On The Verge

Jason Spooner

Portland, Maine
Live Music Chef
www.jasonspooner.com

“There’s a time and a place for all that [noodling], and that’s the great thing about music: To each, his own,” says singer/songwriter Jason Spooner. “Personally, I try to keep the song at the forefront of what we’re doing as a band.” While he might attempt to differentiate himself from the jambands with whom he has shared festival bills by focusing on lyrical rather than instrumental dexterity, he allows, “real live music is a slow-cooked stew where everything is fresh and honest.” “Some of the radio stuff is more of a Twinkie: It tastes good at the first bite, but you know it’s not good for you in the long run.” The Maine native, who grew up with Neil Young as his “Northern Star,” speaks in extended metaphors and whose music brings to mind acts like Matt Nathanson and Josh Ritter, understands the importance of the stage. “You might have moments of brilliance while performing, and then, sometimes the brilliance might not be that bright. But that’s the joy of the live event: There’s a sense of danger and a sense of reality.”