Hard rock finds new face in PT

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With one album in the books and another on its way, a Port Townsend hard rock group is looking to expand their reach, even after playing just two shows so far, with the help of a new local record label.

The Jacob Dylan Morse Project, named after the lead singer, is not looking at overnight success, but to accumulate their collective hard work to reach a wider audience.

The five-piece rock outfit got its start when Barry Ellis, the band’s writer, guitarist and producer, moved from Los Angeles. He had worked in the music industry with a wealth of experience in a variety of genres before moving to Port Townsend to seek vocal talent in 2010. Ellis explained the Peninsula had a reputation of deep-rooted musical talent known in the industry. Ellis was on the lookout for a singer who had a voice able to embrace the spirit of the songs he had already written.

He eventually found the talent he was looking for in Morse by happenstance.

While purchasing a car from a Craigslist listing from one of Morse’ friends, music was a topic that popped up, leading Morse’s name to be dropped to Ellis. Morse previously fronted a band called Fatal Frequency, which gained a reputation throughout the area and got his name on the radar.

Once the pair made contact in February 2014, they recorded their first song.

“After recording the first track, we knew what we had,” Ellis remembered after the primary session.

Ellis called Jacob’s vocals “one-of-a-kind and a natural vocalist,” learning how to put it on track at a special level.

“We are trying to bring back the ‘60s and ‘70s rock style, which is the highest selling rock style there is,” Ellis said.

Through talking with promoters, he has gotten the sense they want to “bring back music to where it was,” and Morse believes he can get the band back to that reputation.

“(Ellis) wrote a couple songs around my voice, and it was really working out, so we ran with it from there,” Morse said.

Since that time, they have been writing and recording songs during off-hours for the band’s first album, “One Inch from the Sun,” which was recorded in a living room space in Port Townsend and was released just last year. The band is looking to release a second record this year, which is about halfway finished.

“He really embraced the material and gave it a brand-new life,” said Sylvia Heins, the band’s and record label Makiah Creek’s promotional manager.

Heins pointed out how the band’s music differs from other musical acts that form and reside in Port Townsend, which she described as “electric, artistic and risky, and maybe avante garde,” adding she appreciates the musicians that make up the “vital scene for the few clubs we have left.”

Heins plans to keep connected with a growing fan base through social media and the band’s website, jacobdylanmorse.rocks.

“I don’t know if they fit in at all,” Heins said about the band’s place in the music scene, adding they appreciate being able to grow and live in the diversity it presents.

Over the past two years, the pair started to write and record music during their off time. When it came to the point of recording and production, they started to put together a band to play a pair of shows thus far. An ad listing they put out about two years ago sought those who might be interested in the project. Bassist Kirk Kuykendall was the first one on board, who recruited drummer Angelo Stokes from Las Vegas to join up. The final member is Louie Espinonza, Morse’s stepfather, who plays keyboard.

Morse said Makiah Creek, which is the first record label he has worked with in his career, has been a convenient backbone to the work as it is organized and business-oriented, mixed with the pleasure of playing music.

“It’s been good so far. We have an excellent team with good people,” he said.

The Jacob Dylan Morse project plans to release a remastered version of “One Inch from the Sun,” while finishing up the second album. Up until this point, focus has been all put on production, with live performances on the backburner until the band has confidence in its catalog to fill out set lists.

“We based the label around Jacob right now,” Ellis said, adding there will at least be another two artists taken on board once the Jacob Dylan Morse project is fully up and running.

Makiah Creek, a recording and rehearsal space, was launched 10 months ago, though the first album was recorded in a living room on Port Townsend’s Blaine Street on the industry standard of ProTools. With a studio now launched, Makiah Creek can provide an actual recording facility and production team in one.Ellis explained most record labels just provide a mode of distribution.

“As far as the local scene … I had a lot of success with rock. A lot of it is rekindling the followers that I had from other bands,” Morse said about getting his new band up and running.

Noting there is a vibrant music scene in Port Townsend, Morse hopes to bring additional rock shows on a regular basis to complement hip-hop and eclectic music that has been popular in recent years.

“We want to build a local following before we go out there and hit the road,” Morse said, adding they would also like to build a social media following to help sell the band to fill any venues outside their home base. “We’re in the building process right now. Our product is good enough that once we build some steam, there will be nothing to stop us.”

Ellis is in connection with several theaters in the region. Normally, larger theaters Ellis listed do not take on new acts too often.

“No act is doing what we’re doing,” Ellis said, adding they want to come out with a two-hour show from the get go with the aim to perform in the 11 western states.