FRESH WIND SESSION No. 25
Genesee
Recording Date: 22 January 2024
KNCE 93.5 FM Premiere Date: 25 January 2024
Substack Premiere: 1 February 2024
I first encountered the music of Genesee aka Genesee Winger via Hayley Harper, who was featured on last week’s episode of One More Song. As my current project recording studio is located inside of my home, there’s a level of intimacy and trust involved in asking an artist to do a Fresh Wind session. Because of that, one of my main avenues for finding new artists to record for this show comes from the recommendations of other trusted artists who I’ve already worked with. Last fall, I invited Genesee to perform at a concert in the Sunset Series that I’ve been running with Sarah Hart at her Ennui Gallery here in Taos.
I was immediately struck by Winger’s quiet power. Introducing her short set of acoustic songs, the first and only thing that she said was: “Hi. Um, my name is Genesee. I’ve got some covers and originals. I don’t so much like to talk in between the songs, so I’m just gonna do it now.” For the next 23 minutes, I found myself riveted by Winger’s unhurried and spare performance. With that simple rejection of banter, she opened up a space for quiet reflection for everyone present. Many in the audience were moved to tears.
There’s a quality to Winger’s songwriting that reminds me of the work of Phil Elverum (The Microphones, Mount Eerie). On one level, you could describe her lyrics as plain - merely descriptive of a variety of situations. But, the way the series of images and thoughts stack up, paired with her unvarnished and honest vocal delivery, you unexpectedly find yourself devastated by the emotional undercurrent.
In her song, “At Least They’re Gone”, she sings:
Cultivate the simple things, in life I will be true
Coming forth I realize that I still have much to do
Working for the things I want of which there are a few
Life goes on, things are not different
But at least they’re gone.
Winger originally hails from Indiana, and it was her spiritual journey that brought her to Taos - to live and work at the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram and Taos Hanuman Temple. Though she grew up singing in choirs at school and church, it wasn’t until the time at the ashram that she began to lead the chanting of sacred prayers, singing while accompanying herself on the harmonium. It was in the time after she left the ashram that she found herself singing songs in English for the first time. Starting with covers, and slowly some originals, she’s been developing a small repertoire over the last three or so years. This radio session marks the first occasion of Winger recording her music in a professional studio, and I believe the four original songs that we recorded will see release as a debut EP in a few months.
At the time of our recording, Winger was in the midst of applying to graduate programs in Art Therapy. In the past few years, she has worked variously as a doula, tattoo artist, as well as a painter. I am curious to see how her burgeoning musical practice will fit into the many strands of her artistic life.
You can follow Genesee on Instagram at @genesee.valley.
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