Jeffrey Silverstein is an ambient-folk artist based in Portland, Oregon. At the beginning of the year, he released his debut EP, How On Earth. He is also giving a portion of his physical sales to a non-profit organization out of Portland called My Voice Music. This organization engages the youth in music and performance to promote self-esteem, social skills, and emotional expression. Recently, Liz got the opportunity to interview Jeffrey about his music, upcoming shows, and more.
First question is: how would you describe yourself musically?
“Yeah, I’ve been describing the current sound as ambient-folk music, just ‘cause I kind of really enjoy combining natural sounds that you would maybe kind of hear more out in nature as your cruising around, mixed with more traditional, folk, or kind of singer-songwriter material. I am interested in kind of how those two worlds overlap.”
What inspired you to start making music?
“Let’s see, I grew up in a house where we always had music on and listened to music on long roadtrips in the car. I think in regards to writing my own music, it was kind of once I started to college and was in a band in Baltimore, I really felt like a part of a music community, for the most part. I got to experience the joy of collaborating with other people, of touring, and of booking shows for other bands. Just kind of lifting people up in the way of supporting, like other bands did for us, too. I think once I had that feeling once, I was just hooked. I’m a teacher during the day and I’m a freelance writer, and yet I have always figured out, one way or another, how to create music… It’s helped me through pretty much every scenario I can imagine and I enjoy sharing that with others. I hope that other people figure out a way they can have that same feeling in one way or another.”
You said before you leaned more towards the ambient-folk music genre; can you elaborate more on why you gravitate towards that genre?
“Yeah, sure. I think in general, almost without me recognizing it, I think I can become a person that gets easily overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed quite naturally. I almost kind of use that type of calming music to try to ground me. The feedback I have gotten around some of the music I make is that, you know, it’s calming, it’s peaceful, it’s mellow. And maybe those are some of the attributes that I enjoy from other people and also it’s sort of what I’m aspiring to be. So, I think it all kind of ties in there a bit personality wise. And also, kind of, as I begin to grow out of certain styles of music that I used to listened to, heavier music, louder music, I have really drifted towards instrumental music, instrumental guitar music, and songs that maybe only have few lyrics in them, but are still really powerful.”
What inspired you to give a portion of the physical sales to My Voice Music?
“Yeah, so like I said, I’m a special education teacher. This is my fifth year teaching and I have also been lucky enough to teach songwriting classes. It’s just one of my biggest joys seeing when someone kind of gets to create music for the first time. That could be on the computer or using a guitar, and noticing what that can really do for someone's spirit, how much that can help with mental health, and overall confidence is amazing. They provide youth with recording studios that they can come and access, and they (My Voice Music) are just doing really phenomenal work. I think now, more than I ever, I just wanted to figure out a way to give back because I think music has given so much to me.”
That’s really nice. I really like that. You mentioned to us earlier that you have an upcoming show, can you tell us more about that?
“Yeah, my next show is on March 23rd, here in Portland. I’m really excited because one of the guys who runs Driftless Recordings, which I put out music through, he has a project called North Americans. He is coming to Portland for the first time. So, I’m actually going to be meeting my label and making a new buddy for the time. And, I’m getting to see him perform, which I’m so excited about. He put out a record last year called Going Steady, which is also a very calming, soothing folk record featuring a lot of other artists I love. The other band that is playing are friends of mine here in town and they’re called Mouth Painter. Actually, half of that band also released music on Driftless Recordings, so it almost feels like a little bit of a Driftless family reunion, which will be really fun. The WayPost is one of my favorite places that I have gotten to play here in Portland so far. It’s a small venue, really intimate, and just really kind people that work there which goes a long way, especially for newer and/or traveling artist.”
Lastly, what advice would you give to someone who wants to start out in the music industry?
“Just try to figure out the parts of yourself that you want to get across through music. Then, be open and honest exploring those. I think take your time, don’t rush, and just seek advice from others, but also just trust yourself and know that you know yourself better than anyone. The most important thing is whether or not you like the music you’re making. I reference it all of time. But there is a song by Wilco and it goes, “if you feel like singing along and you want other people sing along, then just sing what you feel, don’t let anyone say it’s wrong.” That’s good advice, so just listen to that Wilco song.”
A special thank you to Jeffrey for doing the interview with us and being so kind! Stream How On Earth on SoundCloud here, and don’t forget to follow Jeffrey’s socials linked down below!
Instagram: jeffreee
Twitter: futuremyth
Interview done by Liz!
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