FRESH WIND SESSION No. 35
AJ Woods and JJ Light
Recording Date: 24 November 2024
KNCE 93.5 FM Premiere: 1 December 2024
Substack Premiere: 8 December 2024
I was initially connected with AJ Woods via Dakota Scott Hall of Tarantula Hawk (Fresh Wind Session No. 29). Both songwriters are based in Albuquerque, and performed at a show together in Taos on November 24th at the Stakeout. Some of the most interesting Fresh Wind sessions have come about via recommendations from artists I’ve already done sessions with, so whenever that kind of opportunity comes my way I’m happy to take it. When I first started recording Fresh Wind sessions in 2021, my goal was to document the sub-underground of Taos - but, over time that goal has expanded to include capturing the sounds of the folks who make an effort to pass through, or share their music, here as well.
On the afternoon of the session, Woods walked up to my house accompanied by an older man. After introductions were exchanged, he asked me: “Would it be possible for my buddy Jimmy to do a few songs as part of the session as well?” Given that the older man was JJ Light, also known as Jimmy Stallings, the other artist booked on the Stakeout gig, my immediate response was: “Of course!” Later, at the show, Dakota Hall Scott said to me: “I should have mentioned Jimmy to you, him and AJ are kind of a package deal.”
Both Woods and Light ended up being fascinating songwriters and people, and I found myself touched by both of their music. Both hail from New Mexico, but given their age gap (Woods is 36 while Light is a ripe 82) represent very different chapters of this state’s musical history. They were brought together originally via another native-New Mexican, Jeremy Barnes - most famously the drummer of legendary band Neutral Milk Hotel. Barnes produced Woods’ most recent album, 2024’s Hawk Is Listenin’, the title track of which was recently featured on one of Uncut magazine’s mix CDs. Barnes has also worked with Light on a number of releases throughout the past decade.
Light is perhaps best known for his 1969 album Heya, of which the title track was a legitimate hit throughout Europe that year. He is also known for his work as the bassist on a number of Doug Sahm’s Sir Douglas Quintet records. Being completely unaware of either of these credentials upon meeting him, I had the experience of just being struck by the depth of his songs, the kindness of his demeanor, and the soul in his aging voice. Each of the five songs that he performed during the session (“John Fire Lame Deer,” “Ya Ta Hey Sukie,” “Universal Sunshine Friend,” “On The Road Now,” and “Lowrider’s Roll”) have been stuck in my head at intervals throughout the past few weeks.
I was equally struck by the songs that Woods played during the session (“Gila,” “Hawk Is Listenin’”, “Coyote Song,” “Sandhill Crane Song,” and “Gallup, New Mexico”), all of which come from his most recent record. I found myself enjoying the stripped-down versions of his songs featured on this session even more than the fully-produced tracks. Something delicate in his voice comes through in these acoustic versions, and I find them even more dynamic than the recordings featuring a full-band.
Given the multitude of stories that both musicians had to tell throughout the session, including JJ Light being asked to open a recent tour for the influential indie-rock group Big Thief, this is the longest session I’ve yet to record! I trust if you stick with it, you’ll find a lot to love in its 92 minutes.
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