Artist Interview: Q&A with Mark Joseph
We talked to the versatile Americana artist about his bluesy new album and his upcoming show at St. Paul’s Fitzgerald Theater.
Mark Joseph. Photo credit: Joshua Stewart / Mixed Hyped Media.
I was excited for another opportunity to chat with soulful Minnesota-based Americana artist Mark Joseph, who released a bluesy new album called Palisade Peach on November 3 and is playing his biggest-ever show on November 18 at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Carol Roth: Hi Mark! It’s so great to connect with you again; our “virtual listening party” of your album The Vegas Motel is a favorite article of mine on our site.
Mark Joseph: Hello! Thanks for having me back. I remember our Vegas Motel discussion as well. I remember it being pretty emotional as we got into some of the deeper aspects of the record.
CR: First off, congratulations on your new album release! I’d say the sound on this record was a surprise, except that every track on The Vegas Motel was a surprise, so I should’ve expected it. Can you tell us what inspired you to pursue a more consistently classic bluesy direction on Palisade Peach?
MJ: Thanks, we’re very excited to bring the Palisade Peach album to the world! Yeah, it was time to go back to my roots in the blues. I’d been working a lot with Stanley “The Baron” Behrens in 2022, and he's a master of the blues. He came out to Minnesota and did about 20 shows with me at the State Fair last year, and the audiences were just loving what we were doing. Lots of discussions were had during that time about doing a record. Stan’s been playing harp for almost 70 years and knows almost everyone in LA. So we got to brainstorming about some of the amazing people that we could work with on it: the incomparable Albert Lee and bass legend Jerry Jemmott, to name a couple. Blues is my cornerstone in music, so I believe I’ll always go back to it.
CR: The backup singers gave this album such a throwback 70s vibe to me, reminding me of Gladys Knight, Ray Charles, late-career Elvis. Do you have a favorite artist or musical hero from that era?
MJ: Thank you! Aretha Franklin is probably my favorite master vocalist from that era, but they are all so good. Also the Staple Singers.
Part of the magic of the blues is that it can be used as a template to create and develop new sounds. So working those vocals into the record was a real soulful and enjoyable way to put our imprint on these songs. “Back-Water Blues” and “Come On In My Kitchen” in particular benefit from some very powerful vocal arrangements. LA-based Heather Donovan (member of Love Me In The Dark) has been a driving force in much of that sound. We also had what we call the “MN Choir” that includes the amazing Steph Devine, Jill Mikelson and Alex Steele, all of whom have worked with me for many many years. My good buddy Ryan Balthrop (from Slide Bayou) also added his soul gravel voice on “Deep Ellum Blues” and “Whole World’s Got The Blues.” We got him on the record when I was on tour in the Gulf Shores, Alabama earlier this year. Vocal harmonies are a quintessential element in any record I make. I’m so grateful for their talents.
CR: Are there any specific themes or messages you wanted to convey through this new album? What do you hope listeners take away from it?
MJ: Some inspiration and hope. We all need more positivity and hope in this day and age. Also maybe a reminder of the powerful lineage of the blues. It’s been a very important outlet for me, one that guided me to a life in music. Many blues albums have had a powerful impact: Freddy King’s Texas Cannonball, Eric Clapton’s From The Cradle, Muddy Waters’ Can't Get No Grindin’, and many many others. Maybe this album can help carry on the tradition and reach others looking for that powerful identifier element that lives in the blues.
CR: Your title track “Palisade Peach” is such a charming song, just pure happiness in music form. What was your creative process like when writing and recording the title tune?
MJ: Thank you! It’s got that bounce! That’s what we kept saying in the studio listening to the bass line just pop off the council! Much of the thanks goes to the wrecking crew rhythm section. Michael Jerome and Jerry Jemmott, these guys were just unreal paired together. They’d never worked together before our session and it just exploded. The vibes were very upbeat and positive. We did five tracks with them as the rhythm section (not a bad day’s work) and when the session wrapped we proceeded to have an epic sushi dinner and drank wine while Michael added brilliant percussion over his tracks.
The song’s name comes in part from Palisade, Colorado, which is a very happy and vibrant place. I think some of the spirit of that special town also made it into the song. The chorus came to me during my first visit and show in Palisade, and I wrote it down very casually. I found it about a year and half later when looking at my notes while writing for this project. Oftentimes that will happen where I grab a line, jot it down and go back to it later to build into a full song.
