Songwriter Series: Widely Grown + Jake Swamp and the Pine

NJ.Com called him one of Hudson Counties most engaging performer over the last 5 years. James Calleo is a singer-songwriter from Jersey City, NJ. His style draws from a wide range of influences including the Wood Brothers, Ray Lamontagne and the Grateful Dead. Acoustic/Soul/Country/Funk you might say. James has led his high energy Americana band, Widely Grown, on tours through 15 states, performing at notable festivals in 2023 like MaplewoodStock and the Barefoot Country Music Festival. They will be releasing new music in 2024. He will be joined by Widely Grown bassist Dave Lockhart. Dave has played with highly regarded acts such as Lake Tahoe's Dead Winter Carpenters, NJ's Joe Cirotti, Nick Dunbar and even Dead Grass.

Behind the creative force of Jake Swamp and the Pine is Drew Zieff. Jake Swamp and the Pine songs range from powerful acoustic anthems to knee-slapping hoedowns to slow and somber waltzes, drawing on diverse influences from the Americana, folk, singer-songwriter, bluegrass, and jam band traditions. With a collection of original songs and covers of artists, there’s always something to stomp, clap, or holler along to. At the end of 2022, JSATP  released their debut album, Simpson and Banks, named after the cross streets in Somerville, MA where the band was formed. Within those cross streets, hours and hours of practice, laughing, writing, struggling with creating social content had been held. Simpson and Banks received praise from many prestigious publications including Americana UK, who noted that a "Gloriously atmospheric vocals carry a set of passionate, emotive and classy songs.”