"....One of the most amazing discoveries that I have recently made, this is a newly released CD of Langston Hughes poetry put to music by Jack Hadley. Jack Hadley has an amazing voice and musical guitar talent...I have now listened to this CD over a hundred times in a row and found something new and wonderful each time..."
- Joshua Stevens, January 2021
Rauma Blues is one of the oldest and largest blues festivals in Finland. Taking place this year on July 12th and 13th, the main stage is the Kukko Arena in Rauma, with other concerts taking place in Café Sali, Buena Vista and Bar Hovi. The main concert will feature Jack Hadley & St Louis Blues All Stars, the Heritage Blues Orchestra, Watermelon Slim & The Workers, all from the US, as well as Vidar Busk of Norway, and Finland’s own Dumari ja Spuget. Performers in the clubs include Jasmine Kara (SWE), Flamtastics, Northern Governors, and Micke & Lefty featuring Chef.
- Finland’s Summer Music Festivals | Jazz & Blues
May 31, 2013 “Discovering Finland”
www.discoveringfinland.com
"...I found a vacant booth with a good view of the stage area, ordered a Guinness from a friendly waitress, and settled in to wait for the music to start. Jack, drummer Mike Ray, and bassist John Grigsby set up quickly and went right into the first tune - a rhythmically innovative take on “Every Day I Have the Blues.” Jack was playing a bright blue Telecaster through a vintage Blues Deluxe amp. The tone was classic Tele with its trademark sting in the upper ranges. Jack did all the singing. He’s a tenor with a silky smooth delivery that’s reminiscent of Smokey Robinson seasoned with vibrato similar to Robert Cray’s. He uses his thumb and fingers to pick the guitar strings with graceful dexterity. His solo started with growling low string rumbles, moved up to quick silvery chord clusters in the mid-range and ended with brilliant sustained single tones up high on the fret board. The bass and drums were solid underneath and the trio reunited post solo to take the song out with easy teamwork..."
- Austin Andres, March 2011
“...And Jack, formerly with Otis Taylor, is one of those rare guitarists who play just enough to make the song better – haunting Delta drones, snappy, popping chords and tasty licks...”
– Andy Shaughnessy, The Atlanta Blues Society, Summer 2008
Photo | Nichole Olea
2024
Nov. 2024 : "The St. Louis Sessions Volume II" received Best Self-Produced CD award from the Colorado Blues Society.
2023
Oct. 2023 : I received a BCAA Endowment grant from the Boulder County Arts Alliance for my new recording project.
Recording new music in St. Louis with The St. Louis Blues All-Stars: Robert Lohr, keyboards | Terry Coleman, bass | Keith Robinson, drums | Chris Millar, drums.
I received a 2023 Martha Kate Thomas Fund for Artists grant from the Boulder County Arts Alliance (BCAA) for this project.
2022
Nov. 5th, 2022 fundraising event . For the Imperial Hotel in Thomasville, GA. This event was for the Jack Hadley Black History Museum. Live in person.
Check out my latest interview with CanvasRebel:
https://canvasrebel.com/meet-jack-hadley/
2021
Feb. 27th. I contributed a solo livestream show from Brewery Rickoli for the 2021 fundraising campaign for the Imperial Hotel in Thomasville, GA. This event was for the Jack Hadley Black History Museum in Thomasville, GA.
May 4th. Livestream for KGNU Kabaret in Boulder.
2020
"Daybreak In Alabama - The Langston Hughes Project" released in 2020. Original music written by Jack Hadley and based on the poems of Langston Hughes.
May 2020
Check out my interview on VoyageDenver!
http://voyagedenver.com/interview/meet-jack-hadley-jack-hadley-band-boulder/
April 2020
A few days ago I made a music video for Medicine Horse, a non-profit that provides mental health and wellness services through equine therapy. It will be released on their YouTube channel on Tuesday, April 21st at 6:30pm. One of the songs is a solo version of "God", one of the new songs from my upcoming CD "Daybreak In Alabama: The Langston Hughes Project". https://youtu.be/SxEXO_UjAwE
January 2019
New videos on YouTube on the Karabiner Studios website. "Stranger In Your Town" and "I'm Here For You." Both songs written and performed by Jack Hadley. The videos were created by Tarino Pictures and both projects produced by Karabiner Studios. "Stranger In Your Town" recorded by Kenny Wilcox at Acoustik Korner in Thornton, Colorado. "I'm Here For You" recorded at Altitude Recording Studio by Steve Sirockin in Boulder, Colorado.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-khlYNQC4LI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbQLpAv1Oqo
July 2017
I competed in the regional Colorado Blues Challenge sponsored by the Colorado Blues Society (solo/duo and band categories). I won the solo/duo slot. I'll be representing the Colorado Blues Society at the International Blues Competition (IBC) in Memphis, Tennessee Jan. 16-20, 2018.
February 2015
Interview with Blues.gr
http://blues.gr/profiles/blogs/denver-multicultural-musician-jack-hadley-talks-about-the-fusion
March 2015
Opening the Boulder International Film Festival. Thursday, March 5th at the Boulder Theater, 7:45-8pm, solo. I'll be playing before the opening of "The Wrecking Crew", a documentary about the LA studio musicians behind such hits at "Be My Baby", "California Dreaming", "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and many more.
Sat. May 30th performing at the Brighton Blues Blast at The Armory in Brighton, Colorado. 4-5pm.
Oct. 2014
"The St. Louis Sessions" released on San Telmo Media.
Colorado Blues Society Members' Choice Award Recipient, Male Vocals.
Sept. 2013
Recording my new CD in St. Louis with Dave Torretta at the helm. Jack Hadley/guitars & vocals, Bob Lohr/keyboards, Keith Robinson/drums and Terry Coleman/bass.
I've been added to the lineup at the RAUMA BLUES FESTIVAL in Finland, July 12 - 13, 2013, in Rauma, Finland. I'll be performing in Europe for the first time under my own name with the St. Louis Blues All-Stars (Bob Lohr/keyboards, Keith Robinson/drums, Terry Coleman/bass.) www.raumablues.com
Pro-Jam with Jack Hadley voted "BEST BLUES JAM - 2013" by Westword.
"...Hadley knows his way around the blues, and he definitley adds a sense of professionalism to his weekly Monday jams at Jack's.....other blues jams attract their share of novices, Hadley's jams bring in more seasoned players..."
Every Monday night, 8:30-11:30pm, Jazz@Jack's, 500 16th Street in the Denver Pavilions, Denver CO. www.jazz@jacks.com
Still Not My Home
NINE NEWS Interview
I was interviewed on Channel 9 in Denver, Colorado, for one of their entertainment segments called "You Don't Know Jack." The Jack Hadley Band was filmed at El Chapultepec in downtown Denver and the interview took place at the 9News studios:
http://www.9news.com/shows/mornings/231100/229/You-Dont-Know-Jack
Recording
Contributed lead vocals on "Blues Ain't Nothin'" and "Wolf At The Door", two songs from the latest Neil Haverstick release "Hide & Seek."
Awards
June 2013 - Received a Certificate Of Appreciation from the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club Mile High Chapter for keeping the spirit of traditional and original music alive.
April 2015 - Received an award from the Colorado Blues Society (CBS) for my contributions a CBS board member and Editor of the Holler, the bi-monthly newsletter.
Photo © Nichole Olea.