Mark Joseph. Photo courtesy of the artist.
CR: I adored your cover of Robert Johnson’s “Come On In My Kitchen.” Can you tell us a bit about what that song means to you and why you chose to cover it?
MJ: I’ve always loved this song. It’s probably one of the greatest blues songs ever written. Love Me In The Dark had been working on an arrangement of this and Steve McCormick, our producer, felt it would be a great fit and alternate acoustic track for the album. He was right. It came together so naturally.
It’s a classic blues situation where this man is wrestling with love and loss. Pondering on where it all went wrong, and then summoning you, “You better come on in my kitchen” ... while the rain is pouring down ... outside and in his life. Undeniably heavy. That resonates with me. There are days in your life where you need to sit down in the kitchen (can be anywhere) and take a long hard look at the current reality. It’s usually around that time when there can be an opportunity for something to start to get better. When you hit the bottom and you sit down to figure a way out. Lamenting what you've been through, and facing it, not running from it.
CR: Which song from the new album is your favorite to perform live?
MJ: “Back-Water Blues” has been a very powerful song to perform live. There’s something about the attack and the call-and-response vocals. We sort of brought it to the church, and the toil and pain of the experience is baptized in the music. It’s the only version like it that I’ve heard and I’m very proud of that. I like them all for different reasons.
CR: You have a big show coming up at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on November 18th! How are you feeling about it, and what can fans expect from the performance?
MJ: Yes!! We are very very excited about it!! We’re pulling out all the stops. Producer Steve McCormick and harp ace Stanley “The Baron” Behrens are flying in from LA. We’ve also got Greg Schutte and Janis Wallin in the rhythm section, Eddie “Hondo” Juntunen on Hammond organ, Steph Devine and Jill Mikelson on backing vocals, The Northside Horn section, and very special guest Melvin Seals. Melvin is featured on “Deep Ellum Blues” on the album and we are very blessed to have him in the house. Jerry Garcia called Melvin the “master of the universe.”
My good buddy Heatbox who’s co-headlining the show is also bringing his full band, dancers and some very interactive elements to the show. We’re filming and livestreaming the whole event as well. Not to be missed!
CR: As a Minnesota-based artist, what significance does playing a show at the Fitzgerald Theater hold for you?
MJ: The Fitzgerald is an iconic Minnesota venue. I’ve got great memories in the room. My Uncle Peter took me to see Peter Mayer when I was 8 or 9 years old. It’s been really amazing to be a part of the evolution of the room as First Avenue has started to guide the programming. I’ve performed “The Wall: A Rock Ballet” in The Fitz for the past two years with The Twin Cities Ballet, returning for a third year March 15–17, 2024! We’ve also brought the annual Last Waltz Tribute, which will perform its 19th year there on January 27th, 2024. It’s simply amazing that I get to work in such a room.
CR: Any other upcoming projects or events you have in the works that you want our readers to know about?
MJ: We’re bringing the album to Los Angeles on November 10th at The Mint, and November 17th to the La Crosse Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin. On December 15th, The Big Wu will be at the First Avenue mainroom, and shooting for the stars. I play guitar for them and always enjoy that experience. Beyond those dates, bringing this album to the world is the plan!
CR: Is there anything else about the show, the album or anything else you wanted to talk about?
MJ: Just simply to remind everyone how important you are in keeping independent artists alive, writing and recording. We can’t do it without you, so thank you! Thank you for buying records, going to shows, telling friends, clicking and sharing. Your support means the world to us, thank you!
And thank you Adventures in Americana! We appreciate you!!
CR: Thanks for speaking with us, Mark! I hope you have an amazing time at the Fitzgerald and beyond!
The Mark Joseph and Heatbox dual album release show at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul takes place Saturday, November 18. Doors open at 6:30pm and the music starts at 7:30pm. Get more info and tickets!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carol Roth. Photo credit: Dan Lee.
Carol Roth is the primary writer, social media manager, podcast producer and event-calendar updater for Adventures in Americana. By day she’s a marketing writer/brand strategist. In addition to playing guitar and songwriting, she writes self-proclaimed “trashy” novels under the pseudonym T.A. Berkeley.
