Jeni Hankins Wows Audience With Charm And Authenticity

By John Roos

The enriching qualities of independent, roots-based music were fully on display Friday evening at a house concert in Huntington Beach hosted by Carolyn and Joe Shirley.

Folk-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jeni Hankins delivered a splendid, solo acoustic performance defined by its authentic spirit as the Appalachian-bred, now London-based Hankins continues forging her own path as a solo artist following the break-up two years ago of the longtime duo, Jeni & Billy, which also featured string player and record producer Billy Kemp.

Drawing from material both old and new—with an emphasis on her solid solo album debut, last year’s “The Oxygen Girl”-- Hankins created vivid imagery with character-driven songs about longing and loss, her family’s coal mining roots in Jewel Ridge, Virginia, and her more recent experiences abroad as captured in the songs “The Shipping News” and “The British Invisible Mending Service.” Whatever the subject matter she chooses, Hankins explores the human condition with honesty, compassion and humor.

No Hankins concert would be complete without her bubbly personality and contagious energy oozing to the fore. Her charming and detailed in-between song banter nurtures an intimacy that few other musicians can match. The myriad of unpredictable topics to emerge on this night ran the gamut from the BBC, ESP and LSD to biscuit feasts and tobacco juice spitting contests to PawPaw Avery, Uncle Roy Lee and old Aunt Lou. Hankins prompted laughs from the audience with her introduction to “Old Aunt Lou,” as she explained why her beloved auntie wore heavy-duty Brogan shoes: “My Aunt Lou needed those sturdy shoes to go check on her moonshine still.”

Two of the show’s most heartfelt songs were inspired by the complexities of the mining life. Hankins sang a cappella and with stark beauty the spiritually-tinged “A Miner’s Reward,” and later offered her insight into “A Miner’s Soul,” which she prefaced by sharing that although miners spend their days underground in darkness, they feel a sense of peace and belonging as suggested in these lyrics: “Some men they leap to the sky/like they were birds, like they could fly/But me, I dig down to the soul of a river of earth/All washed with coal.”

Other musical high points included the autobiographical “Will I Always Wander?” a poetic lament on Hankins’ sudden loss of her compass for home; the lovely, soaring “Polishing Stars” where her melodium playing shined; a lover’s gentle nudge for affirmation from her partner in “Kind Word,” and “The British Invisible Mending Service,” a touching metaphor for repairing a broken heart which showcased an unusual instrument: a 1909 Singer sewing machine.

That’s right, my friends. Singing and sewing, an unlikely pairing that felt as natural as a warm summer breeze. Go figure.

Hankins, who got married earlier this week in Las Vegas to Englishman Graham Frear (who co-wrote “The Oxygen Girl” and was on-hand to reprise his role as circus barker during the number) has figuratively and literally come a long way since her years in the poor but close-knit community of Jewel Ridge. A consummate story teller with a perfect blend of talent and curiosity, she connects with her audience by relating to those very real, personal moments-both big and small--we all share, such as the warm childhood memories of her father, Greg Hankins, greeting her during the morning with “Rise and Shine!” and now, her continued grief and healing from the heartbreak of his untimely death from leukemia just two years ago at age 59.

Personal growth and shared experience that rings true form the core of her craft. Well-done, Jeni.

Even though the audience on this night was a small one, smiles and hugs were in abundance as the Orange County folk music scene was well-represented by fans and past organizers of the Anaheim-based Living Tradition Concert Series, the long-running showcase for folkies local and national. I personally recommend attending that series’ next concert on Oct. 20 featuring singer-songwriter Tracy Grammer plus openers Claudia Russell & Bruce Kaplan. (Go to www.thelivingtradition.org for details.)

*Photos taken by John Roos.