Dearborn Musician Performs in Port Huron Sept. 10
Jeff Karoub and Connor Garvey are bringing their Motown and Maine town roots to the same stage on Sept. 10 at the Raven Cafe in downtown Port Huron.
Port Huron is a hike, no doubt, but we wanted to mention the gig here because Karoub lives in the Dearborn Hills with his wife, three daughters and dog.
It’s the first collaboration for the two and a first appearance for both at the Raven, a well-known, music-friendly venue in the port city’s quaint downtown district. But it’s a homecoming of sorts for Dearborn-native Karoub, who worked several years ago at the daily newspaper in Port Huron and met the woman there who became his wife. He also played some gigs at a restaurant down the street.
Karoub has performed throughout his native Michigan, either solo or as part of the duo ‘jar.’ Gigs of note have included the Flint Folk Festival, Baseline Folk Society, Manchester’s Gazebo Concert Series, the Riverfolk Festival and AJ’s Cafe’s world-record-holding Assembly Line marathon concert. He’s also played many of the region’s finer caffeinated establishments in and around Detroit, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor.
Karoub’s pop-folk sensibility comes with some sonic extras, courtesy of his classical training and musical lineage. His father is a Detroit Symphony Orchestra veteran and Motown session man behind the killer French horn lick at the top of Marvin Gaye’s ‘I Heard it through the Grapevine.’ Jeff made sure that little history lesson made its way into ‘Made by Motown,’ a soulful homage he wrote that became a finalist in a theme-song competition for AJ’s Assembly Line concert in 2010. The singer, guitarist and fiddler is a professional journalist by day.
Connor Garvey’s songs are like placing folk-funk guitar & ukulele, soulful vocals, and paradoxical metaphors in a juicer- you’ve never tasted it before, but Karoub tells us it’s intriguing and delectable so you have to keep drinking. His clever rhythmic guitar and ukulele foundations provide a medium for his most prominent instrument, his voice. His songs draw the attention of the whole room with humor, daring honesty, and grace.
Connor, who lives in Maine, comes to music to write songs. His resume includes songwriter competition victories, three self-released albums, self booked and promoted national touring, performances with the likes of Catie Curtis, Story Hill, Kevin So, The Bittersweets, Chris Keene, Slaid Cleaves, Jeff Mitchell, and Dan Walker, plus heartfelt appreciation from living room crowds to packed auditoriums. As Connor’s musical career gains momentum, he is bringing with him messages of hope, growth, and love in songs that silence rooms, brighten smiles, and inspires others to sing out.
The Raven Cafe:
Jeff’s links:
www.reverbnation.com/jeffkaroubjar
Connor’s links: