Fri 9/27 @ 9PM
Following a week in which we saw, incredibly, 217 congresspersons vote to increase hunger in America, it’s refreshing to contemplate singer-songwriter Jen Chapin, who followed in her father’s footsteps as both a musician and an activist for social and economic justice — especially alleviating hunger.
Luckily, Jen’s music is much less maudlin than that of her father, the late Harry Chapin, who was responsible for the early ’70s hits “Taxi” and “Cat’s in the Cradle,” about which the less said by me the better. When I wrote for the Plain Dealer in the ’80s, he was the only artist I turned down an assignment to review. To say I don’t care for his music is putting it mildly.
His daughter’s music has a lighter touch, however. Her voice is high, sharp-edged and agile, and she’s got a delicate, feathery sense of phrasing that often seems jazz-like.
And like her father, she’s active in organizations that combat hunger and work for sustainable food solutions. Jen Chapin has been quoted saying of her father, “He saw hunger and poverty as an insult to America.” Somebody tell our well-fed and oblivious congresspersons.
She performs in a number of configurations, including a trio that features her husband Stephan Crump on bass and Jamie Fox on electric guitar. They’ll be at the Winchester.
Tickets are $12.
7 Responses to “New York Singer-Activist Jen Chapin at the Winchester”
Diane McKusick
I think Harry Nydick speaks for many of us.
Anthony F. Melhem
Who the hell wrote this?! The comments about Harry Chapin from this “reporter”was dissopointing and rather shocking. To to say that I dont care for this reporter is putting it mildly. Jackass.
David Rosen
The writer was Anastasia Pantsios, and it’s kind of a surprise, because she generally is more open and less snarky. She’s a photog from way back but seems to be more interested in the alt scene these days, which I suppose causes ones Snark Factor to increase. But I agree it was really disappointing that she wasted so much ink (electrons) dissing someone as sincere as Harry just as his daughter was coming into town. Whether you like the songs or not, if you look into his life for 5 minutes, you see how sincere and dedicated a human he was. Shows a total lack of class and I hope she seeks Jen out at the show to apologize and not hide behind some chickenshit blog.
Dennis A. Matejka
I’m predicting that there won’t be one post that supports this sub-par review. Why are posters required to leave their names, but the review is un-“credited”? I do feel sorry for anyone who can’t appreciate the work of both these talented artists.
Albert B. Hanner
There is no substance to this review on Jen Chapin, so it’s probably good you didn’t waste Harry’s time years ago. You obviously never took time to “listen” to Harry Chapin’s music. Perhaps if you spent a few minutes talking to him he would have opened your mind up a little. Sometimes anything to deep scares people away. As for Jen Chapin, she has a beautiful voice, and makes wonderful music. She lives and works towards making the world a better place, and that’s why she (and her father) are so admired. What have you done with your time on earth to prove before you die what your life is worth — besides writing snide, uninformed reviews?
Tom Chelston
Hey Anastasia, was it a pack of dogs that raised ya?
REAL writers tend to think before wasting precious ink.
Your opinion of Harry Chapin immediately blew your cover.
Sincerely,
The World
Melissa Affolter
To write a review of an artist and make a big piece of your article an overt criticism of the artist’s father shows your lack of skill as a writer. A writer with even the smallest amount of polish and training would know how to properly craft a review, but the fact that you spent most of the first half of your article focusing on something that is totally irrelevant to the review shows you to be a poor writer with no sense of how to construct a compelling and persuasive piece. You made the piece about you, what YOU think of Harry’s music and how YOU respond to Harry’s music. But any freshman composition course would teach you that writing a piece like this is not about you! You should have left your opinion of Harry’s music out of the article completely, and focused solely on Jen.