Willy Jacks and Visitors shine in shared debuts -

Buffalo Music: Maria Sebastian, Greg Klyma bring great original songs to the fore

By Joe Genco
Niagara Express
(Image above: The Visitors with (L-R) Greg Klyma, Jeff Schaller, Maria Sebastian and Don Vincent. Photo by Paul Gipp)

Willy Jacks and The Visitors shared a debut at The Cave Sunday afternoon as two new bands rolled out their first gigs for a packed house in a show rescheduled from Saturday because of the Bills game.

***Greg Klyma. Photo by Jamie Sunshine.***

Willy Jacks are the new project of prolific Buffalo-born singer songwriter Greg Klyma, comfortably straddling the line between country and rock in a Steve Earle sort of way.

His band features Ian Dansey on pedal steel, Jamie Sunshine on drums and vocals and Matthew Blue on bass.

Klyma opened with an Earle song from the “Guitar Town” album, “Fearless Heart,” which “just comes back for more.”

Earle means a lot to Klyma. He heard a track off the album when he was 15 and it played on the radio in his mother’s car in 1986 as they were headed to the store. He bought it at Cavage’s and has owned it in multiple formats since.

Klyma has, by his count, recorded 17 different albums over the years. Some have deep cuts, like “The Bastard Son” from “Never Knew Caroline,” his only vinyl.

He gave vocals to Sunshine for a song before closing with a rollicking “Why I Oughta” with the lines “Why I oughta drink more water, I ain’t had near as much as I should. Bartender don’t ya think you could put a little water in my drink ’cause the whiskey makes the water taste so good”

The promise of Klyma and Sebastian having new projects drew a crowd that seemed to have lots of musicians. They were there for the show and to support friends.

Life is what happens when you are busy making other bands (John Lennon paraphrased), and so Sebastian hadn’t had a band dedicated to her own songs since 2004. She’s played solo shows and never stopped writing new music with fun couplets like “cold is as much about people as weather.”

Sometimes her message can be biting, poetic truth as in “She doesn’t need your money, she just wants it. Don’t you get it? There I said it.”

She also hit a fun song “Happily” that arose from a traffic stop causing inconvenience at a busy time in life when being locked in a cell with four walls, a cot, meals and books to read might not be a bad plight.

The Visitors feature Sebastian on guitar and vocals, Klyma on vocals and guitar, Don Vincent on bass and Jeff Schaller on drums.

Having a band again is enjoyable for Sebastian in part because her bandmates reliably want to practice Monday afternoons. Finding rehearsal time can be a hassle for many bands but it is the hard work that makes shows like Sunday’s work.

Sebastian closed her set with “”Hung Over and Pissed” and positive words about Josh Allen.

The Visitors returned with a cover of the Juice Newton hit “Queen of Hearts.”

**The Visitors fill the dance floor. Photo by Joe Genco.**

It filled the dancefloor, warmed the chill and somehow helped heal the collective “maybe next year” from Bills fans.

The musicians, on stage, and in the crowd, were there in appreciation of songcraft. Oh sure, they can chip in for a tribute to Petty, Uncle Neil or Dylan, but it likely never gets better than playing original songs, with a couple Pine Dogs covers thrown in, on a Sunday afternoon in Black Rock.

It’s a better time than some stupid call about whether it was a catch or pass interference. Many of us have hearts that crash or soar on the fate of millionaires playing for billionaires, but in the end we are left empty. Shows like yesterday’s fill us up again because they’re real music, best presented by the Hall family with a $10 cover. It matters especially in a world of Spotify, where lawn seats for a show at Artpark like the Avett Brothers or Ray LaMontagne are on sale for $69 or $74, with a Ticketmaster service charge on top.

Neither The Visitors nor Willy Jacks has another gig scheduled. Yet. But they will. Keep looking to find out from The Hive and don’t miss them again.

NOTE; More photos and video below.

(Joe Genco is a Niagara Falls-based husband, father, journalist, music lover, cook, hiker, forager, financial services professional and dog lover. You can read more of his work here. https://niagaraexpress.town.news/, where he is the editor)