a curated collection songs written by close friends, as well as my versions of tunes you may not recognize, ranging from Stax soul recording artist William Bell to indie ukulele singer-songwriter Melvern Taylor. Plus the Elliot Smith cover that started it all. I had a great time making it. I hope you'll give it a listen.
Putting pretense aside, I will now switch to first person.
After landing in Texas in 2001, I spent many years partnered with local singer-songwriter Glenn Allan, gigging regularly in and around San Antonio. Glenn had an album of all original country folk half in the can when we met, and we released it as a duo in 2004.
In recent years, I've ventured back into the eclectic territory of my formative musical years. Any given weekend, you can find me playing in a variety of bands — primarily gypsy swing with Los Djangoleros, but also with local country, folk, roots rock, Irish or Cajun/zydeco bands, plus anything else that strikes a chord and needs a fiddle.
For the bulk of my career, I've backed up other musicians, which suits me fine — my favorite thing in the world is making someone else sound better. But throughout the years, I've collected a pretty deep catalog of songs that I've sung enough to feel like they're a little bit mine.
After being asked contribute at tune to an Elliott Smith tribute, I hit up friend and fellow musician Joe Reyes to back me up. Playing that tune together sparked the idea of this album for me.
Joe and I whittled that long list of songs down, and spent a leisurely year arranging and recording. (Save for accordion on a couple tracks, contributed by Ray Symczyk, Joe and I provide all the instrumentation and vocals on the album.) It was nice and easy, and nothing but fun.
The result is Grace — a curated collection songs written by close friends, as well as my versions of tunes you may not recognize, ranging from Stax soul recording artist William Bell to indie ukulele singer-songwriter Melvern Taylor. Plus the Elliot Smith cover that started it all. I had a great time making it. I hope you'll give it a listen.