Jeffrey Foucault was on the altar at Schuba's Saturday, September 8. His wool coat of a voice sang songs about a country's heartbreak, wounded lovers and life's caravan riding over familiar and unfamiliar landscapes. Foucault wound down his tour in Chicago after playing in Iowa, Door County, Wis., and the Cafe Carpe in Fort Atkinson, Wis., where he got his start as a folk singer songwriter.
The show was slated at 7 p.m. and as Foucault said, "My booking agent lives in a small town so she doesn't know that a 7 p.m. show here is the equivalent of a 3 p.m. show where she is from." Despite the early time, the room filled in with couples, single women, wanderers and Foucaultâs varsity tennis partner from back home in Whitewater, Wis.
Foucault opened the show with two firsts. He played a new song on a "Red Rocket," a 1966 Harmony Rocket electric hollowbody. It was a new instrument, and his playing on it added a whole new depth to his songs. "Cold Satellite" is a collaboration between Foucault and David "Goody" Goodrich's wife. She wrote the lyrics, and Foucault wrote the music for the sweet yet eerie tune.
Foucault played tunes featured on his most recent record, Ghost Repeater, such as "Americans in Corduroys" and, a crowd favorite, "One for Sorrow." Before playing "Mesa, Arizona" on his acoustic, he spoke about feeling lonely on stage. On previous nights in Fort Atkinson, he had the "hometown advantage" and played with Dave Moore. Foucault's stories of jury duty and yoga balls drew laughs. He is polite and honest - although looking at him you might think he would rob a bank in the old West.
Another new song (Nothing I wouldn't do except stay) had Foucault channeling Otis Redding. And an old Springsteen song "State Trooper" got everyoneâs attention. He broke out the "Red Rocket" a few more times for some moody excitement, but then gave the amp a rest for a while.
Foucault then played "Tall Grass in Old Virginny" - a song inspired by a tour with friends Paul Curreri and Andy Friedman - which he crooned. He said his mom would like him to croon all his songs, and maybe that could be his specialty. Though Foucault said, "I'm not sure what my specialty is."
Not having a specialty is one of Foucault's biggest strengths, but it doesn't easily categorize him. Americana, folk, blues, country and rock nâ roll have all become part of his catalog since his first release in 2001. Foucault carefully lays out a story in his songs and for the moment, you are alone in the night listening by the fire and a blue moon.
He closed the set out with a cover of "2:19" by Tom Waits and then came back for Greg Brown's "Driftless."
Catch him next time he comes through town.